keeps that joint strong and inflexible through years and years of hard use.
Build partners
section and different top sections of varied stiffness appropriate for different sail sizes that are tailored to be suitable for different crew weights. The carbon mast weighs only 4.25kg and the carbon boom weighs 2.0 kg rigged, making the rig and sail easy to handle when rigging and de-rigging. l Efficient sailplan, with multiple size options: the high-aspect ratio sail built in fibre-Mylar laminate sailcloth means light weight and durability with little shape distortion. Full-length battens preserve the sail for much longer than conventional battens, and being adjustable they can be tuned for any wind condition. Instead of a luff rope or slides, the sail has a sleeve for the carbon mast to slide in so there are no halyards to break, sail tracks to crack or fall off, or bolt ropes to wear out. l Light weight and easy to rig and de-rig: being a mere 52kg (115 lb), the Melges 14 is easy for two people to lift on and off any car top, making for easy transport. And the simplicity of the spars, sail and control lines allows the boat to be rigged for sailing in just 15 minutes – and de-rigged quickly as well.
The Gold Rig is the full-range sail with an area of 9.1 m2
, ideal for
sailors in the 75kg upwards range. Plenty of power makes this setup fast and athletic, yet incredibly simple to depower.
The Blue Rig is the mid-range sail.
, it’s ideal for 57kg–75kg sailors, with plenty of power for racing sailors in this size range. The Red Rig is for smaller sailors who want to get out and enjoy the performance of the Melges 14. With a 5.46 m2
At 7.4 m2
is 34kg–57kg. Modern materials
Unlike most production one-designs built with inexpensive cloth, polyester resins and gelcoat materials to meet cost targets, the
Above: could this be a
Laser for the 21st century? Just as Bruce Kirby did 50 years ago, the Melges 14’s design team Reichel/Pugh took a fresh look at the basics. Their brief was to create an enduringly practical, robust and simple dinghy for a wide range of users, from juniors to adults and from novices to experts – with vastly improved performance. They came up with a super- light, wide- beamed hull with a plumb bow and open transom,
powered by a high-aspect mainsail on a carbon mast with inter- changeable top sections of varying stiffness to suit a wide range of both sailor weight and sailing conditions
sail, the ideal weight range
Melges 14 follows the long tradition of boatbuilding quality inherent to all boats built at Melges: spend more on high-quality materials and take more time to use proper fabrication techniques to do it right. The end result is a boat that is lighter, stiffer and lasts longer and hence has a greater resale value than boats built otherwise. Melges have used this philosophy for decades throughout its diverse product line of keelboats, scows and other one-designs, which in turn is reflected in the greater than average longevity of all their boats. For the Melges 14 this starts with high-quality moulds created with CNC milling tools to exact specifications and the fabrication of strong, stable tooling of the sort you would see at production shops that build much larger boats. This is essential to ensure consistency and quality throughout production runs. The composite engineering for the Melges 14 is also at a level you only expect to see in much larger racing boats. The lay-up process starts with an exceptional epoxy-compatible gelcoat product that leads the industry for weather resistance, high gloss finish and excellent scratch and wear resistance. Then the laminate starts with detailed specifications and use of sophisticated materials, such as biaxial and uni-directional E-glass as well as 0-90 cloth, 12mm closed cell PVC cores. Selective and detailed carbon fibre reinforcements ensure rigidity and stiffness where needed, laminated with carefully weighed and measured amounts of epoxy resin. The package is vacuum- bagged to ensure full resin penetration, with no dry spots that could result in delamination. The target weight for a Melges 14 hull laminate before trimming out of the mould is only 21kg.
This approach is taken with both hull and deck, which are bonded together at the wide shear flange with a permanent rigid adhesive that
To meet the worldwide demand for Melges 14s, which have so far been sold in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, Melges has formed partnerships with three builders who share the same philosophy and technology to create boats to their exacting standards: Ovington Boats in the UK, NELO in Portugal, and Mackay Boats in New Zealand. All have had decades of experience in producing high-quality one-design racing sailboats and other craft for the recreation and performance marine market. NELO, for example, has produced 30,000 boats in the past 40 years, and is the world’s largest manufacturer of Olympic rowing skulls, with 175 employees. What has been learned from production at this volume contributes to the quality and success of the Melges 14.
Strict one-design standards and the Melges World League One final attribute to the Melges 14 is its strong one-design heritage with sensible and adaptive class rules. The Melges brand remains strong and recognisable due to not just the boat itself and its clever design and build quality, but the integrity of class rules and a class organisation that stands behind these rules to promote fair and fun racing. It’s no wonder that some of the biggest fans of the Melges 14 are those that have already experienced years of fun in the Melges 20, 24, 32 or Scow classes, or have seen or heard about this and wanted to find out for themselves what it’s like to sail this newest member of the Melges family. This has been made even easier with the Melges 14 having joined the Melges World League, the global racing platform and ranking system for Melges owners around the world. This clever idea in class management is designed to increase rivalry as well as camaraderie and to enhance the overall racing experience for owners and crews of Melges 20s, Melges 32s and now Melges 14s. The Melges 14 World League will feature eight championship-level regattas in its 2019 season: four in North America and four in Europe. The first ever Melges 14 World League Overall Champion, Female Champion, and North American Division Champion will be crowned at the League’s final event in the USA at Lake Lanier, Georgia next autumn. The European Division will crown its Champion in September at the Euro Cup on Lake Garda.
www.melges14.com
q SEAHORSE 69
ZEROGRADINORD / MELGES EUROPE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
