Care & Maintenance
Keep your Melges 15 in prime condition for years to come! We have compiled a list of best practices for boat care and maintenance to ensure you get the most out of your boat. It is important to read this guide before your first sail. The following guidelines are in accordance with the Melges standards and will ensure you don’t void your boat’s warranty.
RIG TENSION: We recommend reducing your rig tension after sailing each day by using the rig tensioner provided with each new boat. Always ease and tension the stays with the turnbuckles to take the rig back to the light air setting before using the rig tensioner. Over-tightening the rig tensioner can cause damage to the boat’s structure. Leaving the boat with the rig tensioned can cause damage over time to the integrity of the hull.
DOLLY USE: Do not stand in your boat while on the dolly. When stepping the mast on a dolly, put the mast up while standing next to the boat. Lower the mast into the mast base and then hook up the shrouds. When your boat is stored on the dolly, we recommend limiting the amount of weight stored in the boat. We highly recommend using the custom fiberglass bunk on your dolly to further support the hull, or make sure that the webbing strap that the hull sits on is at least 75mm wide.
RUDDER USE: The central pivot bolt is critical to the correct operation of the rudder assembly, as it holds everything in column. If this becomes loose, the blade is allowed to twist, and the fitting collides with the stock, causing damage to the fitting. Make sure that your rudder bolt is tight! Also, make sure to use the velcro strap to hold the tiller down. If the tiller is allowed to pop up when sailing in heavy wind the rudder can pop up which may cause damage to the rudder/tiller assembly or the transom gudgeons.
POST-SAILING MAINTENANCE: When sailing in saltwater, it is necessary to wash your boat, spars, foils, and all fittings with soap and fresh water once you’re back onshore. This will help prevent corrosion and rusting. Leaving a boat to sit unwashed for even a few days can cause corrosion.
DRYING OUT BOAT: After sailing, remove all portholes and drain plugs, it is important to drain your boat using the aft drain plug. To drain, open the aft drain plug and tip the boatup from the bow to allow water to flow out. We recommend draining your boat after each sail. Ensure the boat is stored level with the bailers open so any water ingress can easily drain out. Do not store wet sails in the boat. Allowing water to sit in the cockpit or the hull for extended periods may cause osmosis, which is not an item that is covered under warranty, so extra care should be taken to ensure the boat can always dry out properly after it is exposed to rain. Make sure the cover is properly secured and tied down. Make sure the boat is properly tied down to prevent capsizing in a wind storm. Be sure to only use covers made from breathable material to prevent overheating and to allow boats to properly dry out once they get wet inside. Boats stored with non-breathable cover material will void the warranty.
SAIL STORAGE: Pull your spinnaker completely out of its bag to dry out after each sail. Do not store wet sails in the boat. Sails ideally should be stored in a cool dry place to maximize their usable life.
TRAILERING: When trailering your boat, use the Melges 15 Trailer Bunks to ensure the boat's weight is properly distributed. You can reference the trailer bunk installation guide on Melges15.com. The Melges 15 Trailer bunks are molded to perfectly fit the hull of your Melges 15. Designed to be set 81″ inches apart these bunks can be adapted to a trailer or boat lift. The 81” spread is critical for proper fit. Melges highly recommends using these bunks in any scenario where the boat will be stored or transported with the hull down. Protecting the bottom of your boat will ensure longevity and peak performance. Bunks are sold in sets of two with a forward and aft bunk. It is important to install the bunks with the proper pivoting brackets and with the correct side of the bunk forward. Both the aft and front bunks are set up so the tallest edge should be forward when measuring the height at one end of the fiberglass bunk. Make sure to check the fit of the hull to the bunks when placing the boat on the trailer. Adjust the position of the boat to fit the bunks properly and/or adjust the bunks to fit the hull properly. It is very important that the hull is not being point loaded by the bunks due to the bunks being improperly installed and not in the correct positioning.
Please note a custom quote will be needed to ship these bunks.: https://melgessailingsupply.com/products/melges-15-trailer-bunks
Additionally:
- Never transport a second boat on top of the bottom boat. This may cause hull damage and will void your warranty. A proper double-deck trailer should be set up to transport more than one boat on one trailer.
- Never transport the boat with anything loose inside the boat that is not properly padded, like the mast, boom, or foils. This will cause gel coat damage to your deck and reduce its resale value.