do you think the melges 14 will catch on?

[frozenhawaiian]

I remember thinking this was a sweet looking boat when it was announced and now melges is doing this tour with them. new it's still several a few grand more than a new laser but for a faster, more ergonomic, all carbon build it actually looks like a lot of boat for the money. do you guys think this boat will catch on? I mean the RS aero which looks to be similar, costs a touch more and is heavier and from what I gather slower is starting to catch on.

 

[Stanno]

Its interesting times in the single handed dinghy world!! As an aid to comparison, basic stats from the manufacturers...

Laser - L = 4.19m , B=1.39m, M=56.7kg

Aero L= 4.0m, B=1.4m, M=30kg

Melges 14 L=4.267m, Beam = 1.584m, M= 54.431kg

And just for fun, because I am a bigger chap ... the VX Evo ... L= 4.8m, Beam = 1.73m, Mass= 80kg.

Just wish I was a good enough sailor to be able to bring the best out of any of those boats - though having started laser sailing this past season I have enjoyed myself immensely ...

 

[frozenhawaiian]

Its interesting times in the single handed dinghy world!! As an aid to comparison, basic stats from the manufacturers...

Laser - L = 4.19m , B=1.39m, M=56.7kg

Aero L= 4.0m, B=1.4m, M=30kg

Melges 14 L=4.267m, Beam = 1.584m, M= 54.431kg

And just for fun, because I am a bigger chap ... the VX Evo ... L= 4.8m, Beam = 1.73m, Mass= 80kg.

Just wish I was a good enough sailor to be able to bring the best out of any of those boats - though having started laser sailing this past season I have enjoyed myself immensely ...

seeing these new dinghies hitting the market really makes me miss sailing little boats.

 

[StumbleNola]

I am not sure what the 14 has to offer over the Aero to justify the 15% price difference. The VX Evo is a lot more boat, and a lot more money, but is probably where I would prefer to be.

 

[Steam Flyer]

I am not sure what the 14 has to offer over the Aero to justify the 15% price difference. The VX Evo is a lot more boat, and a lot more money, but is probably where I would prefer to be.

I'd like to see these new better boats rekindle interest in small boat sailing. It's the purest form of the sport. I hope they all catch on, to some extent, and encourage more & younger sailors.

Having not seen any of them in person, I don't want to choose. The D-Zero and the VX-Evo both look really good but are also the most expensive. I -have- seen & sailed a VX-1 and it is very well built (very!); top level on everything. So that would make me think more about getting the Evo.

FB- Doug

 

[frozenhawaiian]

I am not sure what the 14 has to offer over the Aero to justify the 15% price difference. The VX Evo is a lot more boat, and a lot more money, but is probably where I would prefer to be.

hard to say just looking at numbers, the 14 is a full carbon build, hull, blades, spars, as such it will be stiffer and I would imagine more responsive. that being said having seen some of the collisions junior sailors have at starting lines and at mark roundings in lasers when they're first coming off optis and getting the hang of a bigger, faster, more powerful boat. full carbon build may not necessarily be a good thing.

I'm bummed the none of the melges 14 events are near to me. I'd love to give one a go.

 

[flyhigh]

Its interesting times in the single handed dinghy world!! As an aid to comparison, basic stats from the manufacturers...

Laser - L = 4.19m , B=1.39m, M=56.7kg

Aero L= 4.0m, B=1.4m, M=30kg

Melges 14 L=4.267m, Beam = 1.584m, M= 54.431kg

And just for fun, because I am a bigger chap ... the VX Evo ... L= 4.8m, Beam = 1.73m, Mass= 80kg.

Just wish I was a good enough sailor to be able to bring the best out of any of those boats - though having started laser sailing this past season I have enjoyed myself immensely ...

I am not sure whether the weight comparison is correct. The German sailing magazine "YACHT" lists the "all up weight" of the Melges 14 as 54kg and compares it to 80kg for the Laser, 45kg for the RS Aero and 61kg for the Devoti Zero. Yacht issue 8, 2016.

 

[Team_GBR]

I am not sure what the 14 has to offer over the Aero to justify the 15% price difference. The VX Evo is a lot more boat, and a lot more money, but is probably where I would prefer to be.

hard to say just looking at numbers, the 14 is a full carbon build, hull, blades, spars, as such it will be stiffer and I would imagine more responsive. that being said having seen some of the collisions junior sailors have at starting lines and at mark roundings in lasers when they're first coming off optis and getting the hang of a bigger, faster, more powerful boat. full carbon build may not necessarily be a good thing.

I cannot see anything to justify spending 15% more either. Carbon won't make the boat more responsive. Weight does that and the Melges is heavier than the Aero. I also agree that carbon doesn't make a boat more desirable as it is more expensive to repair. I am not sure it has a place in this sort of one design as I cannot see enough benefits but do see increased costs.

 

[Board skiff]

Clearly weight isn't everything - the Finn weighs a tonne but is, by all accounts, a great boat to sail. Worth noting that in the U.K. at least, the D Zero has been getting bigger fleets than the Aero 5, 7 or 9 at their Nationals. Having said that there are some very nice touches on the Aero, I just feel the ultra light weight thing is a bit of a red herring.

 

[Stanno]

Its interesting times in the single handed dinghy world!! As an aid to comparison, basic stats from the manufacturers...

Laser - L = 4.19m , B=1.39m, M=56.7kg

Aero L= 4.0m, B=1.4m, M=30kg

Melges 14 L=4.267m, Beam = 1.584m, M= 54.431kg

And just for fun, because I am a bigger chap ... the VX Evo ... L= 4.8m, Beam = 1.73m, Mass= 80kg.

Just wish I was a good enough sailor to be able to bring the best out of any of those boats - though having started laser sailing this past season I have enjoyed myself immensely ...

I am not sure whether the weight comparison is correct. The German sailing magazine "YACHT" lists the "all up weight" of the Melges 14 as 54kg and compares it to 80kg for the Laser, 45kg for the RS Aero and 61kg for the Devoti Zero. Yacht issue 8, 2016.

Happy to stand corrected...

 

[tillerman]

Do I think the Melges 14 will catch on?

Yes. It looks like it already has. At least in the US.

Check out pre-registration for the Melges 14 Midwinters in Sarasota this weekend. 22 boats are signed up as of this morning, which is comparable with the turnout for the RS Aero Midwinters in West Palm Beach a few weeks ago.

As one of the early adopters of the RS Aero, I personally don't see the reason for preferring the Melges 14 over the RS Aero, but it's good to see another new single-handed class getting some traction. Maybe we can have some joint RS Aero and Melges 14 regattas in the future?

 

[BlatantEcho]

Melges 14 is heavy, has a sleeved sail, and is more expensive than many of the options out there.

Obviously, most Melges customers = money is no object, so they will sell 100 or so to their loyalists.

But as a mass market success? Seems silly.

Sleeved sail on a boat in 2017?

Hilarious.

 

[dsolnick]

I'm an Aero sailor but do hope to try out a Melges 14 (which is indeed the heavier boat). Both have carbon rigs, which is a huge positive (for longevity, flexibility, weight, and when it smacks you), but the bits of carbon elsewhere are not of much consequence either way. However, having experiencing the Aero's center sheeting after sailing the Laser and others without it, I'm sold on the ease and control of gybing that it allows, as well as the ease of sheeting from the boom. I also do not understand the Melges's retention of a Laser's sleeved sail, which means the mast must come down (along with the associated rigging) every time it's put away. With the Aero, I just remove the top cover (nicely held up by the halyard) and hoist away.

Based on the happy-go-lucky, bathing suit-clad, barefoot models, the Melges appears to be targeting a bit more casual user, so perhaps lower performance than the Aero, but the proof will be in the pudding. The Devoti Zero, btw, targets a higher performance market (and has the lower boom to prove it).

 

[Dex Sawash]

How is Melges marketing this boat? I had actually forgotten about it existing.

Went to website to see pricing just now, you have to download the .pdf order form to see price.

 

[StumbleNola]

I am not sure what the 14 has to offer over the Aero to justify the 15% price difference. The VX Evo is a lot more boat, and a lot more money, but is probably where I would prefer to be.

I'd like to see these new better boats rekindle interest in small boat sailing. It's the purest form of the sport. I hope they all catch on, to some extent, and encourage more & younger sailors.

Having not seen any of them in person, I don't want to choose. The D-Zero and the VX-Evo both look really good but are also the most expensive. I -have- seen & sailed a VX-1 and it is very well built (very!); top level on everything. So that would make me think more about getting the Evo.

FB- Doug

I think the Evo is really in a different class. It's the only one of the bunch that is designed to race with two (well two small people), could probably take four daysailing, has a spinnaker, and is much larger and heavier. I know it was designed as a Finn replacement, but I think it is actually far more boat than a Finn. At almost double the price of the Aero is really had better be if Brian is going to sell any.

In my estimation the only thing the Evo is missing is a trapeze.

 

[flyhigh]

One big advantage the Melges 14 has over some of the other small single handers is the roomy cockpit that gives plenty of leg room.

That is the main reason why I would like to give the Melges a go sometime this summer. I am 6'4 and I do not like yoga. So leg room is high on my list.

lonbordin wrote a great review of the Melges 14 and RS Aero a few months back:

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=173996&p=5342976

I hope both boats will be successful in the US.

 

[Hobie Dog]

Its interesting times in the single handed dinghy world!! As an aid to comparison, basic stats from the manufacturers...

Laser - L = 4.19m , B=1.39m, M=56.7kg

Aero L= 4.0m, B=1.4m, M=30kg

Melges 14 L=4.267m, Beam = 1.584m, M= 54.431kg

And just for fun, because I am a bigger chap ... the VX Evo ... L= 4.8m, Beam = 1.73m, Mass= 80kg.

Just wish I was a good enough sailor to be able to bring the best out of any of those boats - though having started laser sailing this past season I have enjoyed myself immensely ...

seeing these new dinghies hitting the market really makes me miss sailing little boats.

Well you started the thread, what are you waiting for? Get back into sailing little boats if you miss it, certainly you have some choices these days!

AFA to answer your original question personally I would think there is only room for the Aero or Melges not both. Yes I see both Midwinters have good numbers this year but I am not so sure that is sustainable for more than a few years. Bottom line in order to put butts in boats they have to come from one or a combination of the following 3 places.

1) Attract new peeps into the class. This can either be adults new to sailing or catching the Jr sailors before they get into the Laser.

2) Attract the keel boat or multi peep dingy crowd into the class. Do they want to totally leave that type of racing or will they want to split time between the two?

3) Attract the Laser crowd. Again do they totally want to leave the Laser or are they willing to have two single hand boats?

And this is a US East Coast perspective and observations only. I am sure things could be completely different other places.

Both boats look cool and I should be able to try out a Melges 14 this season. I don't know of any Aero's in our area.

 

[Rum Runner]

I like the look of the Melges 14 but the price is going to stop a lot of people. Basically $9,000 for a singlehanded boat. Unfortunately there are a lot of single handed one design boats out there which are a lot cheaper. You are asking people just out of college to pony up for this amount. Since college sailing is still Lasers there will not be a big rush to the boat for teens and early 20's. How about getting a couple of colleges to use the boats for their sailing programs?

I also really want to see how the boats hold up over time. It is marketed as a "family beach boat" but I think kids will have a hard time with the boat and they always put a lot of wear and tear on the equipment.

 

[Locus]

Why no tour events west of the Mississippi? Seems like they are missing a large group of sailors.

But Aeros are already taking over from the lasers here. Not sure a third would have any uptake. Really its not about the boat as much as its about the community and number of boats racing