Full-length battens preserve the sail for much longer than conventional battens, and being adjustable they can be tuned for any wind condition. These sponsors are supporting sailish.com and its mission to promote Pacific Northwest sailing and racing. 84' Price Reduction Don Brookes Pilot House Cruising Ketch Bahamas, Florida Asking $375,000. No, the real question is, what’s the future of the Laser class? It’s not as satisfying as, say, 12 boats of the same kind. The Laser has always had its problems. The RS Aero is a 13’1” (4m) single handed dinghy designed by RS Sailing (United Kingdom) and Jo Richards (United Kingdom). The spar’s lighter weight means less pitching and more righting moment to contribute to speed. Helpful Links. Box 1 Zenda, Wisconsin 53195 USA. The Melges 14 Class is the gold standard in camaraderie and excellent racing. A passion for Laser sailing and supporting fellow Laser sailors has been core to the identity of West Coast Sailing since our founding in 2005. 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. The carbon mast and boom complement its flexible sail plan with three rigs: Gold, Blue and Red. At the same time, the Laser Class will have to take a good hard look at itself and decide whether it wants to improve the boat or protect the fleet. Others are so ubiquitous and accessible that they just keep going. Pingback:Future of Singlehanded Dinghy Racing – Scuttlebutt Sailing News | SFO. There are active fleets worldwide and an extremely well-established class association. And I’ve gotten a bit grumpy about it. And hopefully the class will lose its Olympic status. The Aero is certainly a very good boat. At all. The Red Rig is for smaller sailors who want to get out and enjoy the performance of the Melges 14. Carbon spars: greater strength and resilience from carbon fibre means the loads from the laminate spar are not lost in sail shape distortion. So it may come as a surprise that, with this genre being crowded with so many designs over the decades, there could still be space left for innovation – yet Melges Performance Sailboats has done just that with the Melges 14, which is now under consideration as a new Olympic singlehanded dinghy. Lasers have started many thousands of sailors down a path that ends up with them buying a lot of different boats. Many of my strongest friendships can trace their source to Laser sailing. Box 1 Zenda, Wisconsin 53195 USA. Melges preowned sailboats for sale by owner. When you go to the effort of traveling to a regatta being able to sail in the broadest range of conditions matters. Just as Bruce Kirby did 50 years ago, the Melges 14’s design team Reichel/Pugh took a fresh look at the basics. Find 14 foot Sailboats for Sale on Oodle Classifieds. The package is vacuumbagged to ensure full resin penetration, with no dry spots that could result in delamination. But I do see plenty of reasons to sail a Laser even if you’re not dreaming of the Olympics: Many classes have been “out-designed” and live happily on. In response to customer feedback, Melges designed the new cockpit with the following features. Good point. While the Laser class has suffered from poor service, it has opened the door for more modern singlehanders such as the Melges 14 and RS Aero to gain traction. For Smaller Sailors. 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. Not to mention you do not bring up body size. Many problems with shedding tillers and rudders, poor construction of outhaul, securing rolled-up sail. I think the class needs some use to settle down. The pure joy of being in complete control of your own craft speeding effortlessly across the water and the direct feedback it brings to the senses is indescribable and keeps us forever attached to this sport. It’s nice seeing new boat actually growing in numbers in our area. With its large and open transom, there’s never a need to bail. Assessing factors for Olympic equipment. N598 Zenda Road, P.O. Both the new boats are surely better than the Laser. 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. The carbon mast and boom complement its flexible sail plan with three rigs: Gold, Blue and Red. She is built since 2014 by RS Sailing (United Kingdom). Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive email notifications of new posts as they come out. Laser vs Aero vs Melges? Full-Range. 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. One look at the Melges 14 shows the results of this approach with the following features standing out right away: Wide hull and side decks: this feature helps not only with the stability of the boat under sail, but also makes hiking an ergonomically efficient experience for all sizes and body types, rather than an athletic torture. Buoy Line - Floating, 10 foot $ 20.00 price_excluding_tax; SAILZING Products. Don't miss what's happening in your neighborhood. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. June 9th, 2019 . Great article on this issue. As ground zero for the RS Aero movement in North America, the new boat has lured away most SLF stalwarts. It can keep more sailors out racing in broader conditions. 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. And maybe the broader thinkers among the Aero and Melges proponents will see that it will do them little good to decry the Laser as a has-been to potential sailors. For me personally, it’s painful. Selective and detailed carbon fibre reinforcements ensure rigidity and stiffness where needed, laminated with carefully weighed and measured amounts of epoxy resin. With a 5.46 m2 sail, the ideal weight range is 34kg–57kg. Yacht Racing Life website editor Justin Chisholm is joined by Vendee Globe skipper Conrad Colman for the final episode of the Vendee Globe special series. For the Aero, I see that there are a bunch of user-created rig re-design details, extra-cost Harken replacement parts. It is so important to get the legs tucked underneath to stable the body. High school sailor, Brady Carlson, test drives the new Melges 14 Photos by Molly Burns. Both the new boats are surely better than the Laser. I believe it can live happily there coexisting with the new boats while providing a good option for a lot of sailors, especially the crop of great high school sailors coming up. The class could then refocus on getting young sailors into the boat. Footage by Daniel Smith, World SailingLearn more at Melges14.com MELGES 14 GOLD. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. The Gold Rig is the full-range sail with an area of 9.1 m2, ideal for sailors in the 75kg upwards range. Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. For the men's event, the laser received 36 votes, while just five members chose RS Aero and three opted for Melges 14 and D-Zero, while there was one abstention. My understanding is there is no such thing as a US built Laser any more. Most of the 210,000 boats built are still around. Email: sales@melges.com. Sail Plan – Numbers on the Melges 14. To make things interesting in our weekly racing, we (~5 Lasers) start on the (~7) Aero’s preparatory signal (one minute ahead on a three minute sequence) and try to hold them off to the finish. That’s not the important question. 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.