Tuning Your Melges 15 Based on Crew Weight

The Melges 15 has minimal tuning adjustments. However, it is good to consider the following based on your combined crew weight. Below are some changes you can make whether you're sailing at 295 pounds or 350 pounds.

Jib Cars
Melges offers nifty jib track guides for your boat, which are useful for jib setup. In a 12 knot breeze, a boat sailing at 295 would move their jib cars further aft so that the jib is flatter down low. On the guide, the number would be 1 or 2. For a team that is in the area of 350, you can leave your jib cars further forward giving you more power down low in the sail. Getting too full could hurt your ability to point, so watch for that. On the jib car guide, this would equal 0 or -1, -2. Consider the sea state, too. Sail with a flatter jib in flat water or a fuller jib when it is choppy.

Jib Halyard Tension
You can adjust your jib halyard tension or jib luff easily. Consider softer tension if you are a heavier team, which will put some power in your jib. If you are 295 or less and the wind is 12 knots, you will want your jib firm along the luff with no wrinkles.

Shroud Tension
The normal base setting on the Loos gauge in 12 knots is 19. If you are a heavier team, try 17 or 18 so that you have more headstay sag going upwind.

Consider some of these adjustments for your next sail. They may help you go faster in varying conditions.