Merlin Rocket History The First Six Years From Merlin to Merlin Rocket By Robert Harris This lovely shot by legendary photographer Eileen Ramsey of winter sailing at Rane- lagh captures those days perfectly the editor of Yachting World, Group Capt. E.F. Merlin Rocket History Haylock, was invited to become permanent Chairman. They were mostly but not all from The First Six Years. Ranelagh S.C. By March of 1946 Ranelagh By Robert Harris 12 ft National helmsman Tony Howard had also joined the Committee. As a nine year old in early 1946 I Mention should be made of the vital part had been fascinated by the plans the Yachting World played in the birth and and photographs of ‘The Yachting development of the class during it’s early World 14ft Restricted Class’ years. In 1947 it did the same for the YW published in the January 1946 Cadet which introduced John and me and edition of Yachting World. countless other youngsters to dinghy Four feet six inches wide and racing a towering 25ft mast.Wow! We saw and sailed in ‘real’ The Syndicate wanted a lighter Jack Holt Merlins when Dad, Mum, stiffer boat that would cost less than John and I joined Minima the current 14ft Internationals which Y.C. at Kingston-upon- weighed up to 340 lbs with their heavy The prototype ‘Kate’ and ‘Merlin’ must Thames in the spring of metal centreplates. Also the 14s were have been built during 1945 because the 1952. Then at least six completely open without decking photographs of ‘Merlin’ no.2 sailing in or seven of the Minima so they flexed and tended to leak. the Solent, Portsmouth Harbour and on boats were early original Jack Holt said he could build a the Thames were published in January Merlins from 1946/7. fully decked boat 14ft boat of an 1946 (see the Yachting World photos in advanced design weighing 180lbs the vintage photo section). The following The founding and costing little more than a statement in the same edition of Yachting Syndicate of eight 12ft National. The length of 14ft World suggests that the first boat or dinghy sailors with was chosen as being the smallest boats might even have been built before a good deal of hull which could be designed the end of World War II. experience in 14ft for the required displacement of Internationals and 600 pounds including the crew. “Mr. Jack Holt was commissioned to 12ft Nationals first They suggested that anything design and build an experimental boat. met some three years larger could not be handled After tests lasting for many months, a earlier during World conveniently out of the water second boat, also designed by Mr. Holt, War II. They were or towed behind a private was built etc.” E. Wagner, Capt. car, this was felt important Richmond Stopford, because the ability to Could they have been built during the Bill Lawrence, convey Merlins easily to wartime government’s strict control of Jack Holt, Beecher any part of the country timber usage? It was no coincidence Moore, Charles would open up great perhaps that one of the syndicate Leafe, Bernard possibilities for the keen members was a timber merchant. Some Leigh and Noel dinghy helmsman. With early Merlins (e.g. ‘Ballerina’ no 5 at Jordan. From everyone suffering Minima) had odd looking striped plywood January 1946 they postwar hardships decks which was reputed to have been called themselves including petrol intended for De Havilland Mosquito the Caretaker rationing which fighter bombers. Committee and continued until 1953 this was As early as March 1946 the Caretaker a far sighted Committee discussed the possibility policy. of becoming a National Class and the following policy was decided upon. “In the event of any offer being received to adopt the class as a National or International class, the Committee would look with favour on such an offer provided no alteration in the rules or management of the class was involved”. Approximately 144 Merlins were built during 1946 and 1947 and Caretaker Committee meetings up to the end of June 1946 continued at that sort of rate despite the Attlee years of austerity, but after looking at a number of unsatisfactory suppliers the postwar rationing and shortages of just about everything. That Committee clearly became frustrated. As early as January 1946 happened because of they had agreed “to discourage potential owners from waiting for the energy and foresight the moulded hull and that individual of Caretaker Committee members of the committee member Beecher Moore should encourage the who was a large and clinker hull” ebullient Canadian lawyer and businessman The problem of having and also a partner in boats available for Jack Holt’s Putney immediate sale was based boat building apparently solved when company. He was a on the 9th of May 1946 top class crew and Mr. J White of J.P. White helmsman and in and Sons, Bedford told the 1934 he was among Committee “that he was in the amateur crew position to supply 25 clench that nearly snatched built boats for delivery in the America’s Cup August”. Mr.White’s price from the Americans without sails was £130. The in Tom Sopwith’s syndicate agreed to go ahead ‘Endeavour’. He but for some reason it did not owned ‘Gently’ happen in 1946 however he did no.16 with Jack build 24 Merlins in 1947. In the Holt and helmed end Jack Holt built over half the or crewed her to 51 Merlins produced in 1946, first place in four most of the rest were built by of the first five Wootens of Cookham, with one championships. in Ireland and a couple each by Beecher took Anderson, Rigden and Perkins ‘Gently’ to sailing and Wyche and Coppock. Half a clubs all over dozen boats built in the first four the country and encouraged members to sail her against other boats on their waters. The performance and appearance of the sleek Merlin with her lofty sailplan must have been ‘Gently’ no.16 with Jack Holt and Beecher electrifying to sailors more used to heavy Moore, 3 times Champions stsrting in 1947. local one-designs. Beecher Moore and Ian Proctor won in her at Burnham in 1950. Part of Beechers’s plan was to have Merlins available for immediate sale. ‘Kate’ and ‘Merlin’ were both clinker built but the Committee had intended that future Merlin hulls would be moulded to facilitate speedy delivery. There is no indication from the Committee’s minutes whether they expected owners or boat builders to complete the hulls. The Committee investigated the production of moulded plywood hulls and it is obvious from the minutes of their meetings that their main problem “was in finding an experienced manufacturer with sufficient enthusiasm”. Moulded hulls were discussed at several years are listed in the current Year Book as Owner Built. George was that those later plates had a slot at the front that went over O’Brien Kennedy of Christchurch S.C. built at least two ribless the bolt and was held down by a radius wire making it easier to boats including ‘Mercury’ no. 75 in which he was 2nd in the 1947 unship and ship. Championship and ‘Mercury’ II no. 197. These were probably the first non-Jack Holt designed Merlins. One boat ‘Hazard’ no. Today’s Merlin Rocket 64 is listed in the 1947 Year Book as sailors are probably Owner Built familiar with how the ‘Experimental old rolled deck Merlins Plywood Boat’, looked because I have no other there are still quite information a few around. The about her original 25ft masts were something ‘Merlin’s’ different. They were construction was deck stepped and conventional and supported by similar to National kingposts either side 12s but with lighter of the extended scantlings because centreboard case. the extensive Those masts decking contributed were made with a a good deal to the deep fore and aft boat’s strength. section to give Planks of mahogany the mast rigidity or spruce were held without setting together along their up undue lands with copper turbulence. rivets. The ash timbers Most of them or ribs were steam had three sets bent and riveted to the of spreaders shell through the lands with piano (see the photograph of wire ‘Gannet’s’ interior in the diamonds, vintage section of the the top Merlin Rocket website). spreaders Floorboards were added were to spread the load in the usually cockpit area. ‘Merlin’s’ angled unique curved side decks forwards were supported by formers as jumper and stringers. An unusual feature was the centreboard case. The slot in the keel was two feet long and was sealed by two strips of rubber. Championships at Poole in 1948 The plate went up and down on rollers. It was pulled down by grasping the protruding trailing edge and pushing it backwards and tilting it down. The ballasted plate then overbalanced and was lowered with a tackle. It was pulled up with the tackle, first it tilted forward and then slid forwards into the plate case which extended under the foredeck. Photographs of ‘Merlin’ no.2 in the vintage section show that her plate case has been converted to a conventional one. Maybe the original plate sliding forward was not such a good idea and I would guess that by 1948 all boats were built with conventional plate cases. A slight difference from today struts to support the top of the mast. The mast could rotate on a ball fitting on the foot of the mast, many owners put a sixpence into the deck mounted cup to act as a bearing.