Just a reminder for the Merlin world in general - forget the Champs and Inlands and all that guff, the premier event of the year is taking place at Hampton this weekend.  Forecast looks perfect with a west to southwesterly wind all weekend so a good beat one way and a long run the other - may even have to put in a gybe or two.  The London Pride is already racked up behind the bar (ready to be tested tomorrow) and whatever the weather I can guarantee everyone a warm welcome & plenty of amusement, food and drink.  Directions to the club: best approach is from the SOUTH side of the river to the Sadler's Ride (free) car park - turn R at 1st roundabout on Hurst Road A3050 heading west from the bridge.  Contact me for help if you need.

i was planning on atttending but im going sailing on a brig yacht in ramsgate for a week and only get back for hollingworths. sorry!

Is that a Brig or a Yacht - it's important to be specific.

boat in dry dock (garage) pending surgery but will come for a spectate!

Commiserations to those who missed it, see the Y&Y report.  Though the 1st half of the 1st race was a bit calm, the wind stregthened progressively through the day and from a near ideal direction, though a bit swirly at times enough of it.  Our line spotters were on top form and no general recalls were required even though at least 2 boats from each start were called back.  The only disappointment was that though Tammy sent us 3 boats we had no visitors from anywhere else, except Simon Blake who started after everyone else in (borrowed)Onions, a mkXII, and gave up shortly after passing me, not to sail again.  It seems there was a bit of a do the night before in Kingston?

We didn't even quite finish the London Pride!

Here's the link

who is the idiot going the wrong way..?

Maybe he is going the right way and everyone else is wrong!

Assume you are referring to the pic taken before one of the starts Dave - there was no right or wrong way.  You can see Hywel's bow poking out L of frame attempting to get the wrong side of the line

The answer to the question is Kevin Anderson, and he is ducking starboard boats.

...looks like he is going the wrong way to me, bet he didn't win.

...did he?

To be fair, at Hampton starting on port is normally a good idea, if you can make it. Kevin only raced competed in race 2, where he came repectably around 10th.

hmmmm, I see. One other thing. How come all the boats have pretty flags apart from 3346?

Mike and Katie told me they had lost it in a capsize the week before.

Any other questions?

Nice to see my old boat 3346 'Galactic Gnu' on the water.

...mostly under water, as it happens!

Oh dear!

Capsized?

Happy with her?

Constantly to start with, but less so now. She is a super boat, very good fun...just need to learn how to make her sail faster downwind..

Class rep's intervention - Galactic Gnu is dong very well thank you under new ownership.  After some input from the measurer (Rob Heath) with helpful comments from various other members the rig is set up correctly and when mast pointing skywards getting better and better.  Not last by any means at the Merlin Open and looking happier in what was a pretty crowded fleet.  The capsize was 10 days ago when there were some vicious gusts going down the river - we had about 30 stone in Heaven Sent and were from time to time hiked out hard!

Just need to work out how to fix the spin downhaul, and Mike may actually be able to fly the spinnaker soon.

If I remember I sold the boat with a single pole arrangement, but I had a multi purchase arrangement (snodger) left on the boat for twin pole set up, which I used.

When I initially had a single pole system I ran a line through the hole in the deck, in front of the mast step, then fed the downhaul through a ball block on a take-away system located under the deck right hand side (should still be there),to a camcleat fixed on the back of the mast step post which allowed you to cleat the downhaul and/or adjust to desired height. 

I might have some pictures of the system. If I can dig them out I will forward them to mike.

Excellent, thanks [email protected]

Remember there's a training day at Tamesis on 16th October which would be a great help for this

Andrew

If you have the pictures send them to me too as I know a thing or too, but the arrangement got me. It might have been the stuff left from the twin poles that confused me. 

Anyway mike said I could have the nice black pole as payment, and he would keep the lovely blue one, didn't you?

erm...could have been a different Mike. So, how do I get a new burgee up without taking the mast off..thought about throwing it, but would have to be bloody lucky to make it stick just right...

Roll boat over on its side - stick some padding under the gunwhale first though.

...or float boat round to the front of the club and have your assistant stick it on standing on the roof

Wait until you capsize (I could have a couple of burgees up there in the past few weeks!!!!)

my one clips into the holder at the top of the sail - but i stick it on with rigging tape just to be on the safe side (everything gets stuck on with rigging tape!)

i seee