Does anybody know height, width and length of a merlin on a standard trailer?  Looking at booking a ferry for Carnac and they all want to know.  Guess it is height of mast above car, length from tow hitch to stern, width I guess is 2.3m.
Thanks,
M

The Merlin will be 14ft long but is there such a thing as a standard trailer?  My previous merlins fitted easily in the garage but with my current standard winder trailer I have to unbolt the hitch to take a foot or so off the trailer length in front of the bow. Mast height (for towing) is often adjustable.

Hi Matt,

In my experience they are not too bothered by exact length, I have never been measured at the port! I suggest 5 meters length is near enough for this purpose. One thing to remember is that there is a standard height of 1.8 or sometimes 1.85 meters which I expect you will exceed if you measure the height of the mast on the trailer. This determines which level you be on. In practice you will most probably find you are loaded with the trucks, coaches and motorhomes so no problem.

Its a good idea to check the driving and towing regs before you go which are not universal in the EU and vary from country to country.

Loading up to go to cork one year they were measuring every towed yacht boarding the ferry.  Many people had 'forgotten' the bit between the front of the boat and the back of the car.  The nice man from the ferry company wanted cash for that bit before you were going anywhere.

That said loading a large number of keel boats is a bit different from slipping a couple of dinghies on, so you might get away with it.

I confirm that we have never been measured, either on length or height.

I don't think anyone is trying to get away with anything, just get the form filled in - 5 meters is in fact 16.4 ft so would be about right. I think I've done about a dozen crossings in the last four or five years and never been checked not that I'm advocating giving incorrect information. Last time I was towing an RYA RIB, I didn't get to see the set-up until the day we left and had to take the RYA's best estimate of the length.