Melges 24- IRC Giant killer

by Media Services on 8 Nov 2006 The Reichel-Pugh designed Melges 24 starts production at North Shore Yachts in Australia in 2007.

Northshore Yachts and Melges Asia Pacific CEO Heath Walters has a big grin on his face, as the Melges 24 beats some of the most up to date IRC contenders in St Helena s Cup , Queensland last weekend.

He tells the story of a busy week

‘After hijacking ten blokes at the RPAYC to help lift the boat out of the container, she went straight on the back of the Subaru WRX towed by Trent Justice (Wichard) and Benny Cawardine (All Yacht Spars) for the 1000km mainline trip for the Regatta the following weekend.

‘The boys rigged her up and drooled and tinkered then wrapped the new baby up in the full Melges covers for the week prior to the regatta.

‘Much hmmming and ahhhhhing and wondering went on by other competitors and passes by leading up to the racing. Then it was time to un-wrap the baby and see what she could do.

'I flew up Saturday morning, the boys had her all ready to fire, these boats are like a race horse at the starting line once there off there is no holding back, the faster they go the better the feel and the more comfortable they are in the water.'

The Melges 24 took first place on IRC with second the 50ft 'Heaven Can Wait' and third, Wedgetail, a hot Hobart contender from a total 96 boats

Melges Asia Pacific is happily riding the Melges wave and you can expect to see Melges racing in Australian, Asia and News Zealand over the next year.

These little 7.3 metre boats are fast, very fast with the 7.8 metre sportsboat Vivace, consider by many to be the fast sports boat around, battling to keep up with them, in some informal trials.

Heath Walter invites sailors to call and line up a test line for a Thurs or Wed afternoon races.

www.melges.com.au is in final stages of construction, keep checking re info and costing

http://www.northshoreyachts.com.au/

Heath Walters

Tel: +61 2 9997 6633
Fax: +61 2 9997 6633
Mobile:0417 200 804

P.O. Box 604
Mona Vale, NSW 1660
Australia

ABOUT THE MELGES 24

The Melges 24 is the ultimate, the maximum in high performance, one design racing. Manufactured by Melges Performance Sailboats (melges.com) in Zenda, Wi., USA and Devoti Sailing (devotisailing.com) in Europe and soon by North Shore Yachts in Australia, it is also designed by world-renown Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design, Inc. (reichel-pugh.com) in San Diego, California.

The Melges 24 measures 24 feet in length, sports a 670 sq. foot asymmetrical spinnaker and possesses high-tech, cutting-edge America's Cup inspired features such as a carbon fiber spar, rudder, bowsprit and vertical keel fin. It entices some of the world's greatest and most well-known sailors to compete against one another including multiple Olympic Medallists, Sailing World Champions, Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup sailors and helmsmen.

To date, over 650 boats are sailed competitively around the world. Half of the entire fleet exists in the United States while the remaining national classes are spread out over 18 European and Asian countries proving that it demands an international audience.

The Melges 24 is supported globally by the International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA). The Association is made up of Melges 24 owners from all over the world and claims ownership to one of the most admired and visited class web sites in the sailing industry — www.melges24.com.