Winter Series Debut: Q&A with Jennifer Cregar

Jennifer Cregar started searching for her own boat shortly after moving to Sarasota, FL. Once she sailed on a Melges 24 and 32 in Davis Island, there was no slowing down. After taking delivery of her new Melges 15, Cregar teamed up with the local fleet at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron to get her up to speed before the first Winter Series event.

Melges: What’s your sailing background?
Jennifer: I grew up on a small lake in Michigan and sailed a Sunfish as a kid; I just enjoyed being on the water from an early age. When I moved to Milwaukee for a new job, I wanted to take advantage of the incredible sailing opportunities on Lake Michigan. I enrolled in an Adult Learn to Sail course at the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center. From there, I was fortunate enough to meet a seasoned sailor who introduced me to wonderful new people and programs. I was then invited to sail regularly with an experienced team on a FinnGulf 34. Milwaukee also has an incredible Women’s Only Fleet, with whom I raced Mondays on a Soverel 33.

M: What first drew you to the M15?
J: Occasionally, I sailed on a friend’s Melges 24 and loved the design. After I moved to Sarasota, I was invited to sail a few times on a Melges 32 up in Davis Island, which was a blast! I knew I wanted a sporty boat that I could advance my skills on, and I loved the Melges boats. Sarasota is limited by depth, so 24s and 32s were out of the question. Since the Melges 15 is a doublehanded boat, I felt more confident that I could get some coaching while crewing and learning to drive.

M: What makes the M15 a good choice for newer sailors?
J: I am still a sailing “newbie” and petite. For the most part, you don’t have to be a super strong person to sail the boat - except at the top end of the wind range! I also wanted my own boat to advance my skills and something relatively simple, fast, and sporty.

M: How did it feel racing in your first M15 event?
J: Our fleet in Sarasota is really active, we have fleet racing on Sundays and work together a lot at the club. That being said, lining up against 59 other boats was a little intimidating at first, but I loved the whole experience! We stayed upright when things got windy and finished every race with smiles on our faces.

M: What were the biggest takeaways from the event?
J: The start is key! Lots of more experienced sailors jockeying for a prime spot was challenging; we can definitely improve in this area. I also think we can tune the boat better and be more active with our sail trim.

M: What are you looking forward to most during the series?
JC: To see if we can improve from the last regatta! It’s fun to meet new people sailing here from all parts of the country. I think the Melges 15 is a really special boat that draws a fun group.

The next Winter Series event takes place February 27-28 followed by the Midwinter Championship March 26-28.