Merlin Rags on Fleabay

[davidh]

A set of sails here for someone...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jeckells-Vintage- ... 3efe0c072c

Currently ay £99 with no bids.

D

[Garry R]

David

Way too expensive I think. Limited market. No real idea of condition. A Merlin Batt jib in reasonable nick was about £15 last week. If they reach that price I would be very surprised but don't let that stop anyone bidding.

[chris]

It's important to know luff and foot measurements (and preferably what mast they are for) as they not going to fit all rigs.
I have a some old sails to dispose of too, various shapes and sizes. Conditions are from reasonable for their age for the pre-extended batten era sails and quite reasonable for the modern shaped one. Offers

[davidh]

Chris,

indeedy..... I've been trying to get a suit of sails for the Smokers. The days of people having various suits of sails that they no longer need have all but gone. They are there, but are now almost all for deck stepped/carbon rig set ups. With the boat now 34 years old and although a wonderful boat to sail is neither a true classic as with Iskra, nor is like Sandy and Pats 'Love over Gold'. A suit of sails is therefore a questionable investment (though this might have to happen for oulton broad....)

D

[Pat]

David, what are the measurements for Smoky B?

[davidh]

Pat

pretty standard for those days when crews were crews....not half starved waifs, so the job would be a 3.2m

L is 5870, F is 2275.

In the end, I'd settle for a 'suit' that would fit the rig, even if the foresail area % was less (most now being around 2.8M) as I do not want complaints on Sunday of brutality, let alone bestiality!!!

D

[Pat]

Similar barn door rig to Half Cut then (5867 x 2425 and 2.75sq m). If anything comes up, you'll hear.
It took us a lot of patience but we picked up a good secondhand set eventually.

[davidh]

Pat,

I've hunted high and low.... think I'll soon get the message and just go for a new suit - probably Mike Mac

D

[chris]

David, I could send a main and a jib up with Roger to Whitefriars, if they are any interest take them, not a matched suit though , the jib is quite nice but wrong for my boat, it's off a Canterbury Tales, I hasn't been measured so I can't tell you the area. The main is off 2375 which is Broad Minded as pictured on the back cover of the Merlin book (Jones' Expectation)- price: a pint or two someday.
I you don't want the main I'll hang on to it as it might be worth trying on my boat, it shouldn't be right but I've not tried it yet and my old batt sails are getting baggy!

[Garry R]

I used Mike Mac for Gannet's sails. A really helpful guy and as they were a one off suit he obviously took the time and trouble with them. Nothing but a pleasant experience I have to say compared with another sailmaker.

[Ancient Geek]

Michael McNamara is one of natures gentlemen a life long friend though he is somewhat older than me and in my dinghy days a sportsmanlike but firm competitor, he understands dinghy sailing and hiscustomers and never makes a promise he cannot keep.

[davidh]

Chris,

Yes please....can you pass them on to RTC (roger the Commodore - I'll not say anything at this point about boat breaking as i'm in for a favour), before I rig I'll lay them out and just lay the smokers sails over them - from that I can quickly see if they will be adaptable or not.

Garry - I was aware of the circumstances behind your move to Mike Mac. Sometime after easter I will be heading up East and one of the people on my list of 'must see' is Mike Mac.
It is a bit of an issue - for I know that a number of sailmakers who have kept their patterns from way back when. Is that what I really want...well....no.

What I'd like is a set of sails that utilise modern thinking but still reflect the needs of an older boat, less rig tension, hog stepped and alloy. Mike Mac is one of the few sailmakers that I think can do just that!

D

[DavidC]

Have to back AG on this one. Mike Mac is one of the best in the game. Brilliant sail maker, brilliant sailor and a real gentleman.

[davidh]

Pat.

Have to say that a 2.8m jib will fit okay.... L needs to be less than 2500!

D

[jon711]

Can I put another vote in for Mike Mac. A member of Oulton Broad, who gave a lot of support to Eric when he was restoring his Oulton Rater....

A top notch bloke, although he got very frustrated with me, when he forgot about the wings on a Blaze (That's my excuse, and I am sticking to it!!!)

Jon