Outfitting a Merit 25 for Cruising

[sam...@ibm.net]

I have a Merit 25 and am planning on spending a few weeks this summer
cruising the Chesapeake Bay. Has anyone outfitted a Merit 25 for more than
weekend cruising? Any suggestions? If I take the boat out into the ocean,
are there any suggestions on what changes to make (e.g. does the Merit 25
hull need reinforcing?)- my boat is a 1982 model?

[Paul Kamen]

Some of the later Merits developed soft keel roots, as described on the
Merit 25 web page (linked to my page). On a 1982 boat you probably won't
have a problem unless the boat has been through some rough trailering.

The major modifications on my boat for offshore sailing were replacing the
sliding hatch with a fixed deck and a lexan hemispherical dome, adding
buoyancy in the form of foam blocks and closed cell foam cushions, and
building kind of "bridge deck" to reduce cockpit volume and make a
compartment for the generator. Also cowl vents in the deck and "aft cabin
windows" in the stern for better ventillation. I added some structure
around the bottom connection of the rudder tube to the hull; but it
probably wasn't necessary, as I'm not aware of a Merit ever failing
there.

You probably won't want to do any of these things for a short ocean leg
of a Chesapeake Bay cruise - except possibly the flotation if you don't
have a good raft.

--
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