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Captain Heritage

Wooden Merlin Rocket Racing Dinghy 14Ft Custom Built Wooden Boat

Wooden Merlin Rocket Racing Dinghy 14Ft Custom Built Wooden Boat

$17,502.00 USD
$17,502.00 USD $17,502.00 USD
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The Wooden Merlin Rocket is a high-performance two-person racing dinghy developed within one of the United Kingdom's most competitive and enduring sailing classes. Its flared hull form, refined underwater profile, and generous sail plan create a responsive and exhilarating sailing experience. Designed to carry a mainsail, jib, and spinnaker, the Merlin Rocket offers impressive acceleration, tactical versatility, and thrilling downwind performance. Our workshop faithfully recreates this iconic racing dinghy using premium marine materials-including Western Red Cedar, Mahogany, and high-grade marine plywood reinforced with U.S.-made Hexcel fiberglass cloth, sealed with high-quality epoxy and finished with System Three marine spar varnish. Each vessel is handcrafted using traditional glued clinker (lapstrake) plywood construction, preserving the distinctive plank appearance that defines the class heritage while ensuring modern structural strength and stiffness. The result is a lightweight yet highly competitive wooden hull that remains fully capable of racing alongside contemporary composite boats. Typical build time ranges from 4-6 months depending on customization and rig configuration. Clients may customize wood selection, interior finish, deck detailing, rig setup, hardware specification, and racing layout-allowing each Wooden Merlin Rocket to be tailored for club racing, championship competition, or refined classic presentation. General Dimensions: - Length Overall (LOA): 14ft - Maximum Beam: 7.3ft - Draft: 4.7ft - Displacement: Approximately 300 kg (661 lbs) fully rigged - Propulsion: Sails (main, jib, spinnaker) Performance & Use: Designed for competitive two-person racing, the Merlin Rocket delivers powerful upwind performance and dynamic downwind speed under spinnaker. The wide beam provides exceptional righting moment for hiking crews, while the fine entry and balanced hull sections ensure agility and tactical responsiveness. Suitable for inland lakes, reservoirs, and coastal racing venues, the Wooden Merlin Rocket remains a thoroughbred dinghy that rewards skill, coordination, and precision sailing. This wooden boat crafted by us is built from woodenboat.com plans, with full credit given to the original designers. For each custom commission, we acquire the appropriate plans and construct the vessel to order-offering both full-size boats and finely detailed scale models. Disclaimer: Merlin Rocket Dinghy "Hazardous" is a design by Keith Callaghan. Wooden Boat USA is not affiliated with or endorsed by Keith Callaghan in any way. Contact us to explore specifications, rig options, finish selections, and build schedules for your Wooden Merlin Rocket. The Merlin Rocket class was founded in the United Kingdom in 1946, created by combining the hull of the earlier Merlin design with the rig from the Rocket class. Conceived as a fast, lightweight two-person racing dinghy, it was established under development rules that allowed designers flexibility to refine hull shapes, rigs, and sail plans within class measurements. This freedom encouraged innovation from the very beginning. In its early years, Merlin Rockets were built using traditional clinker (lapstrake) wooden construction with copper fastenings. As boatbuilding technology progressed, construction evolved into glued clinker plywood methods, improving strength and reducing maintenance while retaining the class's distinctive planked appearance. The later adoption of larger spinnakers and more sophisticated sail controls further enhanced performance and tactical versatility. By the late twentieth century, many boats were produced in fiberglass, yet wooden Merlin Rockets remained competitive when built with modern reinforcement techniques. With more than 3,750 boats constructed over nearly seven decades, the class continues to thrive as one of Britain's premier two-person racing dinghies-valued for its development freedom, technical depth, and exhilarating performance.
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What makes our wooden boats so unique and special? 

Hundreds of hours go into the construction of our boats, as perfection is the only options.

- ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY: We use only certified top-grade, hand-selected wood such as Canadian red cedar, mahogany, rosewood, teak and more. 

- THE ART OF CRAFTSMANSHIP: Merging centuries-old customs with technological innovation, we bring you boats that excel in every categories. 

- IN-HOUSE QUALITY CONTROL: Each of our wooden boats goes through a demand quality control process including in water testing before leaving the workshop.

 

About Woodenboat USA™

The story of time-honored traditions of boat building. 

More than just watercraft, our wooden boats, kayaks and canoes represent connections to a legacy of craftsmanship and old world techniques. Woodenboat USA is invested in the type of construction that recalls generations of boat making. Over thirty years in business, our commitment has always been and will continue to be, to excellence, to tradition and to creating products that you can enjoy both for their performance and incredible beauty.

Inspired by history, the names of our watercraft are derived from the northern waterways where natives and settlers have used them for centuries. Merging centuries-old customs with improvements in technology, we bring you boats that excel in every category.

Beginning with pliable, high quality Canadian cedar and hardwood, our craftsmen hand join each individual strip. Hundreds of hours go into the construction of our boats, as perfection is the only option. Once built, the piece is encapsulated in fiberglass epoxy resin adding an extra layer of durability and strength. At last, the water craft is ready for its nautical debut.

FAQ's

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What are your canoes and kayaks made of?

Our canoes and kayaks are made of the highest quality western red cedar and some hardwoods. The larger boats are made of western red cedar, pine, and hardwoods such as oak, mahogany, teak, and some locally available woods. Our wooden watercraft are then coated both inside and out in an incredibly durable American made fiberglass and epoxy resin.

You mentioned that you use fiberglass in your boats, so what is the difference between your boats and fiberglass boats?

We only use 1 or 2 clear thin layers of fiberglass coating on top of the wood for reinforcement and added integrity. You never see any fiberglass, only beautiful, hand-joined cedar and hardwoods.

What is a typical cedar strip canoe or kayak weight?

A 15’ kayak weighs approximately 45lbs, making it very easy for one person to carry. A 16’ canoe weighs about 48lbs.

What type of boats do you build?

Our wooden strip canoes and kayaks are hugely popular for touring and recreational purposes. We also build wooden dinghies, wooden sail boats, classic wooden runabouts, and speedboats. Additionally, we can custom-build any design with which you supply us.

What methods do you use to build the boats?

Focused on integrating traditional technique with modern design, all boats are built by hand, typically taking hundreds of man hours to create.

How do I order?

Please contact our dealers or call (877) 88 Boats for more information.

How long does an order take?

Boats that we have in stock can be shipped to you within a week). New or custom products generally take 2-3 months as everything we sell is 100% hand crafted.

How do you ship it?

We can ship via trucking company very safely. We also insure all freight so in the very rare case that a shipment is damaged during transit, we will take care of the details and immediately replace the item for you. We also have distributors all over the world, so please contact us to find out more information.

How do I become a distributor of your products?

We welcome qualified dealers and distributors all over the world. Please contact us today at (877) 88 Boats or email us at info@woodenboatusa.com for more information.

What kind of warranty can I expect?

For all products we offer a 6 month limited warranty on materials and craftsmanship.

Guidelines for use

CARE:

With a little bit of care and maintenance, your beautiful canoe can last for generations. While our products are certainly durable and solid, they still require the right type of care and handling to ensure that they perform optimally.

  • It is recommended that you rinse your canoe off with fresh clean water after every use.
  • Upon returning from the trip, allow your canoe to air-dry in the shade.

STORAGE:

Besides taking care of your canoe, storage also plays an essential role in maintaining your canoe’s appearance and beauty.

  • Always store your wooden canoe in shade.
  • Turn it upside down on the support thereby keeping it off the ground.
  • Hanging your boat from the rafters in your garage or shop would be ideal storage.

REPAIR:

Minor scratches can be repaired by marine spar vanish or some brand of automobile wax. Smooth the damaged area with sand paper, wipe clean, then apply marine spar vanish.

SAFETY:

Wooden Boat USA strongly recommends that a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is worn whenever paddling.

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