Melges 17......again

[redboat]

Yeah, I know the new class died a fairly quick death but that sad process has left a few orphan boats available at great prices. Just would be used to rip around lakes and race periodically in mixed dinghy fleets.
Interesting boat that would be perfect for playing on ........unless.....there are some serious weaknesses or deficiencies that make even this use inappropriate.
Anyone aware of problems with the boat?
Anyone have experience sailing it? Was it fun?

 

[WCB]

I'm waiting for that to happen to the Melges 14. There are a handful for sale and they're not selling.

 

[Steam Flyer]

I liked the Johnson 18 much better; it was scow-like in some respects but definitely not a scow.

 

[Irrational 14]

Just get a older, used 14 already. Life's too short to waste time hiking.

 

[CoachGent]

I had a melges 17 and it was a freaking rocketship. My wife and I sailed it together but only did handicap racing. The number on the boat is ridiculous and we didn't do that well if it wasn't super windy. I don't understand why that boat wasn't more popular.

 

[JM1366]

The M17 did get a reputation for breaking masts in winds over about 18 knots - watch that max crew weight rating, and don't push it.

Unfortunately for the M17, it was the wrong boat at the wrong time. It was a hot new asymmetrical boat that was something of a hopped up I-20. Then the E-scows finally, after years of fighting, converted to asyms. The I-20, M17 and E-scow, from a market perspective, were all a little too similar, and from what I observed, the M17 (and a few years later, the I-20) fell out of favor.

Ultimately, the M17 was taken just a little too far - it's a little too much sail area, it's built a little too lightly, and it requires a little too much athleticism from the crew. But make no mistake, it's a bloody fantastic boat. For the prices the used boats are going for it's hard to argue with, though the sails for an M17 aren't the cheapest things around. The I-20 is a similar boat that is nearly indestructible, with a marginally less dead racing class. Just keep in mind that the upfront cost of an M17 these days is low, but the running cost isn't. An I-20 is a larger upfront investment, but the sails are less expensive.

 

[JM1366]

I'm waiting for that to happen to the Melges 14. There are a handful for sale and they're not selling.

Melges was really pushing for the 14 to be an olympic boat, and unfortunately for the M14 owners, that never happened. Lot of competition in that space, and the M14 was an expensive little toy for what it was.