Are these boats any good, against, say an NSM2? In particular a late build Ovington NSM2 for a bit more money (£300 more)? Anyone got any experience of them and what to look out for? Trying to add a budget boat to the Scottish fleet...

Andy

Andy

I owned 3227 Super Trouper, a Roswell built NSMI with omega foam sandwich hull.  She went very well and was certainly the equal of the couple of NSMIIs that sailed at the club at that time.  A very kindly sail, fast in light winds but not as quick as the later Canterbury Tales designs.

Just make sure the hull has been looked after and no dings have been left unsealed.

3227 was for sale on Apollo Duck a few months ago.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Richard, the one I'm looking at is on the for sale list and I'll hopefully go and see it in the next week or 2. From what I can see it needs a bit of work, but it might be a gokd budget boat to add to the Scottish fleet. The guy who is selling it said it goes well in a breeze?

Bought one a couple of years ago for pocket money and still have it. Great first Merlin unless you are expecting to compete seriously. About as bullet proof as they get so have a good look around and get the seller to put it in the water to check for leaks before you part with your money. If anything much needs replacing it's probably not worth having as the cost of replacing parts will soon outstrip the purchase price,

One thing that you do not get in an omega foam sandwich hull is leaks!!

If you did, you would notice the holes!!

Only point of leakage is at centreboard bolt and that's soon fixed with some neophrene washer and silicon.

I would think that by the time the FRP boats arrived the NSM had been succeeded by the NSM II for heavies and a resurgence in the Summer Wine for medium to light weight crews leaving it a little in limbo. Also the ever critical sailing public were harshly critical of the different construction which was only partially justified.

In reality I think they are good, solid (if cared for) old boats that will make great first Merlins on restricted water. Just don't expect it to be maintenance free. It goes without saying that the IIs and IVs are better at doing certain things, things do move on and if they were not successful shapes then so many would not have built. Things were evolving rapidly around that time.

If you've only got £1000 to spend you can do a lot worse.

The Ovington NSM2 I was offered was on for £700 but the decks are all crazed, and there is no trailer, cover or Spin poles. I think it may need some new ropes and things too given that it's been sitting uncovered out in the open. The same boat was for sale last year for £500 incl a carbon rig, but it would be sold with a tin one.

The Omega NSM1 is also £700, has been for sale for a while, and has everything with it. It was upgraded to a raking rig at some point, and has a carbon mast (homebuilt I think) with it. The 2 has no wiggle room on price, whilst the 1 may have. 

The boat is not for me personally, but will raher be tarted up a bit and used as a lender boat to help the Scottish fleet. To this end the NSM1 would be getting the wood bits epoxied and the whole boat painted (the NsM2 would need the deck gelcoat removed, then epoxied and 2 pack all over). Whilst the 2 would be nice I feel that it could end up in basic Canterbury Tales land price wise given all the things it needs. 

Thoughts?

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