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I have a vintage Merlin (1951 ribbed boat) and wondered if anyone out there would have a suit of very old sails going beging that I could use on very windy days rather than risk capsize with my full size sets.  There is a picture of Hallowe'en a Rocket design in Robin Stevenson's book "When Dinghies Delight" flying along in a high wind with a set of Nat 12 sails rigged and thought that this would be just the job.  Postage would be reimbursed so if anyone has a suit lying around in a "just useable and no more condition" please leave a message here.  Thanks to all in advance.

I bought a length of chain from B&Q wih one of those screw together links and slip that over the ball when towing.  The wire strop which came with the trailer was complete rubbish - it actually pulled out as the talurit type splice was useless.  Much more confident with two lengths of chain.  But I still check the towhitch is on properly.

I would love to have a muscle box if possible.
 
You could email me on G.Rucklidge@abdn.ac.uk for details.
 
Thanks

Small car or large car.
 
I have had a 51 plate Rover 75 estate diesel for 4 years.  40mpg no problem towing my old Merlins or Firefly, plenty of length inside for sails all rolled up not folded plus the foils so no problem with stuff bumping about.  Great for long journies - I attend the CVRDA events coming from Aberdeen to Thames or Frensham and am as fresh at the end of the trip as at the start.    Get the BMW diesel engine (chain timing NOT belt)  and mine has 108000 on the clock so good for the same again - I saw one advertised ex taxi with 423000 on the clock for £1500!!  pick them up for buttons although beginning to compete with scrap merchants who want to sell the bits.  I have had no problems getting spares.

<div class="postbody">Many bits of advice concerning the old style jib tensioners where the jib is hauled up its own halyard and and hanked to the forestay say that this is done so that the forestay provides support to the jib luff and prevents sideways movement when beating to windward. On my old deck stepped merlin from 1947 even if the forestay is relatively tight when "at rest" ie no rigging, once you pull up the jib and tension it, the forestay slackens to the point where it would flop about if the jib was not hanked to it. So I guess I am asking what is the point of hanking in the first place if there is all this untensioned forestay providing no support. In fact it seems to me that the jib luff stops the forestay flopping around than vice versa!!  I have put this on this posting topic as well as it possibly pertinent to both!!

<div class="postbody">Many bits of advice concerning the old style jib tensioners where the jib is hauled up its own halyard and and hanked to the forestay say that this is done so that the forestay provides support to the jib luff and prevents sideways movement when beating to windward. On my 1947 Merlin where this arrangement is in place even if the forestay is relatively tight when "at rest" ie no rigging, once you pull up the jib and tension it, the forestay slackens to the point where it would flop about if the jib was not hanked to it. So I guess I am asking what is the point of hanking in the first place if there is all this untensioned forestay providing no support. In fact it seems to me that the jib luff stops the forestay flopping around than vice versa!!

That's a really neat idea BUT I tried a router once and made a hell of a mess on my trial piece to the point that it scared me off.  How tricky is it to get a really smooth cut around the curve of the gunwhales without the router wandering with a mind of its own?  I guess it's all down to practice but it's an expensive mistake to make with the cost of marine ply.

There is quite a bit of information on the cvrda website.  I have done 3 re-decks on Merlins and Fireflies and the easiest is to remove the gunwhale , redeck oversize and then put the cleaned up gunwhales back.  It is possible to do it with gunwhale and inwhales present but very careful and patient cutting is the order of the day.  The curves are the bugger and it is essential to have a fixed reference point.  I reckon it takes me about a week to fit both sides with a total of four pieces of ply for the fore and side decks.  I aim to have less than 0.5mm gap anywhere along the length of the inwhale and gunwhale otherwise it looks like a bodge.  The ply to ply joint is also tricky to get right.  The original deck should be used as a rough template - about 1cm ovesize - less to shave off!!!  If you go to the Merlin site and look up the photos section and look at restoration and repairs and then 252 you will see a redeck I did or Vivette on the cvrda site of the Firefly.  If fitting new gunwhales be aware of the huge tensions in the curve of wood - I used a couple of ratchet straps to help pull it in along the length screwing every 15cm or so the more on the strap etc never let the strap slip - the screws will rip out!!  I use slow epoxy for tthese jobs as it is time consuming and it can go off before you get everything lined and screwed.  Hope this helps.  You can phone me on 01651 872590 (evenings).
 
 

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We had a great time at Frensham getting stuck in holes and the mud off the race box but a wonderful meal and hospitality.   Two of the Merlins sported wooden masts (the original carbon!!) and Chris Barlow in No 6 ISKA sailed - as he always does - with cotton sails.  Secret Water No 111 sailed with her new dacron sails but the rest pretty much original.  Should be back next year from Aberdeen!!!!!! 

This weekend the CVRDA are holding their Vintage meeting at Clywedog North/mid Wales in the most stunning of valleys in the mountains.  Racing  Sat, Sun Monday of the Bank Hollier and there will be a goodly number of Classic boats there.  Must be designed pre 1965 and be over 25years old (the boats) so loads of 12's qualify.  If you haven't sailed there before the facilities are superb, camping cheap (and I mean cheap), cooking facilities in the clubhouse, great food provided for all but breakfast. The beer is in and the meal organised.  No price as yet but reasonable as ever.    A superb setting and the most welcoming of people.  Hope to see some of you swell the numbers. Best bit is the mobile reception is awful at the club but OK 100yds up the hill so you are only in contact with those you want to!!!

Just wondered how many boats were onthe water (in total approx) as I was hoping to suggest this as a venue for the CVRDA at some point and wondered how it would suit.

Can anyone tell me at what number of Nat 12 steel centreboards were discontinued.  Also is there an easy way of raising and lowering these boards as there seems to be some discussion about the difficutlies of doing that.  If you need a replacement steel plate were the templates similar.  I assume that the steel plate made the boats less tippy - would this be correct?

How easy would a vintage Nat 12 be to sail with helm only in light winds?  I occasionally suffer a loss of crew in the summer in my Merlin but would like to sail on light days and feel the Merlin is a bit big so is the Nat 12 a possibility?

Chris Barlow of the CVRDA has issued a cotton sails challenge for the event at Shearwater at the end of September for any boats over 25 years old.  It looks as if there will be at least 5 boats but others of all classes can join in. Modern sails are also allowed but the cotton sail will be for a separate category.   Perhaps some National 12's would like to come along.  see http://www.cvrda.org/ for further details.

I am not a Nat 12 sailor but have restored a couple of Merlins of 40's 50's vintage.  On the link below you will see the arrangement of the brass hoop.  It actually lies between the transom and the cross piece and from the stern you can see where there is a bronze countersunk screw which screws into the horse itself.  The cross piec and transom have semicircular grooves cut into them the exact diameter of the horse when they are screwed together.  If you have stern decking all of this will be under the ply.  Hope this helps.

http://www.merlinrocket.co.uk/gallery/default.asp?folder=gallery/building_and_repairs/restoration_of_252