Why Sail One?
First Impressions
Most people's first thoughts on racing a Merlin Rocket follow a similar pattern:- My, these Merlins go well to windward.
- Downwind, they're great.
- They are so comfortable and everything works.
- They are wicked fighting machines.
- Oops, the competition is a bit hot. One mistake and a pile of boats pass you.
What a great crowd, these Merlin sailors sure know how to party!

The Merlin Rocket sits at the centre of the dinghy-racing scene. It combines the boat handling and tactical racing of the traditional designs with the thrills and excitement of the modern "fast in a straight line" designs.
Upwind, the high aspect rig means that in light and medium wind conditions, the Merlin Rocket is one of the highest pointing dinghies around. It is the bane of the trapeze boat sailor. The power to weight ratio and the controllability of the rig means that planing to windward is common in strong winds, without much loss of pointing ability.
On the reaches, the long spinnaker pole and new 10m2 spinnaker are a powerful combination. The long pole keeps the spinnaker away from the mainsail, so close reaching under spinnaker remains one of the strengths and thrills of Merlin Rocket sailing.
The conventional symmetrical spinnaker remains effective at all sailing angles and so the downwind strategy has to be carefully considered. Do you plug straight downwind or gybe from broad reach to broad reach? It depends! It's your call on the day.
Merlin Rocket - the boat for all courses.
Topic | Author | Latest Post | Views | Posts | |
Merlins and social distancing | Andrew Mills | 14/05/2020 17:33:13 - Dan H | 974 | 7 | |
Merlin Week 2021 | Graham Cranford Smith SYC. | 13/05/2020 11:27:27 - RH | 2535 | 9 | |
Brightlingsea SC Silver Tiller 6-7th | Andy Bines | 04/05/2020 10:09:24 - | 506 | 1 | |
3646 | Hamish ex3321 | 01/05/2020 18:52:08 - Andy 3376 | 859 | 4 | |
ST results to date | Ross | 27/04/2020 12:25:07 - Ross | 509 | 1 | |
Salcombe Guide on Y & Y | Andrew Mills | 20/04/2020 11:54:06 - David Greening | 751 | 5 | |
Spring Magazine | Pat Blake | 15/04/2020 23:23:37 - Derik Palmer | 1390 | 14 | |
Sheerline | Tim Rogers | 15/04/2020 13:20:35 - Timothy Rogers | 567 | 3 | |
Dickie Dee | Richard Adams | 11/04/2020 16:22:54 - | 656 | 1 | |
NSM1 design | Mike Blunt | 10/04/2020 19:08:45 - mike blunt | 747 | 6 | |
One string rake | Rousey | 10/04/2020 08:36:50 - Gareth Griffiths NHRC | 606 | 5 | |
And now a boom | Timothy Rogers | 10/04/2020 06:50:21 - Albatross | 504 | 2 | |
Mk VIII | 09/04/2020 11:00:29 - Pat Blake | 1162 | 6 | ||
Spinnaker pump halyard drawing | Chris Grosscurth | 09/04/2020 10:47:23 - Stuart Bates | 812 | 7 | |
Vintage Merlin Rocket Wanted | John Michael Whelan | 07/04/2020 20:18:25 - Tim Medcalf | 769 | 2 | |
Sailing on TV - Tuesday 7 April at 5:30 pm | Louise Johnson | 06/04/2020 20:01:30 - | 427 | 1 | |
Whitstable Silver Tiller cancelled | John Cooper | 06/04/2020 18:57:15 - | 378 | 1 | |
Covid-19 | Rousey | 04/04/2020 17:34:07 - Ian Mackenzie | 925 | 7 | |
Parkstone Merlin Training & Silver Tiller 2/3 May | Nick Scroggie | 01/04/2020 14:42:36 - | 1562 | 1 | |
Jack the Lad 1529 | Peter Keeble | 01/04/2020 14:34:58 - | 352 | 1 | |
3735 updates | James Wells | 30/03/2020 15:29:11 - Chris K | 906 | 5 | |
Salcombe Silver Tiller 2021 and Merlin Week 2020 update. | Graham Cranford Smith Salcombe Yacht Club | 29/03/2020 13:30:46 - Louise Johnson | 723 | 2 | |
A video to amus if we are missing going sailing | Andrew Mills | 27/03/2020 20:42:09 - Andrew Mills | 704 | 3 | |
Dinghy Show | Colin Simmonds | 25/03/2020 21:59:47 - Gareth Griffiths NHRC | 2011 | 21 | |
Cheap MR sails on ebay | RB | 22/03/2020 16:16:57 - | 449 | 1 | |
Ranelagh Thames and De May Series - Cancelled | Frances Gifford | 22/03/2020 08:06:22 - | 353 | 1 | |
Salcombe Week | Barry Dunning | 19/03/2020 08:46:07 - Ben 3767 | 1258 | 8 | |
Chichester YC silver tiller CANCELLED | chris grosscurth | 18/03/2020 21:26:19 - Grozzer813 | 427 | 1 | |
Itchenor SC Silver Tiller CANCELLED | George Yeoman | 18/03/2020 14:26:04 - | 390 | 1 | |
MROA staement on Covid 19 - Coronavirus | MROA | 18/03/2020 11:19:46 - Martin Smith | 910 | 2 | |
Aspire 75th National Champs - 2020 | Ian Mackenzie | 17/03/2020 18:58:35 - Ian Mackenzie | 1651 | 8 | |
Wembley Silver Tiller Open Meeting 15 March 2020 | John Green | 17/03/2020 14:59:11 - Lou Johnson | 1354 | 10 | |
Midland ST - cancelled | Chris M | 16/03/2020 18:08:52 - Chris Martin | 433 | 1 | |
... any crews for Wembley ? | Andy Jones | 13/03/2020 14:30:53 - Anna Aylward | 456 | 2 | |
RYA Issue New Class Rules (Rule C.8 rudders) | MROA Chair (on behalf of MROA Committee) | 13/03/2020 07:26:51 - Matt 3494 | 1468 | 10 | |
Merlin Week flight preferences 2020. | Graham Cranford Smith SYC. | 12/03/2020 08:22:40 - | 417 | 1 | |
David Oddie | Chris Haworth | 12/03/2020 07:37:18 - Chris Haworth | 613 | 3 | |
Main Halyard | Rousey 3634 | 09/03/2020 18:47:51 - Chris Martin | 545 | 7 | |
De May and Open Meeting River Series | Martin Hunter | 09/03/2020 06:17:44 - martin | 374 | 1 | |
Buoyancy bag covers | Rousey 3634 | 07/03/2020 20:55:35 - Chris Martin | 506 | 6 | |
Burghfield ST 7th March Entry Open & Live Tracking | Simon Potts | 07/03/2020 14:28:22 - Tim M | 1066 | 10 | |
Itchenor Winter Warmer 2020 | George Yeoman | 06/03/2020 20:02:21 - George Yeoman | 1996 | 8 | |
Calling All Regional Reps | Martin Smith | 05/03/2020 10:15:41 - Martin Smith | 427 | 1 | |
Merlin Rocket Class Training - 02/05/2020 | Christian Birrell | 04/03/2020 13:57:10 - Martin Smith | 440 | 1 | |
HD Sails Midland Circuit Prize Evening | Martin | 04/03/2020 07:57:12 - D.H. | 674 | 4 | |
Wanted: Old Superspars Carbon Mast | Richard 2037 | 29/02/2020 10:11:51 - Richard | 479 | 3 | |
the lead and how to swing it... | scam | 27/02/2020 22:39:29 - Keith Callaghan | 677 | 5 | |
Important information about the Dinghy Show. | Pippa Kilsby | 27/02/2020 09:29:44 - | 404 | 1 | |
MROA Training 02/05/2020 | Martin | 26/02/2020 20:13:18 - Tim M | 410 | 2 | |
Re-Measuring | Gareth Griffiths | 24/02/2020 12:54:20 - Gareth Griffiths NHRC | 642 | 6 | |
BLITHFIELD BLAST Event | Blithfield Sailing Club | 20/02/2020 21:18:24 - | 420 | 1 | |
Salcombe silver tiller | Tristram Squire | 20/02/2020 16:43:30 - | 379 | 1 | |
New Rudder Design | Tom | 14/02/2020 09:31:39 - Do different | 2060 | 7 | |
Perisher Series Lymington Town SC | Lou Johnson | 07/02/2020 21:10:22 - Gareth Griffiths NHRC | 781 | 3 | |
Rounding marks rules | Logan | 07/02/2020 13:43:44 - Andrew Mills | 837 | 9 | |
Blithfield Barrel | Peter Male | 06/02/2020 22:17:31 - Peter Male | 390 | 1 | |
Medium Kite | David Philpott | 31/01/2020 16:06:06 - Scam | 665 | 4 | |
Salcombe Accomodation Available | Jez 3686 | 31/01/2020 13:50:34 - | 420 | 1 | |
The cut of your jib... | Scallywag | 30/01/2020 08:18:45 - Gareth Griffiths NHRC | 848 | 6 | |
2929 High Noon | 22/01/2020 20:27:39 - A.musgrave | 1230 | 7 | ||
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