Melges 15 Winter Series Debuts at New Merritt Island Venue

The Melges 15 Class has launched the 2024-25 Winter Series at the Melges Watersports Center in Merritt Island, Florida. This November event, a brand-new addition to the series, has attracted 66 teams from across the nation, marking a strong start to the season.

Kicking off the week, Class Coach Paris Henken led an intensive two-day racing clinic, where over 20 teams participated in on-water drills and training sessions. Each day concluded with shoreside debriefs featuring video footage, offering sailors in-depth performance analysis.

“The coaches had drones and coach boats, and were always behind us telling us what to do and where to make corrections,” explained Dale Gordon (Madison, WI). “Then we came back, watched the footage and the coaches explained everything. It was unbelievable feedback. We’re so thankful that we had this opportunity.”

The Melges 15 fleet is settling into its new home at the Melges Watersports Center, located on the Banana River. This expansive, sheltered waterway is ideal for small boats, windsurfing, foiling, and human-powered watersports. The center offers year-round opportunities for clinics, racing, and recreation, with direct beach access for launching and racing just a short distance offshore.

“We’re thrilled to race at this stunning venue,” said Jennifer Cregar (Sarasota, FL). “It’s beautiful, convenient, and offers phenomenal sailing conditions.”

The two-day regatta runs Saturday-Sunday, November 23-24. Stay updated on race results, photos, and videos by visiting melges15.com. For more information about the venue, head to melgeswatersports.com.

Introducing Melges 15 Class Coach Paris Henken

The Melges 15 Class welcomes Paris Henken as its Class Coach for the 2024-25 Winter Season. Henken, a 2016 Olympian in the 49erFX Class and an accomplished sailor, will lead the winter clinics and debriefs. 

Having a Class Coach is a fantastic opportunity for sailors to sharpen their skills with one of the best in the sport. With an impressive sailing career, including a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games in the 49erFX, multiple College National Championships titles, three-time All-American, and 2021 Quantum Women's College Sailor of the Year, Paris brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the Melges 15 community. Over the past 3 years, Paris has stepped into a coaching role, assisting with various projects, including assistant coach at the College of Charleston, Olympic development in the 49erFX, and she recently helped Team USA reach a podium finish in the 29er at the 2024 Youth World Championships. 

“I am super excited to be a part of a class that has been rapidly growing as not just a competitive 90-boat fleet but also a fleet that showcases what sailing is all about - spending time on the water with your friends and family. I had the opportunity to jump in the boat for a regatta last year and was impressed with not only the boat but also the class culture and community!” said Henken. 

“For young sailors considering Olympic-caliber sailing, this is a great platform to start their journey. For older sailors looking to improve their skills, there’s not much out there that’s more fun to race than a Melges 15.”

All new for 2024, the Melges 15 Winter clinics precede all Winter Series regattas. They feature comprehensive debriefs using onboard data, on-the-water photography, and drone footage, providing sailors with in-depth analytics to maximize learning. 

“When you buy a Melges 15, you join a class committed to offering access to world-class coaching and instruction,” explained Eddie Cox, Melges Performance Sailboats. “We can't wait for everyone to meet Paris and learn from her experiences. Her accomplishments speak for themselves; she's one of the best in the world!”

2024-25 WINTER SERIES CLINIC DATES

• November 21-22, 2024

• January 3, 2025

• February 21, 2025

• March 19-20, 2025

Brant Beach Yacht Club to Host 2025 Melges 15 U.S. Nationals

The Melges 15 Class is excited to announce the 2025 U.S. National Championship, October 3-5, hosted by Brant Beach Yacht Club in New Jersey. Building on the class’s phenomenal growth—now boasting over 900 boats sold—next year’s championship is primed to shatter records, with a heavy concentration of participants from the thriving East Coast fleet.

John Barbano, Regatta Chair, shared his enthusiasm for the event, “The Melges 15 Class has set the bar for participation, inclusivity, and how it embraces technology. We’re so excited to host this prestigious event, and we look forward to welcoming everyone in Fall 2025!”

For the Melges 15 Class, Long Beach Island (LBI) holds a special significance. The area was home to one of the original fleet purchases in 2020, where the Melges Team launched an inaugural regatta with a dozen boats competing in Beach Haven. Today, that legacy lives on, with local sailors like Emily and Dana Haig, Clay Johnson, and Barbano’s son, Scott, continuing to dominate the leaderboards.

“It’s remarkable to see the Melges 15 Class come full circle on the Jersey Shore,” said Eddie Cox, Melges Performance Sailboats. “The East Coast fleets are super competitive, so this event is guaranteed to be fun and have a great turnout!”
For more information on logistics and the area, visit melges15.com/nationals.

Guide to Winter Sailing at the Melges Watersports Center

The Melges 15 U.S. Winter Series has a new home at the Melges Watersports Center in Merritt Island, FL. Along with an exciting new venue, the series has added a fourth event in November!

The Melges Team is committed to making it easier than ever to plan your winter sailing season. From logistics to sails, we’ve got you covered! Check out the updated guide to the Melges 15 U.S. Winter Series below.

Don’t Miss Key Deadlines!

Save on entry fees by registering early:

• November 22, 2024: Last day to save on Event 2

• January 3, 2025: Last day to save on Event 3

• February 21, 2025: Last day to save on Midwinters

BOOK YOUR ROOMS

We’ve partnered with Zig Travel to offer exclusive hotel rates and vacation rentals for all Winter Series events. Zig Travel can also help arrange park and attraction packages, such as trips to Disney or the Kennedy Space Center.

Important: The deadline for Event 1 bookings is October 18!

Prep Your Boat

Whether shipping or hauling your boat yourself, be sure to protect it from the elements. The Melges envelope cover keeps your boat’s hull and deck safe and dry during transport or storage.

Since the Melges Watersports Center is designed for beach launching, don’t forget to bring your dolly! We also recommend using a full deck cover to keep your boat clean and dry overnight.

BONUS: Charter a Melges 15

Don’t have your own boat or traveling a long distance for just one event? You can charter a Melges 15 directly from the Center.

Book Transport & Storage

Store your boat just five minutes from the Melges Watersports Center! We offer both indoor and outdoor storage, plus options for boats with and without trailers and box trailers.

Need transportation to and from storage? We’ve got that covered, too.

Pack the Essentials

Pre-order parts and sails from Melges Sailing Supply for easy pickup at the Melges Watersports Center. Forgot something? No worries—spare parts and fresh gear will be available onsite.

Arrive Early to Sharpen Your Skills

Don’t miss out on pre-event clinics led by the top coaches in the industry! These 1-2 day sessions include high-level coaching, drone footage and analytics, and Vakaros data collection. It’s a perfect way to tune up for the main event and improve your boat handling and racing skills.

O’Connor and Byrne of the host club take out the Melges 15 National Championships

Originally Published on Melges Ireland

Darragh O’Connor and Brian (Teddy) Byrne of Howth Yacht Club are the winners of the 2024 Melges 15 National championships held at Howth this weekend.  After four great races on Saturday, the 19-boat fleet kept fingers and toes crossed for sailing on Sunday, but with gusts of up to 30 knots and a difficult sea state, racing was abandoned for the day.

This year's event was superbly pulled together by Cormac Farrelly of the host club, who led the event team well, delivering long, close, fun sailing to the competitors.  The event was also the first event in Ireland to run a new Race Management technology, RaceSense, which, in essence, is an operating system for racing that pairs to the Vakaros GPS devices on all boats.  Four races were started and finished with the system with the technology adoption welcomed by the fleet. 

Saturday’s four races were three round Windward Leeward courses delivered in winds of 14-19 knots.  Race lengths were, on average, 40 minutes, giving sailors plenty of time to improve their positions on the track. Data off the units showed that on average each boat covered over 50km distance over the day with top speeds recorded of 17+knots.  No wonder everyone was tired returning to the shore late Saturday Afternoon.

Saturday evening saw the event dinner and AGM with members welcoming Theo Lyttle remaining as class President.  Events were discussed for next year with a consensus that the Irish South Coasts 2025 will be held in Cascais over Easter. The Irish Armada being keen to return to the Portuguese coast for some warm weather sailing and Portuguese cuisine.

Sunday morning saw PRO Richard Kissane assess the conditions afloat but it was not to be.  This pause in sailing gave everyone time to appreciate the spectacular drone footage and photos taken by top Portuguese drone photographer Goncalo de Melo of Bow Media.

After a 19-boat event with crews racing from 13 to 60 years of age, the Melges 15 sailors are already looking forward to next season, with strong rumors of more boats arriving as this new class of Irish sailing continues to expand.

RESULTS
1: Darragh O’Connor & Bryan Byrne
2: John & Katie Sheehy
3: Mike & Andrew Evans
Youngest Helm: Sarah McLoughlin (13yo)
Youngest Female Crew: Florence Knaggs Butler (13yo)
Youngest Male Crew: Will Cullen (14yo)

2024 U.S. MELGES 15 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN

Christopher Alexander and Hamilton Barclay are the 2024 U.S. Melges 15 National Champions. The racing was contested by 55 boats at Grand Traverse Yacht Club over the course of three days. 

The first day of racing was marked by downwind thrills and significant wind shifts throughout the three races. A southwesterly breeze crested over the hills, creating large shifts and wind holes across Grand Traverse Bay. Conditions lightened on Day Two, but the prevailing southwesterly wind kept the shifts in play, gradually weakening as the day progressed.

“Downwind was like gambling; there wasn’t much rhyme or reason,” said Barclay.

“You had to guess what was going to happen,” added Alexander. “Hopefully, your guess was correct because there were a lot of shifts and significant changes in pressure and direction.”

After two days of tight racing, the bay was becalmed on Day Three, casting doubt on whether there would be any more competition. However, following a brief shoreside postponement and an impromptu class gathering led by Melges's Eddie Cox, the Race Committee headed out for two quick races in the building breeze.

Alexander and Barclay maintained a firm grip on first place, but the introduction of a throwout after six races reshuffled the top five. Top Youth Skipper Ryan Keenan, with crew Esteban Forrer, excelled in the light air, finishing 1st and 2nd and ultimately placing third overall.

Top Grand Master Scott Steele remarked, “The shifts allowed you to make big comebacks, so you were never really out of the race.”

“Each race saw a new leader at the front of the fleet. It speaks volumes about how competitive this fleet is,” Barclay added.

The next event on the Melges 15 calendar is the start of the 2024-25 Winter Series at the new Melges Watersports Center in Merritt Island, FL. The four-event series kicks off November 23-24, 2024, with clinics, charters, and the latest regatta technology.

19-Boat Fleet to Contest Melges 15 Irish Nationals at Howth Yacht Club

It has been a busy and exciting dinghy pen in Howth this week, with the green gate witnessing the departure of the many visiting Optimists to be replaced by the ad hoc arrival of Melges 15s.

Race Officer Richard Kissane and the team have also been spotted preparing to use the new Race Management software Race Sense. Various simulations of start  boats and marks are set up on the forecourt to check functionality and features.

Competitors are looking forward to some fast, fun sailing with medium to strong winds forecast. With 13 Melges 15s based in Howth the local club will be optimistic of a home winner with the teams of Mike Evans and Cormac Farrelly showing good form in Howth's recent dinghy regatta. Late bolters Darragh O'Connor and Teddy Byrne will revel in the stronger conditions alongside Matthew Cotter's 'Wrong Trousers' team, fresh from a strong performance at the GP14 Worlds in Wales.

Family will be a strong theme amongst the visiting fleet with Husband and Wife Partnerships, Theo and Clodagh Lyttle and Mike Huang and Scotia Ryer coming off race wins leading up to the championships. Uncle Niece combo John and Katie Sheehy won a hard-fought RStGYC regatta this Summer with some consistent sailing, so we will also hope to feature.

Keep an eye out, too, for the Youth team of Peter Williams and Russell Bolger. Russell, a current Junior Helmsman's champion and former 29er ace, will add awesome spinnaker trimming to Peter's tactical acumen.

A banquet meal at the club on Saturday should revive the sailors after an expected four races while anticipation is building to see some great drone footage of the days action with top drone photographer Goncalo Melo flying in from Portugal to cover the event.