Please select your home edition
Edition
Ovington 2021 - ILCA 2 - LEADERBOARD

Straight from the Melges 24 World Champions

by Reichel/Pugh on 4 Apr 2017
Day 5 – 2016 Melges 24 World Championship Pierrick Contin http://www.pierrickcontin.fr/
Reichel/Pugh caught up with Olympian Dave Hughes to discuss sailing the Melges 24 which was designed by Reichel/Pugh in 1992 and remains one of the premier sportboat classes. Dave was tactician on the newly crowned 2016 Melges 24 World Champion team of Embarr.

Simply put, the Melges 24 is still the best sport-boat ever built. It was ahead of its time when introduced in the early 1990’s and it’s still the gold-standard today. Challengers come and go, but we all tend to circle back to the Melges 24. It’s fast, lively, feels great to drive, can handle the full range from calm and flat to big breeze and waves — all the things you look for in a class. I’m encouraged by a recent wave of enthusiasm for the boat. Amateurs and pros are drawn to the qualities of boat, let alone the talent of the fleet. The last couple of Worlds Championships have chalked up big turn-outs and I hope to see that trend continue.

Boat set-up is what you make of it. The Melges 24 is fairly simple to rig and the fleet is always anxious to help new comers. Sure, you can go down the road of tweaking every item like the top teams, but rather standard equipment will do just fine — in fact, more than fine. Moreover, since the boat has so much history, the collective knowledge is open with all aspects of tunings, measurements, and the little “tricks” that every one-design has.

As for the team, the best are those who love sailing together. That is the honest reality. The boat can be hard and grueling at times, but also uniquely rewarding. You really must enjoy the partnership you have with the others on the boat. The real decision for new teams is the question of sailing with four or five people. I’ve always sailed five and enjoy the extra challenge, but there are World Champion four-person teams, as well. In the end, it pays to be at or near the class weigh-limit, but when learning, don’t worry about this so much. Often, your average sailors fit well within one category or the other.



The biggest revolution of late is to sail the boat harder and dinghy-like. Our own Olympic experience has definitely informed our Melges sailing. We’ve all heard people talk about “sailing it like a dinghy,” but this style is a seriously good fit for the Melges 24. For example, this allows for the downwinds to open up in a tactical sense. More modes equal more decision options — bow-up planing, lazy planing, ride waving, soaking. The Melges is spry and allows for all aspects of dynamic sailing.

The highlight of sailing the boat is that feeling when your team is truly in sync and clicking!

Lloyd Stevenson - AC INEOS 1456x180px BOTTOMDoyle_SailWorld_728X90px_SY BOTTOMMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOM

Related Articles

RS Aero World Championships – What a Week!
A full-power week of racing at ENVSN in Quiberon, France The 2025 RS Aero World & Youth World Championships delivered a full-power week of racing at ENVSN in Quiberon, France — and it didn't disappoint.
Posted today at 7:30 am
The Ocean Race Europe partners Virtual Regatta
The thrill of online racing is back this summer Get ready to race in the ultimate online sailing challenge as The Ocean Race Europe teams up with Virtual Regatta for an action-packed summer.
Posted today at 6:46 am
PredictWind launches PredictRain
New app From PredictWind delivers hyper-accurate, short-term rain predictions PredictRain is a groundbreaking standalone app that combines advanced AI modelling with intuitive tools to provide timely and precise rain forecasts for all types of outdoor activities.
Posted today at 4:51 am
49er & 49erFX Junior Worlds champions crowned
One final race before the storm kicked in at Øresund The final day of the 2025 Junior World Championship delivered high drama and even higher waves. As wind and rain swept across the Øresund, Race Committees managed to run one final race before safety concerns forced an early end to the competition.
Posted today at 4:43 am
Admiral's Cup: Emotional, Rare, Unforgettable
The 2025 Admirals' Cup set the stage for a bold new era in offshore racing Once the pinnacle of international offshore sailing, the return of the Admiral's Cup was a resounding success, setting the stage for a bold new era in offshire racing.
Posted on 4 Aug
29er World Championship at Porto Day 2
The breeze never quite showed up but the action didn't stop Day two of the Porto World Championships began with hope—and strategy. With light winds in the forecast, the race committee scheduled an early start in anticipation of a short sea breeze window.
Posted on 4 Aug
Cape 31 Early Bird Claims ORC Europeans Silver
An epic performance at the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE in Palma After an intense week of high-level racing at the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE – ORC European Championship 2025, the Cape 31 Early Bird secured an outstanding 2nd place overall, just a few points shy of the title in a fiercely competitive 32-boat fleet.
Posted on 4 Aug
Cowes Week 2025 Day 3
Weekend warriors and inspiring figures With the decision to abandon racing for the day taken on Sunday evening, many crews took the opportunity to rest and gear themselves up for the rest of the week.
Posted on 4 Aug
RS Aero World & Youth Worlds overall
The fine Brittany weather and afternoon sea breezes have provided excellent racing The stage was set for a dramatic final day showdown in Quiberon Bay, France, to decide the titles for the 7th RS Aero Worlds and 4th Youth Worlds.
Posted on 4 Aug
Noble Marine Solo class Nationals day 1
The forecast is slightly foreboding Saturday was moving day for the Solo fleet, 43 competitors arriving to a sun-drenched North Berwick from three of the four corners of the UK. The forecast is slightly foreboding.
Posted on 4 Aug