Look what I have gone and been and done.

[roger]

After years of back peddling and less than subtle hints from Chris and a very generous offer from mervyn I have taken the plunge and Angie and I are now the proud custodians of Merlin 799 Keto. We had a good test sail in her on the Thames in the Tideway and when Mervyn made the offer I didnt have to think for very long.

Now I will have to learn to roll tack more effectively

[Nessa]

well done Roger. But I hear this one has a cover. Are you sure it's a classic?

[roger]

It has a cover, has no need for any work on it for a while, the best suit of sails I have ever owned and a decent trolly.

Also its the most money I have ever spent on a boat.

[davidh]

Roger,

Fantastic news - well done! There was only one boat 'better' in my mind and that was Spriteful and I'm pretty sure that 507 is destined to stay down in Frome for some time to come!

(I have to be careful else I'd end up like 'Dexter' in the US tv series.... people would start vanishing (where are pat and Sandy - opps, Love over Gold needs a new owner, Chris and Lois with Spriteful - not really that many more boats that I covet)

Now that you're 'one of us' make sure you head over to the new Facebook page that I've set up for the new Merlin Rocket book (tell Angie that when your birthday comes around...in about 5 years time, I'll do her a deal on a copy and promise NOT to sign it).

Hmnnn - you in Kato - that has just made doing well all the harder! Will you be sailing it at Roadford if they do a 'De May/CVRDA' event down there?

Pure Magic!

D

[Ed]

Gosh yes, the DeMay/CVRDA event.....

Wonder if I could get K638 back on the water for that.....most probably not, but would be nice to see her back sailing again and I do miss sailing Merlins.

eib

[Pat]

Glad someone's helping boost the Shearwater Merlin fleet - looking forward to a race! We know who'll be favourites for the club's President's Class Team trophy next year now.
Did you get the carbon mast too?

[roger]

Unfortunately no carbon, only the wooden mast we did the Tideway with. Now on the lookout for a very tall 22`6" ali hog stepped mast. I have just learned that merlin masts are measured from the shearline so that makes it pretty long.

I will be keeping the woody for special so need a tin one for everyday shearwater sailing.

There must be someone who has put a carbon mast on and discarded the tin one somewhere so I will put a post on the Merlin forum.

[roger]

Measured the mast today from step to tip is 25` 3" including the step. anyone know of an overlong tin stick out there. Gp one is way to short so that option is out.

[alan williams]

Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!! Roger what have you done a Burning Spocket gone to the darkside. The way to sobriety and good behaviour, next thing you will be eating with a knife and fork and wearing strange clothing. Come back from the edge of reason and once again enjoy the anarchy of Horneteering. All is not lost.
Cheers Al
Never could see the attraction of a Merlin alright for ponds I suppose?

[roger]

Dont worry Al I havent gone away from the Hornet.

I also bought Demon (575)home at the weekend and will be looking to have her out for days when its to windy for Shoestring. The foredeck needs glueing and a full strip down and paint and revarnish and some horrible non stick plastic stuff to be removed.

Needs a new plank and bridge but I may be able to source some of it from Jim Ingram. She has a very heavy alloy mast with no spreaders which if I take down the scrappy may make enough to pay for a better second hand mast.

Sadly I have had to scrap the mystery boat as she was beyond repair and I had nowhere dry to keep her.

Incidentally with the boat came a couple of old mainsheets from the early eighties. You werent mentioned but a few references to bad deeds and not being able to return to certain clubs. Makes good reading.

[Rupert]

A boat that actually works and will get round the course in one piece? You'll be unstoppable, Roger!

If Angie is unavailable to sail with you in either Merlin or Hornet, I know Charlie is dying for another go! Could be the excuse I need to get to events myself

[alan williams]

Hi Roger
Glad to hear that once a horneteer always a hornteer. If I could find 2063 Piece of Cake or Kalidoscope 1451 I would consider giving up the shed if I found a crew. Have you come across any of the Mainsheets that I was the editor of? RTYC Banned Hornets and then they tried to stop Pat and I sailing are INT 14 the following week. It was a certain persons young children (girls need I say), sticking Hornet stickers all over Torbay that caused the ban, honest they were only 6. They were a right pair always getting the fleet in trouble causing fights and drag racing cars down the prom.
Cheers Al

[roger]

Al,

None edited by you. Peter Shelton was writer of one. Also a letter regarding the 1977 worlds near Edinburgh.

Shame the class doesnt have an archivist as such though Richard Barns may well be interested in them.

Rupert,

with a boat ready to go I wont have to be a boat tart. I will bear Charlie in mind especially with the Hornet as Angie probably wont want to ride the plank or the trap.

I had forgotten that Charlie had sailed with me ... thats another for the crew tart list.

[davidh]

Roger.............

The event 'near Edinburgh' was Crammond.................. last time I was there they were still rebuidlingit!

I'd not worry about your investment in the Merlin for you can be sure that by the time you stop dinghy sailing, it will still be worth 'something' because the Class will be working to keep things not just ticking over, but vibrant and alive.

I really do wish (as I think all ex-horneteers do) that I could say the same about the Hornet Class but sadly , given the reference to Crammond, "I hae me doubts". Nor is the possible demise for the boat the result of people not trying - as I know you did.

From the dinghy 'history' perspective, it appears that the 'dinosaur' classes perversely become extinct not during periods of recession but as the wider economy lifts out of recession. Nor are the Hornets alone......

It goes with the territory of being a writer that you get the responses to whatever you say and my guess is that 'enraged of Exeter' (I thought that less contentious than 'P*ssed off from Plymouth) is already leaping to the keyboard in defense of the class - but again I stress, this is not me say 'this will happen' but more a case of simply pointing out that in the past, in similar circumstances, things like this have happened. I hope to be proved wrong, we can chat about it I hope sometime in 2018 at a classic merlin event at Roadford......

D

[Rupert]

If classes disappear in the boom times, they should all be safe for a while...