Ive referred plenty of people to the Aero fleet here. Well still enjoy great racing and still have those awesome international events to attend. This feature levels the playing field. The RS Aero is a 131 (4m) single handed dinghy designed by RS Sailing (United Kingdom) and Jo Richards (United Kingdom). I have only sailed the Laser and Aero, so I cant speak to the Melges or Devoti. I think you will find the Australian built Lasers are in a different league compared to the UK built Lasers. Thank you for your insight, optimism and excellent narrative! It can keep more sailors out racing in broader conditions. Light weight and easy to rig and de-rig: being a mere 52kg (115 lb), the Melges 14 is easy for two people to lift on and off any car top, making for easy transport. With new Melges IC37s underpinning the club sailing market at the other end of the scale the companys singlehanded Melges 14 is doing pretty well in the dinghy world too. Full-length battens preserve the sail for much longer than conventional battens, and being adjustable they can be tuned for any wind condition. About the Melges 14. Simple controls and deck layout: easy but effective and reachable by a free hand on both tacks, even while hiked. WhenDave Reed of Sailing World points out that a potential advertiser is screwing up so badly, then its common knowledge. And the simplicity of the spars, sail and control lines allows the boat to be rigged for sailing in just 15 minutes and de-rigged quickly as well. She is built since 2014 by RS Sailing (United Kingdom). Feature. Helpful Links. Both the new boats are surely better than the Laser. Its not assatisfying as, say, 12 boats of the same kind. When the pressure of super-competitors has moved to other classes, some have even thrived more. The RS Aero is as well listed, on Boat-Specs.com, in 7 and 5 version (see all the versions compared). Built by Melges and designed by Reichel Pugh, the Melges 14 exudes innovation and excellence in one design sailing. One final attribute to the Melges 14 is its strong one-design heritage with sensible and adaptive class rules. Designed by Reichel/Pugh, the Melges 14 is a modern singlehanded one-design with the ability to sail with two.With its large and open transom, theres never a need to bail. Laser vs ILCA. Ever since the RS Aero first appeared, everyone seems focused on the question Which is the better boat, the Aero or the Laser? As the Melges 14 gains steam, the question will be which is best of the three. Big and fast yet easy to de-power MELGES 14 BLUE. The Red Rig is for smaller sailors who want to get out and enjoy the performance of the Melges 14. If theyre not better, RS and Melges have really screwed up. The carbon mast weighs only 4.25kg and the carbon boom weighs 2.0 kg rigged, making the rig and sail easy to handle when rigging and de-rigging. The beamier design with a long waterline also helps reduce the inherent size advantages that taller sailors will have on narrower boats, making sailors across a broad range of sizes competitive in the Melges 14. In my experience, we love to help newbies get to know the Lasers quirks quickly and dont mind it too much when were surpassed. 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Creating a lighter, safer and more importantly, longer-lasting set of spars would make the boat so much better. Americas Cup: Italians no pushover says Ineos Team UK rules advisor Cornwell, Introducing The Yacht Racing Podcast Extra, Shirley Robertson Sailing Podcast: Ineos Team UK tactician Giles Scott, Spithill snaps up American Magic sailors for United States SailGP Team, Americas Cup insight from Nathan Outteridge Part 2, Vendee Globe: Fifth placed Boris Herrmann scoops IMOCA Globe Series win, Vendee Globe: Conrad Colman on how the race was finally won, The Yacht Racing Podcast: Week 12 Vendee Globe with Conrad Colman, Bestaven beats the clock to claim Vendee Globe victory, Vendee Globe: Line honours for Dalin; Herrmann slowed by collision; Bestaven eyes victory, SailGP: Future Fibres appointed as official rigging supplier, SailGP: Burling & Tuke unveil New Zealand SailGP Team lineup. Box 1 Zenda, Wisconsin 53195 USA. 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. Its a planing machine and has a beautiful carbon rig. March 15th, 2019 . The four boats on trial - photo World Sailing. Email: [email protected]. While the RS Aero received a 5 for equipment standardization, the Laser received a 3 - same as the Melges 14 and the d-Zero. View All Sailboats. The World Sailing report was particularly critical of the Laser when it comes to quality evaluation. Bowers Wins Melges 14 Nationals. Having spent many years racing the laser I now find the VX Evo to be comfortable, fun and fast. Its rigging is far superior to a Lasers. The 5 version displays the smallest rig and sail area available on this boat. For the Melges 14 this starts with high-quality moulds created with CNC milling tools to exact specifications and the fabrication of strong, stable tooling of the sort you would see at production shops that build much larger boats. 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. Of course the mighty Sunfish has survived nicely over the years. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. US ONE-DESIGN provides free Euro-style number As ground zero for the RS Aero movement in North America, the new boat has lured away most SLF stalwarts. The more I think about it, the more I realize that its not time for the Laser or my dear SLF to die, but to adapt. Ideal for 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. Avoid Fraud. Join millions of people using Oodle to find unique used boats for sale, fishing boat listings, jetski classifieds, motor boats, power boats, and sailboats. Email: [email protected]. NELO, for example, has produced 30,000 boats in the past 40 years, and is the worlds largest manufacturer of Olympic rowing skulls, with 175 employees. Londra, UK- Mentre si avvicina il Mid Year Meeting di World Sailing a Londra (17-19 maggio) si fa incandescente la battaglia tra la classe Laser e la RS Aero per la selezione del singolo olimpico per Parigi 2024. Don't miss what's happening in your neighborhood. All have had decades of experience in producing high-quality one-design racing sailboats and other craft for the recreation and performance marine market. Full-Range. 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. 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. Sail Plan Numbers on the Melges 14. When designing the next global singlehander for Melges, Reichel/Pugh took a fresh look at the basics, just as Bruce Kirby did with the Laser nearly 50 years ago. Strict one-design standards and the Melges World League The first ever Melges 14 World League Overall Champion, Female Champion, and North American Division Champion will be crowned at the Leagues final event in the USA at Lake Lanier, Georgia next autumn. Unlike most production one-designs built with inexpensive cloth, polyester resins and gelcoat materials to meet cost targets, the Melges 14 follows the long tradition of boatbuilding quality inherent to all boats built at Melges: spend more on high-quality materials and take more time to use proper fabrication techniques to do it right. Phone: +1 262 275 1110 Fax: +1 262 275 8012. With a 5.46 m2 sail, the ideal weight range is 34kg57kg. Eight championship- level regattas are planned for 2019: four in North America and four in Europe. Best of all, the RS Aero appears to be drawing sailors who, for one reason or another, arent interested in sailing a Laser. So, yes, its painful to watch the dwindling fleets. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. Im more interested in beating my friends (you Scott and you Joe and you Carlos), who, like me, cant keep up with the pros. 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. MELGES 14 GOLD. Lasers have started many thousands of sailors down a path that ends up with them buying a lot of different boats. Excellent traction underfoot: the large cockpit has better traction than moulded non-skid due to the use of SeaDek flooring, a grippy and durable coating suitable for any footwear or none at all. Thats not the important question. 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. Mid-Range. Contact Us. LaserPerformance continues to do its best to kill the class. Email: [email protected]. The Aero is certainly a very good boat. 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. I think the class needs some use to settle down. Im also currently the District 22 secretary. The ILCA dinghy is one of the most popular one design classes in the world with over 200,000 boats worldwide . Bob Perry reviews the Melges 14 for Sailing Magazine. The most fundamental difference being the RS Aero's ultra-light weight. 14.6' american sail 146 Granbury, Texas Asking $7,000. Box 1 Zenda, Wisconsin 53195 USA. N598 Zenda Road, P.O. Careers Latest News Melges Dealers Shop Melges Parts & Accessories Shop Melges Apparel Shop Used Boats Post was not sent - check your email addresses! PRECALCULATED D-PN HANDICAPS CENTERBOARD CLASSES Cape Dory 14 Centerboard CD-14 (125.40) [124.2] Caprice Nearly everyone reading this will have sailed or raced a singlehanded dinghy, either as a youth, more recently as an adult, or both. It also makes beach launching and capsize recovery easier because there are no barriers and the cockpit floor is at water level so its easy to climb aboard. Thanks Bruce, Bruce and Hans. The European Division will crown its Champion in September at the Euro Cup on Lake Garda. High school sailor, Brady Carlson, test drives the new Melges 14 Photos by Molly Burns. At all. Buoy Line - Floating, 10 foot $ 20.00 price_excluding_tax; SAILZING Products. Search. To make things interesting in our weekly racing, we (~5 Lasers) start on the (~7) Aeros preparatory signal (one minute ahead on a three minute sequence) and try to hold them off to the finish. Phone: +1 262 275 1110 Fax: +1 262 275 8012 84' Price Reduction Don Brookes Pilot House Cruising Ketch Bahamas, Florida Asking $375,000. And through attrition and lack of promotion recently, the fleet has dwindled. Lake Geneva, WI (June 9, 2019) Erik Bowers stole the show at the 2019 Melges 14 U.S. National Championship. Melges preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Oh yeah, and its way lighter, which makes a managing on shore a lot easier. Will it be attractive enough to lure the interest of newcomers, but also die-hard veterans of other classes? The Melges 14 World League will feature eight championship-level regattas in its 2019 season: four in North America and four in Europe. The 9 version features the largest rig and sail area available. How to Properly Tack a Melges 14. I am sure the Aero does this as well. And the extension of the wide sidedecks fore and aft allows not only for variable body positioning according to wind conditions for the singlehanders, but also encourages two-kid doublehanded fun sailing. The end result is a boat that is lighter, stiffer and lasts longer and hence has a greater resale value than boats built otherwise. Great collection of thoughts Kurt. Hello Steffen, Melges used sailboats for sale by owner. Register & Post. Melges 14 Sailing World 2016 Boat of the Year Best Dinghy. Both the new boats are surely better than the Laser. There have been some teething problems, but not many and RS is very responsive. Editorial: Americas Cup & SailGP Future friends or foes? Many problems with shedding tillers and rudders, poor construction of outhaul, securing rolled-up sail. She is built since 2014 by RS Sailing (United Kingdom). For Smaller Sailors. If the Laser is no longer the boat, maybe it will be easier to get that done. I guess I am not willing to sacrifice my knees and comfort now that I have tried a better single handed boat for me. Just as Bruce Kirby did 50 years ago, the Melges 14s design team Reichel/Pugh took a fresh look at the basics. The target weight for a Melges 14 hull laminate before trimming out of the mould is only 21kg. Home. New Products. Which they have not. This is essential to ensure consistency and quality throughout production runs. 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? Main picture: with racing fleets now established on five continents, a global ranking system in place and the prospect of becoming an Olympic class, the future looks extremely bright for the brand new baby of the Melges range. Build partners Just as its done for decades. At 62 and 205lbs the laser was great for me when it blew hard but a bit more of a struggle in the light stuff against lighter sailors. Melges used sailboats for sale by owner. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The RS Aero is a 131 (4m) single handed dinghy designed by RS Sailing (United Kingdom) and Jo Richards (United Kingdom). Others are so ubiquitous and accessible that they just keep going. Good point. SailZing viewed the new boat and talked with Andy Burdick at the ILYA MC Invitational on Lake Beulah. Phone: +1 262 275 1110 Fax: +1 262 275 8012 There are a lot of us of all ages who just like sailing the boat, and were going to be around for a long time to come. Thats Not the Question, Future of Singlehanded Dinghy Racing Scuttlebutt Sailing News | SFO, Crappy builder support, including parts availability, Poor construction currently (including spars), Stupidly silly high cost for new models of such an ancient boat, Difficult to sail well with the result of widely spread fleets, Limited competitive life of the equipment (hulls get soft and spars break), Questions in play about future of brand due to the Kirby lawsuit, Great competition, especially internationally, Theyre ubiquitous (arguably the best regatta in the world is Laser Masters Worlds), Theyre near indestructible for casual sailing/racing, Cheap for used boats, good for kids coming up, The full, Radial and 4.7 rigs make the Laser a very flexible and effective platform for wide variety of sailors. One of my Laser sailing friends, whos been near the top of the Laser fleet nationally for several years, asked rhetorically, If its not an Olympic boat, why would you sail a Laser? Hes about done with the boat, and after the thousands of hours hes put into it, I cant blame him. IMHO, now that there is finally a new sail, the mast is the area of greatest need. Most of the 210,000 boats built are still around. Ever since the RS Aero first appeared, everyone seems focused on the question Which is the better boat, the Aero or the Laser? As the Melges 14 gains steam, the question will be which is best of the three. Amazingly, the dinghy weighs just 30kg - the same as an Optimist! With a 5.46 m2 sail, the ideal weight range is 34kg57kg. Many times my extremities have required hours to get back proper circulation and my muscles days to relieve soreness. Great article on this issue. Wow I just got back from Shileshole and I counted 12 Aeros on the i-14 docks, one more in the dry storage lot and one was on the roof of a truck heading out of the marina. Basically, I see the Laser returning to its humble, non-ultra-competitive roots. I hope that as some wealthier and more serious singlehanders move to the Melges or Aeros, and the Laser starts to get supplanted as the boat, profits will go down and LaserPerformance will sell the product line into more committed hands. No, the real question is, whats the future of the Laser class? Melges Performance Sailboats is now offering a new cockpit style for the 2018 MC Scow. The Star, Opti, 505, Thistle, Snipe, Daysailer, and Shields are some that come to mind. Everybody talks about Olympic status as a great thing. Thanks. With the Aeros 9 rigs, sailing in light air, they ended up first and second and appeared to enjoy themselves enormously. Footage by Daniel Smith, World SailingLearn more at Melges14.com Admittedly, Im an SLF evangelist. A carbon top section (or entire set of spars) has been discussed ad infinitum. Modern materials Its nice seeing new boat actually growing in numbers in our area. Selective and detailed carbon fibre reinforcements ensure rigidity and stiffness where needed, laminated with carefully weighed and measured amounts of epoxy resin. The mainsheet traveller bridle being placed forward in the cockpit means it is less prone to wrap around the back of the boat, yet it can still handle the mainsheet loads to provide proper control of mast bend. Not to mention you do not bring up body size. Similar to the excitement caused with the introduction of the Melges 24 two decades ago a design that completely redefined the highperformance small keelboat marketplace and remains popular around the world the Melges 14 may quite possibly do the same for all the same reasons. Both companies are clearly committed to making a great product. Maybe its even time for the Laser and SLF to die. What has been learned from production at this volume contributes to the quality and success of the Melges 14. How could boat performance be improved while remaining practical and versatile for a wide range of users, from juniors to adults? Key to me is the comfort piece where I am not hobbling after a big breeze day. There are active fleets worldwide and an extremely well-established class association. In my view the Laser has another strenght. Yes, the top competitors here brought in Aussie boats, and then UK boats, US boats often came with problems. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. Find 14 foot Sailboats for Sale on Oodle Classifieds. I pined for the boat when it was new and I was too small. While sometimes we take breaks from sailing, a lot of us tend to come back to Lasers. The Seattle Laser Fleet (SLF) is giving all appearances of dying. Im guessing that with a shift in builder and Olympic status, Laser sailing could become more energized. 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. The exciting Melges 14 is the newest boat available from Shoreline Sailboats and produced by Melges Performance Sailboats in Zenda, Wisconsin. The Red Rig is for smaller sailors who want to get out and enjoy the performance of the Melges 14. Box 1 Zenda, Wisconsin 53195 USA. I will say that if you have not tried a single hander with a kite, the Evo adds a lot of tactical dimensions to the run! But sailors have voted with their booties and have either quit sailing or made the move to the younger, sexier Aero. way back in June 2014. The laser is a fantastic boat with great people to race with. Ive only sailed one for about 30 seconds, but Ive watched them sail past me and better sailors than I think theyre great. 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. Pingback:Future of Singlehanded Dinghy Racing Scuttlebutt Sailing News | SFO. I dont know much about the Melges, but I know the family and theyll make a great boat and provide superlative support to fleet building. It takes a new and fresh approach to use of modern design tools, high-quality durable materials, fastidious fabrication standards and strict one-design class rules and management to create a brand new experience in the joy of singlehanded sailing. June 9th, 2019 . It is so important to get the legs tucked underneath to stable the body. Its still a great sailing boat. This approach is taken with both hull and deck, which are bonded together at the wide shear flange with a permanent rigid adhesive that keeps that joint strong and inflexible through years and years of hard use. But certainly most of us have spent some quality time on the Lasers back deck! Built by Melges and designed by Reichel Pugh, the Melges 14 exudes innovation and excellence in one design sailing. The Blue Rig is the mid-range sail. Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. And Ive gotten a bit grumpy about it. The carbon mast and boom complement its flexible sail plan with three rigs: Gold, Blue and Red. Please support them! In other words, dont kill the Laser, it can still do the sport (and those builders) a lot of good by introducing folks to dinghy sailing. Any other readers have an original observation? The seating position downwind is much better than the modern designs. Plenty of power makes this setup fast and athletic, yet incredibly simple to depower. I was sailing Lasers long before it was an Olympic class and it was just as fun and popular, if not more. The overall world champion will be crowned at the final regatta of the Melges World League, on Lake Lanier, Georgia, in the autumn. Melges 14 Melges Sailors can and will evolve. Since then Ive sailed a succession of Lasers, dragged them all over the Midwest and Northwest to regattas I would never win. 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. Thats not the important question. 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. At 7.4 m2, its ideal for 57kg75kg sailors, with plenty of power for racing sailors in this size range. Melges preowned sailboats for sale by owner. 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. The open transom combined with plumb bow shape also gives this design a decidedly sleek and modern look when under way. dealer George Yioulos (West Coast Sailing) a forum for promoting the boat in the post Laser Killer? Its OK to embrace a more modern singlehander, one that delivers the same simplicity and performance and then some. N598 Zenda Road, P.O. Innovative design The mast is in two pieces with a common base section and different top sections of varied stiffness appropriate for different sail sizes that are tailored to be suitable for different crew weights. Carbon spars: greater strength and resilience from carbon fibre means the loads from the laminate spar are not lost in sail shape distortion. Were here to help you understand recent changes with the racing class and the supply chain of new boats, parts, and sails. Many of my strongest friendships can trace their source to Laser sailing. For the Aero, I see that there are a bunch of user-created rig re-design details, extra-cost Harken replacement parts. Thats in one truncated season of use. The company, behind so many successful designs like the RS200 (see RS200: an asymmetric doublehander for lightweights), RS400 and RS800 to name but a few, suggests we think of the RS Aero as "a 21 st century Laser". Theyre 40 years newer and have the advantage of current materials and construction techniques. So I guess I agree that more single handed choices are better for all of us. After. The sailor can sit firmly on the flat deck and not crawling around on their knees as in the Melges 14. 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. N598 Zenda Road, P.O. The Laser has always had its problems. Use the contact form below or our Contact page to get in touch with Darren at Shoreline Sailboats to get more information or to order your Melges 14. It is now a great feeling to be in a boat that is more accommodating to various sailor sizes with 3 size sails that all work for me. 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. In this the RS Aero scored 80%, the Laser 69%, the Melges 14 54% and the D-Zero 52%. The future of high-end, simple singlehanded sailing is probably in good hands with either the Aero or the Melges. 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. Thats Not the Question by Kurt Hoehne, Seattle, USA A good article with some well balanced home truths, considering the RS Aero and the Laser's co-existence. Then the laminate starts with detailed specifications and use of sophisticated materials, such as biaxial and uni-directional E-glass as well as 0-90 cloth, 12mm closed cell PVC cores. And you know what? But otherwise, their presence doesnt really mean much to my sailing. And hopefully the class will lose its Olympic status. For me personally, its painful. The Gold Rig is the full-range sail with an area of 9.1 m2, ideal for sailors in the 75kg upwards range. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Basically, at the national and local levels we can reach out to high school sailors and others who cant spend a lot of money on the new RS or Melges, but who would get just as much fun out of sailing a Laser. It is an experience to sail with those Olympic guys, maybe even round the first weather mark alongside them (if I go the right way and they go the wrong way). The RS Aero is as well listed, on Boat-Specs.com, in 9 and 7 version (see all the versions compared).
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