2023 Melges 15 U.S. National Championship Ready to Set Sail in New York

The 2023 Melges 15 U.S. National Championship kicks off September 29 at Sayville Yacht Club in Blue Point, NY. This highly anticipated event promises to be a thrilling showcase of sailing talent, as top sailors from across the nation travel northeast to compete for the Title.

The Melges 15 National Championship is an annual regatta that attracts some of the best sailors in the country. In 2021, the father-daughter team Emily and John Haig from Beach Haven, NJ claimed their victory at Lake Geneva Yacht Club. As the Class has grown over the years, new frontrunners have emerged at events including Lorie Stout, Toby Sullivan, and Clay Johnson.

Dan Cameron, member of SYC, declared, “We’re looking forward to some great competition this weekend on the Great South Bay. The strong breeze and short chop will make for some challenging conditions.”

“Finding the balance between speed and point will separate the boats upwind while finding the right wave to gybe on downwind could lead to big gains,” Cameron is racing with his 19-year-old son, Connor this weekend. “Good luck to all, and please enjoy the hospitality of my home club.”

The Nationals marks the end of the 2023 Championship Series, a new concept for the Class supporting top-tier events. These are class-sanctioned regattas designed to enhance competition, promote regional fleets, and foster camaraderie among racers. The East Coast and Inland Championships drew more than 35 boats each in highly competitive regattas. The 2024 Championship Series will kick off in Jensen Beach, FL with the start of the U.S. Winter Series.

With practice racing scheduled for Thursday, September 28, the competition will run Friday, September 29-Sunday, October 1. Eight races are scheduled with one race necessary to constitute a series. After six races, a discard will be introduced. For more information and to follow the Melges 15 Nationals, visit melges15.com/nationals.

Melges 15 Class Announces European Winter Series in Portugal

The picturesque coastal town of Cascais, Portugal, known as an iconic sailing venue on the west coast of Europe, is set to welcome the fastest-growing one-design sailing class, the Melges 15.

The series will take place November 17-19, 2023, March 1-3, 2024, and April 12-14, 2024, hosted by Sail Cascais at the esteemed Clube Naval de Cascais. With a rich history of organizing prime international regattas, the venue is well-prepared to deliver an exceptional experience for competitors.

The Melges 15 Class has rapidly gained popularity across North America and made its European debut at Boot Dusseldorf in January 2023. Expectations are high, with the U.S. Winter Series attracting more than 65 boats at each event. As the Class begins to gain momentum in Europe, these events are just the beginning of a new international event series.

Vasco Serpa, founder of Sail Cascais and Portuguese dealer of the Melges 15, echoed the excitement surrounding this announcement, stating, "We’re thrilled to be welcoming the Melges 15s to Cascais for the premiere European series. We’ll have local boats available for charter and ample storage options for private owners looking to take delivery here in Portugal.”

Sailors from around the world are encouraged to mark their calendars for the 2023-24 Melges 15 European Winter Series in Cascais. This series promises to be a celebration of world-class sailing in a stunning coastal setting.

For more information about the event and charters, visit melges15.com/european-winter-series.

Registration Open for 2024 Melges 15 Winter Series

The Melges 15 Winter Series is returning to Jensen Beach, FL in 2024. Hosted by the Class at the US Sailing Center of Martin County, this three-event series promises the perfect blend of competitive racing and idyllic vacation vibes. Grab your gear, rally your crew, and get ready for a regatta series like no other!

REGISTER

• Event 1: January 6-7, 2024

• Event 2: February 24-25, 2024

• Midwinter Championship: March 22-24, 2024

SAVE BIG
Don't miss out on our incredible early bird offer! Register for all three events by November 1, 2023, and lock in a special reduced rate of just $625. When selecting this option, you will be manually entered into the second and third events.

FREE DELIVERY TO EVENT 1
The Winter Series is the perfect time to take delivery of your new Melges 15! Race your own boat, forge new friendships, and gain invaluable insights from fellow Class members. Start a fleet with your friends this winter and dive headfirst into the excitement that Jensen Beach has to offer. For more information on new boats and take advantage of FREE delivery to the January event, email sales@melges.com or request a quote.

STORAGE & LOGISTICS
Store your boat at our partner storage facility located approximately 20 minutes from the Sailing Center. Enjoy a hassle-free series by booking your storage and transportation in advance through Melges Sailing Supply.

CHARTERS
Interested in seeing what the Melges 15 is all about? A limited number of charters are available for all three Winter Series events. Submit the form to receive more information on rates and availability. Don't wait – these charters are sure to go fast!

Charters Available for 2023 Championship Series

NO BOAT? NO PROBLEM

Melges is excited to offer a limited number of charter boats for the Great Lakes Championship and National Championship. Charters include everything you need to race and a day of practice!

new boats available

Ready for a new boat? You can have a new Melges 15 delivered to the Nationals in Sayville, NY. Email eddie@melges.com for more information.

Registration Open for 2023 National Championship

The 2023 Melges 15 National Championship takes place September 29- October 1, hosted by Sayville Yacht Club in Blue Point, NY. Online registration is now open and the Notice of Race is available on Clubspot. 

The rapidly growing Melges 15 Class is expecting a strong turnout for the final event of the 2023 Championship Series. A limited number of charter boats will be available.

The Melges/Quantum Sails Zenda Team will be onsite to help you make the most of the event! 

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CHARTER A MELGES 15
Melges is excited to offer a limited number of charter boats for the Great Lakes Championship and National Championship. Charters include everything you need to race and a day of practice!

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NEW BOATS AVAILABLE
New boats are available in time for Nationals! Start a fleet with your friends this summer and join the action. For more information on joining the Melges 15 Class, email us at sales@melges.com or request a quote.

Melges 15s Make Splash at Long Beach Race Week

A dozen Melges 15s hit the water at Long Beach Race Week for the first time over June 23-25. Boats traveled to Alamitos Bay and Long Beach Yacht Clubs from Washington, Colorado, and all corners of California for the event. 

Kevin Thomas, from Long Beach and a member of the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, purchased his Melges 15 last fall and is one of the 12 competitors who raced in the fleet. He has raced LBRW for over thirty years on many boats including CF37, Melges 24, J/109, J/105, Viper 640 and J/70. This year he sailed with his crew of eleven years, Helen Burdett – they did their first LBRW together in 2007.

“The local fleet is just getting started and [we had] a chance to sail with a couple of the guys from the Pacific Northwest and Tahoe area who have had their boats longer, so we hope to learn from them,” Thomas said. “Long Beach is a great place for this boat.”

Thompson/Taugher USA 324 sail to victory. Photo by Tom Walker

Throughout the three solid days of racing, conditions ranged from big breeze in the high teens to light conditions on the final day. Congratulations to Brad Thompson and Kevin Taugher (ABYC) on their commanding performance catapulting them to the top of the podium! 

“It helps to have a great crew and I have Kevin Taugher who is magic,” Thompson said. “It [was] a little bit of everything, we’ve had some great boat handling. [Friday] was a little different in the bigger breeze where we just powered through and basically just kept boat speed up. We were hitting 16 knots in breeze downwind and the big boat guys were clapping us on as we blew by them. [Saturday] was a little more strategic watching shifts and puffs and finding places on the course.”

“Sunday was a great conclusion to a great regatta with some 80 boats racing including a class new to us - Melges 15 - which we were thrilled to welcome,” noted LBYC Staff Commodore John Busch. 

Second Annual Kettle Cup Regatta a Resounding Success at Shore Acres Yacht Club

Regatta Report from Clay Johnson, Colie Sails

Shore Acres, NJ - The Shore Acres Yacht Club played host to the second annual Kettle Cup Regatta this past weekend on May 6-7, with ten Melges 15s competing in a thrilling display of back-and-forth racing. Participants from Barnegat Bay, Long Beach Island, and Long Island, NY, made up a competitive and diverse fleet, including parent/child, sibling, and coed teams.

On the first day, the fleet navigated a light and puffy westerly breeze, with the forecast calling for eventual wind from the southeast. PRO James Byrne decided to race in the creek, allowing the fleet to sail three exciting and unpredictable races before the breeze died and lost out to the sea breeze. The fleet then enjoyed a steady 10 knots for racing, with Little Egg sailor Jude Ryon and his father, Richie, putting on a masterclass, winning both afternoon races.

The following day saw two more races with similar conditions. Again, the decision was made to sail in the creek to get the races off before the breeze dwindled. The first race proved a little spotty at times, but all boats finished within a few lengths of each other, making for an intense finish. The fleet then waited for the sea breeze to come in, but the westerly made a final surge providing 5-8 knots of breeze for the seventh race.

The regatta was a great success, with Clay Johnson/Elizabeth Tell winning overall followed by the Ryons and Geoff Loffredo/Kristin Hess. It was fantastic to see three new teams trying out the Melges 15 - Colie Sails facilitated a demo boat, and Chris Fretz and Aidan Cunningham allowed other sailors to use their boats, too.

Shore Acres did a superb job running the event, and the organizers are already looking forward to next year's event.