do you think the melges 14 will catch on?

[WestCoast]

I’m traveling at the moment, but I would be quite surprised if Zim Sailing didn’t have an RS Aero in their booth at Annap Boat Show.

They’ll have to make room for the RS21, and some other products, but, I’ll try to find out for sure.  I’d expect it there.

 

[RSsailingNA]

There will certainly be an RS Aero on the Zim Sailing Booth in Annapolis! Land Space 5

Hope to see you there!

 

[Hobie Dog]

i saw in their newsletter last week that they'll be there with the 14.

not sure if this link will work or if it's just my link from my email? does it work for you? http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Inside-Melges--The-September-Issue-.html?soid=1126977055871&aid=CkhbgjLTmzQ 

Awesome!

The Boat Show site only lists the IC37 as going to be there.

 

[Hobie Dog]

There will certainly be an RS Aero on the Zim Sailing Booth in Annapolis! Land Space 5

Hope to see you there!

I will come see you before the gin tent! LOL

Are you guys going to offer any demo sails after the show?

 

[RSsailingNA]

Unfortunately Annapolis makes it impossible to do any demos, there are no venues that will allow a manufacturer to do a demo.  So to be honest we gave up. But we'd be glad to discuss demos somewhere else.

 

[Hobie Dog]

Roger, OK will talk at the show.

 

[superg]

Any estimates how many M14s have been sold to date?

 

[Pung boy]

Well RS Aero has just gone up $1000 to $14,500 here, so I can’t wait until the M14 arrives?

 

[Port Wine]

Interesting that KO sailing is listed as a dealer on the Melges site- thought they were RS central, esp for the Aero...

https://www.melges.com/?p=pages/useful-links

 

[tillerman]

Interesting that KO sailing is listed as a dealer on the Melges site- thought they were RS central, esp for the Aero...

https://www.melges.com/?p=pages/useful-links

Intersting that Melges is not listed as a brand of boats they sell on KO Sailing's website.

 

[Pung boy]

It seems Melges are very good at stretching the truth about their so-called global marketing strategy.

MackayBoats have absolutely no interest in building/importing/selling M14 in New Zealand. That’s straight from them to me, no third party/hearsay, heard it from the paper delivery boy/mothers best friend.

 

[JimC]

Whilst that's doubtless true, if the Melges were to get the nod as an Olympic boat I'm sure it would be a different story.

 

[WestCoast]

Whilst that's doubtless true, if the Melges were to get the nod as an Olympic boat I'm sure it would be a different story.

The Melges 14 is not being considered for the Olympics.
It lost the equipment evaluation to the Aero (and also finished behind the second place Laser).

 

[JimC]

The Melges 14 is not being considered for the Olympics.
It lost the equipment evaluation to the Aero (and also finished behind the second place Laser).

I'm well aware of the evaluation report that the Melges was not suitable for the games. However that report is not binding on ISAF decision makers, who no doubt have other factors to consider. That being said I suspect the chances of it getting selected range from zero to none.

 

[Port Wine]

It is still a cool boat.

 

[BlatantEcho]

The Melges 14 has zero point zero chance of being in the Olympics. None.
Not sure why it's even being discussed at this point.

So yes, maybe 'ISAF' (it's called World Sailing now) could go rogue... but, they will chose Aero or Laser, nothing else.
The Melges 14 is not going to be an Olympic boat.
 

 

[A CheeseHead]

[snip]

I know personally if I were racing in such a mixed fleet I would buy the fastest boat. So over time people would gravitate to the faster boat even in a mixed fleet? No??? "I am tired of getting gassed in my Laser, my Aero, my Melges, my whatever... I am buying the new (insert the latest faster boat here). So instead of buying a new sail every year to get that little extra speed/point advantage people will be buying the latest faster boat instead??? I don't think that is good for the sport. Thoughts on that?

Well, consider how the Laser got here.  One Design & Offshore Yachtsman organized "America's Teacup" on Geneva Lake (it is the town that's called Lake Geneva) in 1970.  They tested relatively cheap dinghies for rowability, compared capsizing, rigging, and raced them.  Bruce Kirby's "Weekender" did good, tied with the "Banshee" and got re-named for its pains.  There weren't many competitors back then (I sailed Tech dinghies and a Butterfly), so yes ... the fast boat is what folks gravitated to.  Now, the competition's a tad stiffer and I don't much complain that there's more choice.

Nowadays I mostly sail and teach what my college sailing club owns.  That means Techs, Lasers, Bytes, and RS Zests ... for beginners.  The Techs were heavily modified from the original MIT design by Harkens to survive the way they get used and abused by a large collegiate sailing club, but they are no longer cheap (nor built by Pete & Ole).  The Zest is a new acquisition, and so far I am not all that impressed by the build quality (though I have not a clue how it compares to the Aero in quality).

So when I finally decide to wave 'goodbye' to my ~1980-vintage Laser (mahogany cb and rudder) - mostly because it'd cost 2X what I paid for it & its trailer to bring it up to present rigging specs - I'm looking at what's built down the road from me, and that's what Buddy's shop is selling.

 

[A CheeseHead]

The Melges 14 is not being considered for the Olympics.
It lost the equipment evaluation to the Aero (and also finished behind the second place Laser).

Yes, it did lose in the equipment evaluation ... but here's an assessment of that assessment:
https://optimist-openbic-sailing.blogspot.com/2019/05/evaluation-of-singlehanders-by-world.html

"Verdict: Highly Questionable Scoring"  That's about the most charitable verdict imaginable. 

ISAF thought the Melges, being 1" longer than the Laser ... was too big.  Bonkers, says I. 

Both the Aero and the Melges are orders of magnitude superior to the Laser in ergonomics and construction quality.  Frankly, not being 'suitable' for the Olympics might be a major positive.

 

[tillerman]

Yes, it did lose in the equipment evaluation ... but here's an assessment of that assessment:
https://optimist-openbic-sailing.blogspot.com/2019/05/evaluation-of-singlehanders-by-world.html

"Verdict: Highly Questionable Scoring"  That's about the most charitable verdict imaginable. 

ISAF thought the Melges, being 1" longer than the Laser ... was too big.  Bonkers, says I. 

Both the Aero and the Melges are orders of magnitude superior to the Laser in ergonomics and construction quality.  Frankly, not being 'suitable' for the Olympics might be a major positive.

Count yourself lucky that the Melges 14 didn't get selected for the Olympics. 

 

[Xeon]

Looking at the Melges 14 from this side of the pond, if you are looking for a laser replacement I cannot think of a single reason why  you would buy one rather than an Aero or a Zero .