Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Nationals

ZENDA, WISCONSIN (September 16, 2021): All eyes are on the Melges 15 Class hosting its inaugural National Championship September 17-19 at Lake Geneva Yacht Club in Wisconsin. Home of the testing grounds for the initial boat design, Geneva Lake is primed for the competition with southerly winds ushering in warm days and cool nights for three days of racing. 

In a field of thirty registrants, there are a number of parent-youth teams, college sailors, husband-wife teams, and lifelong friends from around the country. Several of the teams competed in the M15 Winter Series (Sarasota, FL) or are coming into town fresh from the E Scow Nationals (Torch Lake, MI). With more than 275 boats sold nationwide, half the fleet is racing their new boats for the first time. 

Geneva Lake is home to the largest fleet of Melges 15s in the country with six boats being added to the Geneva Lake Sailing School for 2022 programming. Lake Geneva Yacht Club is rolling out the red carpet for the event with post-race happy hours and a Class dinner.

Follow Melges Performance Sailboats on Facebook and Instagram as well as the Melges 15 Class Website for daily updates during the event. Awards will be presented to the overall winner as well as top female skipper, top youth skipper, and age division winners. Results will be available on the event website. 

Capping off the 2021 Melges 15 Calendar, the Class heads east for the Fall Regatta October 9-10 (Beach Haven, NJ) and the Fall Invitational October 15-17 (Columbia, SC). For a full list of events, visit melges15.com. Contact the Melges Team to learn about new boats, demos, and Winter Series charters at sales@melges.com.

New Fleet Alert! Rochester Yacht Club

Welcome to the Melges 15 Class, Rochester Yacht Club! Sitting on the Genesee River by Lake Ontario, Rochester Yacht Club is home to six new Melges 15s.

With an average age of 35, most of the owners are experienced sailors with various racing backgrounds. However, they encourage newer sailors to check the boat out.

“The best part of our fleet is that we are all learning together,” said new owner, Travis Odenbach. “So far the M15 has been minimal work and we are able to take our wives or friends out when sailing, which is key.”

While many owners were immediately drawn to the downwind performance and stability, Odenbach looked at the boat through a slightly different lens. “I have sailed fast boats in the past, so I was not too worried about the performance in the breeze, but here in Rochester, NY, it is light in the summer,” he explained. “I sailed the boat in very light winds, but I could not believe how well the boat was moving and the feel it still had in 4-6 knots.”

With an updated, user-friendly design, the Melges 15 was an attractive upgrade for the RYC Fleet. “You only needed one other person to sail, the price point was perfect for a lot of people in our area. It was time that our yacht club had a more modern boat,” said Odenbach.

The Rochester group has big plans for their new fleet including participation at the National Championship this September and a large presence at the 2022 Winter Series in Sarasota, FL.

For more information on how to get a fleet started at your club, email sales@melges.com.

Save the Dates: 2022 Winter Series

The Melges 15 Winter Series returns to Sarasota, Florida in 2022. The Winter Series features three events January-March, culminating with the Midwinter Championship hosted by the Sarasota Sailing Squadron.

The Winter Series launched to provide year-round racing for the newly-released Melges 15 Class. In 2021, more than sixty teams participated with a range of new owners and charter boats.

The Sarasota Sailing Squadron provides a scenic venue with warm water and consistent winds nestled in the protected waters of Sarasota Bay. Conveniently located between two international airports, the southern location is ideal for weekend getaways with friends and family.

The Midwinter Championship caps off the series March 25-27. The overall series trophy will be awarded to the team with the lowest score across all three events. In addition to racing the Winter Series, Melges 15 owners can race in the weekly club series hosted by Sarasota Sailing Squadron.

2022 Melges 15 Winter Series Schedule
January 8-9, 2022
February 26-27, 2022
March 25-27, 2022 – Midwinter Championship

For more information, visit melges15.com/winter-series.

Greenhouse Triumphant at Melges 15 Midwinters

SARASOTA, FL (March 28, 2021): The Melges 15s have concluded the inaugural 2021 Winter Series in Sarasota, FL. On Sunday, March 28, the new one-design class announced the first Midwinter Champions Dwight Greenhouse and crew, Max Lopez. Emily Haig and crew, John Haig, were crowned the overall 2021 Winter Series Champion after their performance at all three events.

After three days of racing on the Sarasota Bay, the 30-boat fleet was treated to 20-25 knots of southeasterly winds on Sunday.

Race One started in a manageable 12-15 knots, and quickly increased for the second downwind. Finn Burdick, Craig Laing, and Dwight Greenhouse were tangled at the top mark and for the first downwind. Young Burdick was able to slide past the teams for a first-place finish. “It can get pretty intense when it’s windy like today. You have to make sure you’re hiking out, staying in clear air when you’re around those tough teams,” said Burdick. “Once you get the boat going, you can just let it rip around the top mark.” 

The breeze picked up with gusts to 25 adding a significant chop to the turquoise water for the final race of the series. The right side of the course paid off in dividends as George Sipel moved up into the mix with the leaderboard. It wasn’t until the second downwind, that Sipel and crew, Mike Stark, kicked things into high gear to fly across the finish line ahead of Burdick and Craig Laing.

For Greenhouse, Sunday’s racing was about not losing and keeping the boat upright in the big air. “You think you’re going so fast that you’ve got to be mowing people down,” said Greenhouse. “But you look around and everyone is going just as fast; you see their bows out of the water skiing downhill. It’s incredible.”

Haig was racing with her father, John, for the entirety of the Winter Series. “Love the weather here. The wind has been really consistent at all the events,” she said. “More so, the people in this fleet have been really great to meet and hang out with.”

For series newcomer, Bob Mosby, the Midwinters was just the start of the fun he has planned for his Melges 15. “I’ve been looking forward to this event from the minute I bought the boat in July,” said Mosby. “I love the boat and the people I’ve met over these past few months. There’s a fleet growing in Columbia, SC, and more growth throughout the southeast. My wife and I have a great boat to sail, and I can’t wait to take advantage of it.”

Light Air Lottery on Day Two of Midwinter

SARASOTA, FL (March 27, 2021): The Melges 15s had bluebird conditions for Day Two of the Midwinter Championship in Sarasota, FL.

Race Four had event leader Dwight Greenhouse leading wire to wire in 6-8 knots. Finn Burdick and Jim Gluek were able to work their way through the congestion to clear air securing a second and third respectively. 

After nearly untouchable performances in Races 5-8, Winter Series frontrunner Emily Haig is back in the top three. “The first race was more of a learning curve and allowed us to reset after yesterday,” said Haig. On several occasions, Haig was able to get ahead and extend her lead through to the finish. She added, “When it’s light, it’s way easier to extend than to get out of the pack when everyone is really good.”

As the wind continued to oscillate more southeast throughout the day, the pressure increased for the final races. Young James O’Gwen with crew Aidan Cunningham were in the hunt after shifting gears for Races 7 and 8. O’Gwen was hot on Haig’s trail giving her a run for her money in the second upwind of Race 7. It wasn’t until the final downwind dash to the finish that O’Gwen was able to slip past for his first bullet of the event.

“As the day went on, we got a bit more relaxed with everything instead of fixating on making every right move,” explained Cunningham. “We focused on starting on the favored end and staying on the lifted tack. You had to leverage that to keep yourself between the fleet and the mark.”

Conor Hayes is in Sarasota for his first Melges 15 event this weekend. “A buddy of mine bought a [Melges 15] earlier this winter. A couple days after he sailed the February event, he called me to let me know about the charter boats,” said Hayes. “He said you’d love this, and you should do it. I said ‘Yes, it looks awesome.’ And, it is!” 

Looking ahead to Day Three, Hayes concluded, “If we can get more downwind rides tomorrow like we had Day One, you can’t beat that. There aren’t a whole lot of things on this earth that are more fun than ripping downwind at 15-18 knots. If we can’t get that, then let’s keep the good sailing going.”

The 2021 Winter Series comes to a close on Sunday, March 28. Coverage will continue on the Melges Facebook and Instagram with daily galleries and recaps posted to melges15.com.

Sporty Start to Melges 15 Midwinter Championship

SARASOTA, FLORIDA (March 26, 2021): The Melges 15 Midwinter Championship kicked off with champagne conditions in Sarasota, FL. Thirty teams were greeted with a balmy 16-22 knots blowing through the bay for three races.

Dwight Greenfield and Max Lopez led the day with a picket fence in the sporty conditions. The duo had also raced in the February event where they finished fourth by a slim margin behind Finn Burdick. “We’ve made leaps and bounds in improvement from the first event,” said Lopez. “The downwinds, though, are our best moments when we’re able to hop on plane and gybe smoothly.” 

Kevin Alcock was an early onboarder of the M15 who has raced in all three events hosted by the Sarasota Sailing Squadron. “We’re out here having fun,” said Alcock, who’s racing with his eldest daughter Jennifer. “The fleet is very well-rounded; we’ve got everyone from superstars to people like us who are here to have fun and enjoy ourselves.”  

“Racing with my dad is the biggest honor I could have,” added Jennifer. “Whether we’re in first or last place, it’s just a blast to be out there and spend time with him.”

Chris Fretz has been with the Melges 15 Class from the beginning racing in Beach Haven, NJ – home of Fleet 1. “What’s exciting about this class is there aren’t any favorites,” said Fretz. “People can come in and build upon what they know from other fleets for better results because they’re not up against the same competition they’ve always had.”

Racing is scheduled to continue on Saturday, March 27 at 1000 EST on the Sarasota Bay. Coverage will continue on the Melges Facebook and Instagram with daily galleries and recaps posted to melges15.com.

Melges 15 Midwinter Championship in Sarasota, FL

Stage set for final showdown of the 2021 Winter Series

SARASOTA, FLORIDA (March 25, 2021): The Melges 15 Class is back in Sarasota, FL for the Midwinter Championship, the third event of the 2021 Winter Series.

Thirty boats are registered for the Midwinters with nearly half the fleet competing in all three winter series events. Between events, visiting Melges 15s were welcomed into weekday racing alongside the Sarasota Sailing Squadron’s growing fleet of member-owned boats.

“The Squadron has been the perfect venue for our Winter Series,” said Andy Burdick, President of Melges Performance Sailboats. “It’s easy to ramp or beach launch, there’s affordable monthly storage, and exceptional hospitality.”

Going into the weekend, Emily Haig is leading the series in cumulative points. Finn Burdick and George Sipel are also in contention for podium spots providing no shortage of competition. A few of the top teams from the January event are returning, though, which may lead to a shake-up in the standings.

Melges has offered charter boats throughout the series available to those wishing to demo the new design. After a quick introduction to the boat, teams have been on their way climbing quickly in the rankings due to the boat’s ease of use. “Just the basics of going out to sail the Melges 15 are so easy; it’s what makes the boat so popular,” explained Burdick. “The fun and speed are built into the boat.”

Follow the action from the three-day event starting March 26 on the Melges Facebook and Instagram accounts. Results will be posted to Regatta Network. Learn more about the Melges 15 Class and read daily recaps on melges15.com.