Could the MRX be the ultimate one-design Merlin Rocket/National Twelve? Or is it just another new boat threatening to dilute the ever-increasing dinghy market? sailpower.com put this new two-man, 14-footer on the test track to check out it's vital statistics...

The first couple of questions one asks when presented with a new boat are:
1. Why was it designed? and 2. At which niche market is it aimed? They might be a little harsh but if the boat has nothing unique to offer but is simply out to dilute fleets of other successful classes, it has a tough life ahead and its chances of survival in the ultra- competitive dinghy world are fairly slim.

The MRX made its debut a couple of years ago at the Sailboat Show at Alexandra Palace just at a time when classes such as the Merlin Rocket were having a bit of a tough time competing against new similar designs which were almost half the price. The idea of producing a one-design Merlin Rocket-style dinghy that was more affordable and incorporated a smooth skin and double bottom, came from a couple of Merlin Rocket class stalwarts – Geoff and Robert O’Neill – who run the Welsh Harp Boat Centre in north-west London. Knowing a thing or two about the class and the way some people were reacting to the ever-increasing cost of building Merlin Rockets, they put forward their ideas. However, because the association decided not to change the building rules at that time, the O’Neills decided, with the help of top dinghy designer, Phil Morrison, to go it alone and produce their own version. Two years of development and five moulds later, the MRX is now in production being built by Ovington Boats in Newcastle.

Where does the MRX fit in to the competitive dinghy market?
With Morrison at the drawing board it’s not surprising that the MRX hull shape has a distinct Merlin Rocket/National Twelve/RS flavour to it. It’s 14ft loa, beamy, but unlike the Merlin it has a smooth-skinned hull and been designed to incorporate a double-bottom, self-draining hull – in fact it could almost be mistaken for the RS400! It has the same designer, similar price tag, and has been designed with the heavier weight crew in mind! The only thing it doesn’t have is the RS400’s established open meeting circuit.

So why would one choose the MRX over the RS400?
As easy as the asymmetric spinnaker is to use, there are many sailors who still prefer the traditional symmetric spinnaker system with poles. Not just because they’re masochistic about what they do, but for the simple reason of being able to sail their boats on a wider range of sailing waters including narrow restricted rivers where it would be virtually impossible to sail asymmetrics. Unlike the RS400 which is better raced on open waters where there’s plenty of space for the ‘big bear off’ downwind, the MRX can be raced virtually anywhere with ability to run dead downwind!


    According to Rob Dulson who sails an 18ft Skiff and an RS400 on occasions, he believes his recently-purchased MRX, "is the ultimate boat for someone like me. I love it and, as hard as it is to imagine with so many designs on the market, it really does have its own niche market. It’s a proper weight carrier, and because it has a symmetrical spinnaker I can sail it wherever I like. For someone like me who likes tinkering with rigs, the MRX gives me that option. Its rig can be fully adjusted out on the water so, when the wind changes, you can adjust the rig to suit the conditions. The other thing that attracted me to the boat is its wide weight carrying range. Although I’m at the top end of the optimum overall weight scale, the boat performs equally as well with 10 stone less! It really is a versatile boat, and I’d say that, apart from the 18ft Skiff, the MRX has given me the best racing I’ve had for a long time !"


Rigging
Simple is the best way to describe the MRX. There’s really nothing to it. Once the deck-stepped Super Spar M7 mast is in place and the shrouds and lowers attached, it’s just a case of attaching the spinnaker and hoisting the Hyde Mylar main and Dacron jib. The only other thing to do before you hit the water is make fast the cunningham and secure the tack of the mainsail. At just 89kg ready to sail, manoeuvrability on shore is not a problem with the MRX and, once in the water her relatively flat run aft under the waterline keeps the boat stable enough to sort yourself out before you head for the racecourse!

Her foils are made from clear epoxy and glass laminated on a red and yellow strip cedar core. And the lifting rudder is fitted to an aluminium stock and tiller.


On the Water
With a crew comprising a National Twelve and a Merlin Rocket sailor, it wasn’t surprising to find the test team gelling with the MRX immediately. At 21 stone all up, we were well off the overall limit of 30 stone but nevertheless she never gave us any cause for concern thanks to her fully adjustable rig and simple reefing system. Although we were unable to test out the effects of the reefing system due to the light airs on test day, we are assured by Dulson – the owner of the boat we were using for testing – it reduced the sail area by 10 per cent . "I was out in 30 knots yesterday," said Dulson, "when most of the other fleets heading back to the shore. A combination of being able to rake the rig and flatten off the sail with a single reef makes all the difference."


Thanks to the well thought-out, simple layout design, all the control lines (except for the outhaul which is positioned on the boom) are led to the cut-out thwart and positioned in exactly the right place for easy adjustment. And because the lines are continuous, they neatly tuck away under the thwart and the usual ‘cockpit control line knitting’ is thankfully not a problem!
Despite the light airs she was very responsive throughout the continuous tacks and gybes we put her through and definitely had a sensitive National Twelve feel to her. She’s forgiving to a point but if you become bullish and push it too hard, she’ll make you pay! She’s a boat you need to respect and if you’re good to her, she’ll be good to you.


Downwind
Like all racing dinghies, it’s important to balance the boat as you bear off and free the main. Keep the boat flat and the hull will move smoothly and fast through the water. "The spinnaker handling is just about as simple as it can get," said crewman Dominic Byers, "although it still takes a little practice. As the helmsman hoists the kite, the crew launches the windward pole and sets the sail. The guy is drawn to the end of the pole automatically, only requiring attachment of the inboard end to the mast. When gybing, it is important to retrieve the windward pole before completing the manoeuvre, flying the sail from the sheet
and retired guy during the manoeuvre, and only launching the new windward pole once the boom has come across, trimming the sail once the boat has settled on its new tack."


Cockpit space
There’s enough space to host a party! There’s basically nothing to get in the way, even the centre-mainsheet hoop is in exactly the right place and proved to be a handy‘grab bar’ during those less than stylish tacks and gybes! "The crew is very fortunate," said Byers "in not having to negotiate a large centreboard casing with every tack, and can perch very comfortably in the centre of the boat in light conditions. The centreboard is accommodated in a very low level case, through which the control lines are led aft to the thwart."

Capsize
Like all double-bottom boats with added internal buoyancy, the natural instinct is for the hull to turn turtle. So the sooner the crew can hit the centreboard as it starts to go over, the more chance there is of saving it from inverting. Once the boat’s turtle it takes both crew members to flip it on to its side. Although we did find it a bit of a struggle to right the boat, we were relatively light. The righting lines under the gunwales were a great idea but unfortunately we didn’t adjust them and consequently they were too short to be of any use.


Hits
The MRX has a lot going for her, she has an excellent pedigree and because she’s built by Ovington, the quality of workmanship will undoubtedly affect her longevity. We were really impressed by the simple but effective layout and the attention to detail, which was reflected in the way she performed on the water. The clutter-free cockpit and the ‘spot-on’ positioning of the control lines is a major advantage!
The lack of some form of kick bar in the beamy helmsman’s area was initially a bit concerning but it didn’t take long to discover the advantage of the Ovi non-slip floor!


Misses
While most of the control lines were positioned in exactly the right place for easy adjustment we were surprised to find the all-important outhaul control positioned at the front of the boom. While this is not particularly unusual, and some would argue it’s just as convenient, I have to say, as a helmsman on a racing boat I like to have all the control lines to hand including an easy-to-adjust outhaul.

Conclusion
If you’re looking for a boat that has the looks and the price tag similar to that of an RS400, the feel of a Merlin Rocket, and the quality you’d expect from a top class boatbuilder, we think the MRX is most definitely worth a look. Like all new classes, it will take a while for a fleet to become established but there are already eight on the circuit with plenty more in the pipeline. This year’s MRX open meeting circuit will piggyback the Ovington Boats Racing Circuit with events including the Ovi 25th Anniversary Regatta at Derwent on June 23-24.

Statistics

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