The Melges 15 / Future of American Double Handed Classes

[crashtack]

But why did they abandon the boat? If the V15 was selling well, perhaps they would’ve kept building them. Is it a boat worth owning or do they just go soft? I’m curious where the M15 fits on that score.

Pretty much all existing v15 hulls are soft. The SF fleet has been repairing and cannibalizing parts from other boats to keep a core raceable group, but the writing is honestly on the wall.

 

[ILYAScow]

Maybe the V-15 cost too much to build. Ask Steve Clark if that boat hit the magic profit number.

 

[Fretz]

Aluminum mast and non-self draining, just seems backwards.

Maybe the success of a boat is proportional to people just having fun?

 

[dogwatch]

LP stopped building Laser parts for most of a decade and hulls outside of what was needed for major events was thin on the ground. This created the opportunity for the Aero.

Didn't really. The early adopters of the Aero in the UK, where it obviously started, had zero interest in the Laser. Mostly they had been there/done that. I know because I was there.

 

[pqbon]

Didn't really. The early adopters of the Aero in the UK, where it obviously started, had zero interest in the Laser. Mostly they had been there/done that. I know because I was there.

Yes, the early Aero and DZero sailors weren't people looking for a Laser and couldn't find a new one, but were people looking for an alternative to a Laser that took advantage of the 30+ years of material and design progress.