  
   | Merlin Rocket Fleet
Magic People Sail Merlins! The Merlin Rocket is the ultimate non-trapeze dinghy and enjoys class racing at BSC with a growing fleet now of more than 12 boats of all ages and designs from modern Canterbury Tales right back to Smoker's Satisfaction. Key Benefits- Fast and fun in all conditions
- Can be crewed by all all ages, shapes and sizes
- Available in a range of designs to suit different weights and pockets
- The rules allow develop of the design over the years so that the Merlin always remains competitive
- Boats are well built and last for years
- Spinnaker makes downwind sailing more exciting
- Has an active fleet with keen racing each week
- Class racing means that your position on the water is your position in the race: no handicapping fudges!
- Ideal for beginners to progress to once they become bored with cruising up and down
- Merlins do it faster!!
Pricing
Boats start in price from £400 - £500 for an old boat through to £1,000 - £4,000 for a newer design (NSMI, NSMIV, Summer Wine, Canterbury Tales) in good condition that would be very competitive at Banbury.
If you have money to spare, the latest designs are available at anything from £1,500 upwards and the latest all plastic (foam sandwich) boats can be bought new at around £9,000 and for around £4,000 secondhand.
To help you decide which design is for you, the Merlin Rocket Class Association publish a design guide which explains which designs suit which waters and weight of crew. You will find that the designs have exotic names such as Summer Wine, New Smoking Material (NSM), Thin Ice, Riders of the Storm (ROTS) and Canterbury Tales.
At BSC, being a restricted inland water, the older designs can hold their own with the newer ones. Currently at the Club, we have a fleet of 12 boats plus several vintage boats that take to the water for vintage events. The following designs are sailed at the club - all of which have their day and win races when the crew (both of them!) perform well:- Canterbury Tales
- Thin Ice
- NSM I, II & IV
- Proctor IXb
- Summer Wine
- September Girl
- Smoker's Satisfaction
- Superstition
Typically, we get 4-5 Merlins on the water each Sunday and enjoy close class racing - follow this link to see the latest results.
Merlin Rockets have been sailed at Banbury since the founding of the club in 1950. The Championship Trophy was first awarded in 1951 and has been competed for continuously since then. If you follow the hyperlink, you can see how the dinghy has developed in that time. The other main trophies competed for are the Midday (first awarded in 1974) and the Autumn (first awarded in 1998). Each year the club hosts an Open Meeting which attracts the top helms and latest boats from all over the UK. If you want to see some of the best sailors in action then come along and watch. The Fleet is also active on the Vintage racing circuit with Tim Bury taking Ten Sixty Six to a number of vintage events. Each year, the club holds a Vintage Merlin Open for boats more than 30 years of age and in 2005, this was won by Ian & Ruby Levin in Busy B. The National Merlin Rocket Owners Association has an excellent free on-line Design Guide that explains all the different designs as well as a Boats for Sale list to help you find the right boat for you. Follow the hyperlink to the NMROA web site for more details. If you would like a trial sail, send Richard Turner, the Class Captain an Email with your contact details, give me a call on 01926 812694 or simply come down to the club on a Sunday afternoon (March to December). Don't be put off by those who tell you the Merlin is too tippy! It isn't but it does teach you to sail and after all the worst that can happen is that you get wet! | 
Love on the Rocks
Busy Bee
Black is Back
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