Have you seen Fastsail web site?  It was set up when the symmetric classes organised their first grand priz event.  There were nearly 70 boats at this event and they have a lively forum discussing something dear to our hearts, yes the carbon debate!  
Just an idea.. how about some keen merlin sailors take on the challenge of organising an event for symmetric non-trapeze classes?  I'm sure the Scorpions, Larks etc could be persuaded to join in.  Rutland would be a nice venue and a name is propsed at the top of this!

A good idea to explore.

if well supported it would also provide an excellent opportunity to collect sufficient data to sort out PY ratings which have been allowed to drift over recent years.  We could then get down to enjoying handicap racing again rather than feeling disenfrancshised (if an older boat owner) or very fortunate (if a new boat owner).

A nice idea for a days sailing but, how is it going to generate a list of ‘old’ and ‘new’ PY’s?  This could be done at any event that a range of Merlins attended.  The RYA would still not sanction it and the clubs would not be obliged to use it.

It could serve to check the handicap of the latest boat against other hiking boats.  In reality it would only be relevant for the course and conditions of the day, which is why the handicaps are adjusted on a series of race results.  The likely outcome would be the Merlin getting hit harder against the ‘non evolving’ classes, as it probably deserves.

The classes we would race against are all boats which we compete with for sailors and are one designs, I think all the fastsail boats are one designs as well. Surely it would be better to look at a combined event with the tradional classes, Nationl 12, Int 14 and Int Canoe. All boats with over 50 years of pedigree and history plus not boats we compete with for sailors. If you think about it all the new RS Classes are one design modern versions of the restricted classes:
Merlin = RS400
National 12 = RS200
Int 14 = RS800
Int Canoe = RS700

Not quite sure what the problem is that iquiteagree feels is disenfranchising him here.  If he is in an older merlin and not using the recommended age allowance, then he will clearly be up against it to beat a new merlin boat for boat.  This is true of course of all classes - I would be surprised to find that an old laser, solo, enterprise, mirror, graduate, fireball, 505 or any other one design, fares any better in their fleets than iquiteagree does in his.

The particular difficulty with evolution changing the design of a merlin was recognised many years ago when the age allowances for the merlin were introduced.  Good racing can be had by using these allowances, and I recommend them to iquiteagree.