M32. The Official Magazine of the International Melges 32 Class Association

Transcription

1 M32 The Official Magazine of the International Melges 32 Class Association

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3 ph. giovanni de sandre

4 2007 Melges 32 Locations British Virgin Islands Lake Tahoe, CA Santa Barbara, CA Toronto, CAN Milford, CT Ft. Lauderdale, FL Pensacola, FL St. Petersburg, FL Tampa, FL Atlanta, GA Chicago, IL Annapolis, MD Detroit, MI Holland, MI Springfield, MO Charlotte, NC Cleveland, OH Newport, RI Charleston, SC Lake Geneva, WI 7

5 Brian Biggs Photography Departments 2007 M32 Yearbook The Official Magazine of the International Melges 32 Class Association ON THE COVER: Rick Orchard and his Grins crew blast downwind at the 2006 ACURA Miami Race Week. Billy Black Melges 32 Builder s Report...6 By Andy Burdick at Melges Performance Sailboats Melges 32 Fleet Locations...8 Most likely there is a Melges 32 near you! Check out the latest list of Melges 32 locations Melges 32 U.S. National Championship July Sail Newport Newport, Rhode Island 2006 Melges 32 U.S. National Championship Recap...10 The very first National Championship was tremendously successful especially for 2006 National Champion Jeff Ecklund. Get Your Speed On with Harry Melges...12 With these valuable tips from Harry Melges, the Melges 32 is easier to sail than ever before Winter Series Preview (Key West Race Week St. Petersburg NOOD Miami Grand Prix)...14 The Big Three kicks off the racing year with a triple header in sunny Florida for the Winter season Year In Pictures Nothing speaks louder than pictures from the 2006 Melges 32 season. Revisit the excitement and the momentum of a progressive, supersonic sailboat. Destination Australasia...18 The Melges 32 has officially landed down under! Practice Makes Perfect...20 A very special event for a very special class of high performance racers the Winter Training Regatta was a once in a lifetime experience, coaching and discussions from the one and only Buddy Melges paired with amazing venue of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. What more could anyone ask for during the month of December? 2007 Melges 32 Regatta Calendar...22 Credits: Design and Editorial JOY Advertising Photography Steve Arkley, Brian Biggs, Billy Black, John Payne, J H Peterson Request A Copy Contact the Melges 32 Class Association at or contact Melges Performance Sailboats at (262)

6 2007 Builders Report 6 Andy Burdick Melges Performance Sailboats P.O. Box 1 Zenda, Wisconsin USA T: andy@melges.com melges.com Heath Walters Northshore Yachting Services trading as Melges Asia Pacific Unit 2/29 Tathra Street West Gosford NSW Australia 2250 T: F: M: sales@melges.com.au First, this has been proven true assembling a first class, dedicated team of individuals makes all the difference whether in business or, on the water racing your Melges 32. Each person knows their role and works to perfect it, striving toward a common goal. The result is success and that is what we have seen with the Melges 24, and now the up and coming Melges 32. The Melges Team is put together, focused on critical tasks and undoubtedly our aim is true as we enthusiastically continue to work hard promoting the sport of sailboat racing. We have a strong team in place with a fantastic leader Harry Melges. You can call or us anytime. Just ask for Harry, Charlie Harrett, Sam Rogers, Jamie Kimball or myself and get immediate assistance with your sailing needs and inquiries. So, how does this impact the Melges 32 Class? It proves our unwavering support and belief that this platform and concept is very successful. It s fun, simple to sail and brings unmatched value to your purchase. By promising to deliver the best, we ensure the same support and rewards that made the Melges 24 what it is today, will be mirrored in the Melges 32. Early on, it is evident that owners and crews have embraced the Melges percent. The past two years have been very exciting as the promotion of this new sportboat and praise by word of mouth circulates the globe a passion shared by the Melges Team. We thank everyone who has stood behind the Class thus far the owners, sailors, vendors and suppliers, designers and creators you are the ones that have made and will continue to make the Melges 32 a lasting impression in the sailboat racing community. For 2007, there are many incredible venues and events on the schedule, along with more milestones and accomplishments that will follow to be celebrated and enjoyed. Always stay tuned to the Melges 32 s official Class website as the latest news is posted regularly. If you are not already, I encourage everyone to also sign-up to receive the Melges 32 E-Newsletter, released once a month that contains a variety of information from events updates, live on-site reports, interviews, tips and tricks as well as photos and video too is here and the Melges 32 is charging forward. Let s go at it full speed! Andy Burdick Melges Performance Sailboats Zenda, Wisconsin

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8 2007 Melges 32 Locations Fleet growth in the Melges 32 class is inevitable. This amazing sailboat with its large, awe-inspiring sail plan and simple to sail attitude the news is spreading fast. See below as the number of cities across the country and around the world is on the rise. Visit frequently as new destinations are continuously added. 8 Australia British Virgin Islands Lake Tahoe, CA San Francisco, CA Santa Barbara, CA Greenwich, CT Woodbridge, CT Mississauga, Canada Toronto, Canada Milford, CT Ft. Lauderdale, FL Pensacola, FL St. Petersburg, FL Tampa, FL Atlanta, GA Deluth, GA Marietta, GA Chicago, IL Italy Annapolis, MD Easton, MD Detroit, MI Holland, MI Rochester Hills, MI Springfield, MO Charlotte, NC Cleveland, OH Newport, RI Charleston, SC Lexington, SC Switzerland Ft. Worth, TX Trinidad Falmouth, UK London, UK Torquay, UK Stowe, VT Bainbridge, WA Bayfield, WI Lake Geneva, WI

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10 10 Jeff Ecklund USA-32 Jeff Ecklund wins the 2006 Melges 32 National Championship New York Yacht Club, Newport, Rhode Island In July of 2006, the Melges 32 felt the full effects of its very first National Championship. Nine competitors traveled from all over the country and world to participate in the sensational waters of Naragansett Bay. The ultimate backdrop was the legendary New York Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode Island. This historic landmark represents the finest sailing has to offer and served as the scenic stage for off-the-water festivities and awards. On the water, the racing could not possibly be more intense. For four days, National Champion Jeff Ecklund and his crew aboard STAR battled against the likes of Marty Kullman and Mike Carroll on New Wave, Rick Orchard on Grins, Glenn Darden and Reese Hillard on HOSS just to name a few. Ten championship races and a multitude of leaderboard changes later, Ecklund triumphed over Kullman/ Carroll by a very slim two point margin. In third overall was Orchard. Early on he commented, It s nice to see more boats on the line. The racing is really close, this is the way it ought be. If you make mistakes you pay dearly for them. In fourth was one of two international entries Geoff Masters on Melges Asia Pacific from Australia and in fifth was Joe Woods and his Red crew from the UK. Full reports can be viewed online at.

11 Glenn Darden/Reese Hillard USA-138 Rick Orchard USA-123 Marty Kullman/Mike Carroll USA-131 Joe Woods GBR NATIONALS RESULTS 01. Jeff Ecklund USA-32 STAR Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 02. Marty Kullman Mike Carroll USA-131 New Wave Tampa, Florida 03. Rick Orchard USA-123 Grins Duluth, Georgia 04. Geoff Masters AUS-32 Melges Asia Pacific Sydney, Australia 05. Joe Woods GBR-700 Red Torquay, UK 06. Glenn Darden Reese Hillard USA-138 HOSS Ft. Worth, Texas 07. Doug Croker USA-126 Canvasback Easton, Maryland 08. Walter Kennedy USA-140 Savannah Charlotte, North Carolina 09. John Cooper USA-121 Quick Fix Springfield, Missouri Racing photos courtesy of J H Peterson

12 Steve Arkley Photography Get Your SPEED On with Harry Melges The 2006 Melges 32 Nationals will be one to remember most of all the display of speed was simply amazing. Harry Melges shares the following pointers that everyone learned on board 2006 Melges 32 National Champion Jeff Ecklund's STAR. 12 RIG SET-UP Mast Rake is right off the tuning guide at: 42 7 on the headstay length and we never touched this. Typically we set the rig up so that the uppers are at #6 on the Loos gauge with the jack all the way down or off. The Intermediates are snug and the lowers are loose. When sailing to windward in 8 knots, the mast will set up with about _"to 1" of leeward sag. We used this setting in flat water all the time even when the breeze was up over 12 or so. We always felt better when we had the jack pressure lower, especially in flat water. I think this allows the mast to bend more freely and the boat accelerates more quickly. When the waves were up with breeze over 14 or so, we pumped the jack up to 2,000 lbs and this took all the sag out of the mast and the mast was straight side to side. This seemed like a pretty fast set up to about 18 knots or so. Over 18 we were up around 2,500 lbs on the jack. When the waves were up and the breeze was solid over 18 we took up 3 full turns on each lower to help keep the mast stiffer down low and keep some power in the bottom of the mainsail. We would then pull the backstay all the way on to twist the top of the mainsail and pull the traveler to center or above at times to keep the bottom of the main working. This really free'd up the boat and it made it really nice to drive in the big waves. We always lived in one of two holes on the jib lead tracks, one forward hole to power up the bottom of the jib in the L/M stuff and then we would move one hole aft if it was up over 15 all the time or the water was flat. The boat seems to like the lead forward and the jib trimmed tight. Sometimes we had more chop on one tack than the other and we would set up the lead further forward on the choppy tack. We found that the M/H jib is good from about 6 knots up to 22 knots, maybe more in flat water. We also found the #4 to be good above 20 knots, especially in the waves as it allowed you to steer more easily through the waves. 6.5 plus on the knotmeter was our goal in the waves and pretty much all the time unless we wanted to go fast forward in a lift to get across the fleet. We got some extra 57mm carbo blocks to shackle directly on the clew ring of the M/H and the #4 jibs so we could just run the line in and out to change sails, on the L/M jib we didn t use any blocks on the clew at all, we simply ran the line through the clew ring and this

13 worked great. We always use the 2:1 set up. In fact, if you don t use the 2:1 set up you need to be careful in a breeze as you will break the carbo ratchets. If you go 1:1 you need to go straight to the winch. The boats like backstay early on, so we had backstay on as soon as we were sitting on the rail. DOWNWIND In the bigger breeze it was key to get the boat up and rock n quickly and with full control. We sail the boat exactly like the Melges 24. Weight aft and hiking, traveler all the way down, vang almost all the way off, outhaul eased, backstay on almost as hard as the beat, eased off maybe 1' on the double block. Front person works the vang and flies the jib, then the kite trimmer (one person tails and grinds on the windward winch) Everyone else as far aft as possible. You have to be aggressive with main trim, trimming it almost all the way in when you are getting on the wave as you accelerate and your apparent wind goes forward, then easing it again as you slow down and lose the wave. The goal is to never lose the speed, keep the boat pressed all the time and keep her planning. Flat water was the same you just plane all the time. There is a very narrow wind range that you can sail DDW(dead down wind mode) where you ease the tack line up about 18", ease the main out, loose vang, backstay all the way off, and a bit of windward heel. This only works in about 8 to 11 knots, below that or above that and your apparent wind is forward. BOAT HANDLING One of the most important aspects of sailing the Melges 32, or any boat around the race course is boat handling. The biggest challenge is usually spinnaker handling and getting the kite up and down quickly and cleanly. On the Melges 32 we use the belly patches and retrieval line to help pull the kite in through the forward hatch. We learned a few things about this set up, and keeping it clean coming out of the hole on the set requires a clean take down. On a leeward drop it was pretty straight forward, you bear away, start pulling the retrieval line in, get the foot up and inside the stanchions and gather cloth easing the halyard, tack and sheet out as the 2 crew on deck gather the kite above the hatch and one down below. Two on deck is key for quick douses and one goes down the entire leech and the other controls the foot while the person below sucks the sail through the hatch. The Mexican takedown, or gybe takedown was very similar as you gybe into the kite you blow the halyard off and suck the kite through the hatch. The windward takedown is what we needed the most work with as we kept twisting the kite on the takedown and then it would always go up twisted. So, we finally started doing windward takedowns like we do in the Melges 24. Bear away, blow the tack off, pull the clew around to the windward side to turn the kite inside out, once the clew is aft, then one person goes down the leech and the other controls the foot and the sewer sucks it through the hatch. When we took down like this we never 13 had any problems. That s a quick recap of the primary things that I thought made a difference for STAR. There are always little things each team can improve on, you just need to make sure you pinpoint the problems and fix them quickly with a change in the process. We re all still learning the best and easiest way to sail these fun new boats so the key is to minimize errors as much as possible. Fix them so you don t keep making the same mistakes. All photos this page courtesy of J H Peterson

14 2007 MELGES 32 winter series Be sure to attend the following Big Three events. Think speed. Think fun! ACURA Key West Race Week Midwinter Championship Billy Black 2007 ACURA KWRW will deliver the largest fleet of Melges 32s ever! More than twenty boats are expected. Full race reports will be posted online at and melges.com. TOP THREE RESULTS 01. Marty Kullman Mike Carroll...New Wave 02. Jeff Ecklund...STAR 03. Tim Kimpton...Crash Test Dummies Web sites of interest: Sperry Top-Sider St Petersburg NOOD 14 TOP THREE RESULTS 01. Marty Kullman Mike Carroll...New Wave 02. Jeff Ecklund...STAR 03. Doug Kessler...Liberty Sperry Top-Sider St. Petersburg NOOD will be another great event for the Melges 32! This venue brings out the best in bay racing. See for online entry, etc. Web sites of interest: ACURA Miami Race Week A SORC Renaissance Billy Black 2007 Miami Grand Prix will continue as a premiere event for the Melges 32. One of five invited classes, it will reign supreme in the speed category. Last year, the racing was intense this year top-notch big fleet competition to the max! TOP THREE RESULTS 01. John Porter...Full Throttle 02. Rick Orchard...Grins 03. Marty Kullman Mike Carroll...New Wave Web sites of interest:

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16 John Cooper, USA-121 power drives his Melges 32 at the National Championship. Jim Yablsey, USA-127 takes the Melges 32 West Coast! J.80 World Champion Glenn Darden, USA-138 commented after Nationals, The Melges 32 has a lot of horsepower which makes it very fun to sail.

17 2006 Year In Pictures Unprecedented fleet growth, countless regatta victories, first class venues, a flourishing racing schedule of events and more than its share of high profile media attention the Melges 32 celebrated many memorable moments and milestones. See those accomplishments in this exclusive 2006 photo collection. Doug Croker, USA-133 takes on the competition full force with Canvasback at the 2006 Winter Training Regatta. John Payne Hard work paid off for Rick Orchard, USA-126 and his Grins team at Nationals. 17 The starting line was no place for the weak hearted as teams jostled for position at the 2006 National Championship. J H Peterson

18 BILLY BLACK PHOTOGRAPHY 84 Hedly Street Portsmouth, Rhode Island USA Phone Fax

19 DestinationAustralasia The Melges 32 achieved many major milestones in Among them was the addition of an exclusive Australian builder Northshore Yachting Services trading as Melges Asia Pacific. At long last Australia and the entire Asia Pacific Rim can feel the speed, fun and simplicity of the Melges 32. Northshore Yachting Services will be exclusively building out of (West Gosford) Sydney, it s only a matter of time before a full fleet will be in action. 19 The agreement was finalized at the beginning of October. In choosing our Asia Pacific partner, we wanted to work with a company that not only shared our commitment to quality and craftsmanship when building the Melges 32 to the strict one design formula, but also shared our passion for sailing with and developing strong fleets locally and internationally, said Harry Melges, president of Melges Performance Sailboats. Quite clearly we have found such a partner at Northshore. Heath Walters, managing director for Northshore expressed equal Joyride! Melges Asia Pacific debuted at the National Championship in Newport, Rhode Island in 2006 July. With the breeze at a pleasant knots on the third day of the event, the downwind plane put smiles on everyone s faces. enthusiasm for the latest arrival in the high performance Australian sailing community and admired the Melges on several overseas trips as well as explored the opportunity to build Melges in Australia. After visiting Melges Performance Sailboats in Zenda, Wisconsin he competed in the 2006 Melges 32 Nationals in Newport. What appealed to him most was that the Melges 32 is simple enough to take the family out for a spin, then turn around and be able to enjoy pure one design tactical racing. To find out more visit the official website for Melges Asia Pacific at

20 John Payne Practice Makes Perfect Well, that s what everyone says but, when you go up against some of the greatest icons in today s sailing world, a little advice, encouragement and coaching from Buddy Melges can go a long way too. 20 A VERY SPECIAL EVENT The Winter Training Regatta held this past 2006 December offered an exclusive opportunity to eleven Melges 32 owners and their crew. In the warm, wonderful waters of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club, teams raced their hearts out by day and received feedback and video review from Buddy Melges, Andy Burdick and Anthony Kouton by night. Tom Ripley from Annapolis, Maryland on Badfish, had this to say. We knew that this training regatta was going to be an education and it exceeded every expectation. On the first day of sailing, it was a surreal experience to have Buddy in a chase boat literally yelling at us to "Stick it in there." I honestly thought he was going to board us if I did not start performing to his expectations. The next race, on the next day, Ft. Lauderdale the perfect backdrop for Melges 32 racing. The Lauderdale Yacht Club possesses one of the best youth sailing programs in the country. They have produced the likes of Sarah Lihan (2006 top U.S. female junior sailor in the Laser Radial) and Opti-Sailor as well as 2005 Melges 24 World Champion (crewed for Luna Rossa's James Spithill) Mac Agnese. All photos this page courtesy of John Payne we banged out our best performance, and it was the coaching from a sailing legend that made all the difference." TAKE A JUNIOR SAILING DAY On Sunday of the event, select junior sailors from the Lauderdale youth Sailing program got a real treat the chance to sail on a Melges 32. The level of sailing offered by the Melges 32 is a rare opportunity for these aspiring youth talents so, when Sunday of the Winter Training Regatta came around they were chomping at the bit for the ride of a lifetime. Not only did they get to race this fast and fun sailboat but, also got to sail alongside the very best sailors in the world such as Claudio Reechi a three-time Mumm 30 World Champion and Federico Michetti a Melges 24 World Champion, double European Champion and double World Ranking Champion.

21 J H Peterson JOIN THE M32CA Visit and download a form today! J H PETERSON 1170 JANDEL CIRCLE ST. MICHAEL, MN USA (612) PETERSONJH@HOTMAIL.COM PETERSONJH.COM

22 2007 Melges 32 Regatta Schedule 22 Date Event Location Contact January ACURA Key West Race Week Key West, Florida Midwinter Championship Andy February Sperry Top-Sider St. Petersburg NOOD St. Petersburg Yacht Club St. Petersburg, Florida Marty March ACURA Miami Grand Prix Miami Beach Marina Miami, Florida Andy March International Rolex Regatta St. Thomas Yacht Club U.S. Virgin Islands John April Charleston Race Week Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina Charleston, South Carolina Brad Van April Sperry Top-Sider Annapolis NOOD Annapolis Yacht Club East Coast Championship Annapolis, Maryland Andy June...9 Rhumb Line Regatta St. Joseph, Michigan Jeff June Sperry Top-Sider Chicago NOOD Chicago Yacht Club Chicago, Illinois Andy July Melges 32 National Championship Sail Newport Newport, Rhode Island Adam September Rolex Big Boat Series St. Francis Yacht Club San Francisco, California John Stay tuned to the Melges 32 Class Association website as more events will be added to the schedule as the year unfolds. Visit and bookmark. Billy Black

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