The West Coast Melges 15 fleet launched the 2026 California State Championship series at the SCYA Midwinters, hosted by Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club. With 16 boats on the line – up from 10 last year – it’s clear the Melges 15 class out on the west coast is growing and gaining momentum.
Three races were completed in light to moderate breeze with flat water, racing inside the San Pedro breakwall. The Race committee did an excellent job setting up a course in the shifty conditions, and with the top mark close to the breakwall there were frequent lead changes at the top of the racecourse.
Sunday delivered a classic seabreeze making the day defined by boat speed and endurance. Downwind speeds reach 14 knots – with plenty of smiles across the fleet.
RaceSense technology continued to streamline race management, while SailSync.ai performance analysis — supported by VELA LA for the 2026 season — provided sailors with valuable post-race insights. Early takeaways emphasized managing shifts, maintaining proper heel in lighter air, and making deliberate transitions between soaking and planing modes downwind. Analysis also showed that unnecessary gybes in marginal planing conditions came at a significant cost.
After reviewing the SailSync data, Tim Zimmerman (3rd Overall) shared the following observations:
Saturday Insights
1. Right Side Bias in Variable Breeze
The breeze was variable, with the right generally paying more. A persistent shift appeared to be coming out of Watchorn Basin (near CBYC), but it was most pronounced only on the extreme right of the course. The left could still work — but primarily when approaching the top mark in a left phase.
2. Heel as a Speed Lever in Light Air
Higher heel angles appeared to correlate with improved performance in lighter conditions. Morgan averaged approximately 8° of heel upwind (10° downwind), compared to the fleet averaging closer to 7°. The additional heel seemed to improve upwind speed. Downwind, slightly less heel (closer to 7°) may have improved VMG during optimal gybes.
3. Downwind Mode Management
Top-performing boats often gained 20–30 seconds per run. Gains appeared to come from sailing slightly less distance while maintaining mid-to-top pack boat speeds — suggesting effective apparent wind management: sailing hotter to build speed, then soaking low.
Sunday Insights
1. Downwind VMG and Mode Discipline
Best downwind VMG was higher and significantly faster than the fleet average. The low mode worked in early lulls but was ineffective in the second race. In puffs, maximum hike and sailing high with 10–15° of heel proved effective.
2. Deliberate Mode Changes (Soak to Plane)
There should be a conscious decision to transition from soaking to planing mode. Around 7.2–7.5 knots appears to be the trigger. If sailing low at 7.5 knots, coming up 10–15° and transitioning to a 10–12 knot planing mode was consistently faster.
3. Upwind Planing Mode Potential
Brief upwind “fast-forward” mode tests (heading down 10–12° and increasing BSP from ~5.5 knots to 7.5–8 knots in 17–20 knots of breeze) showed promising VMG gains — nearly 1 knot better in SailSync. This could be a viable situational tool in stronger breeze, particularly for leverage plays.
If you get 17+ knots of breeze, it’s worth two-boat testing traditional target speeds (~5.5 knots) versus higher-speed planing mode (~7.5 knots), especially comparing flat versus choppy water.
4. Persistent Right Shift (Sunday)
A more pronounced right shift developed at the top of the course compared to Saturday.
5. Downwind Strategy: Avoid Early Gybes
Early gybes generally did not pay. Pressure favored course left, and the right shift near the top increased distance for boats that gybed early.
6. Gybes Are Expensive in Marginal Planing Conditions
In 12–18 knots, where breeze was insufficient to fully plane through the gybe, each gybe cost approximately 35–40 meters. The more marginal the planing conditions, the greater the penalty.
Looking Ahead
This was a strong opening event for the 2026 California State Championship series — competitive racing, continued fleet growth, and meaningful performance analysis that will raise the level of the fleet.
Next up: SDYC Spring Dinghy on March 21–22, followed by a VELA LA clinic with Paris Henken on April 11 at ABYC in Long Beach.
Make sure to follow along on Instagram: @melges15_westcoast and @melges15class