Christmas presents were opened early at Howth Yacht Club when the much-anticipated container of 12 new Melges 15 dinghies arrived on Tuesday, just days ahead of Howth Yacht Club's biennial Wave Regatta at the north Dublin port.

This new fleet of 12 boats complements the sole HYC boat, making a fleet of 13 boats - instantly the biggest Melges 15 in Ireland - ready to race this summer.

13 Melges 15 dinghies will be racing at Howth Yacht Club this Thursday

As the boats are unloaded, the rigging begins, with racing on Thursday night being targeted as the first race night for the new fleet.

With the National championships set for Howth in August, the first fleet of boats based in Dun Laoghaire boats will have their work cut out to challenge the Howth fleet on home waters.

Howth Yacht Club in Ireland is set to receive a full container of 12 Melges 15s next week, as the class continues to grow rapidly.

This arrival will double the Irish fleet to 24 boats, with a strong fleet of 13 boats ready to sail in Howth’s Thursday dinghy racing, where a diverse range of owners ranging from the Oppie ‘Dad’ to the ‘Cruiser Racer’ will take ownership.

Many owners are reportedly returning to dinghy ownership after a long hiatus, while family is also a common theme with parents, partners, and siblings all set to sail and race on Howth waters this summer.

The Demo weekend off Ireland's Eye that led to the Melges 15 order of 12 boats for Howth Photo: Tom Ryan 

Irish promoter john sheehy says Tthe Melges 15 fleet is the fastest-growing dinghy fleet around the world, and with the arrival of these 12 boats, class numbers will top 800 internationally.

Boat numbers 796 to 807 will make their new home in the waters off Ireland’s eye, with one boat (805) owned by Howth Yacht Club itself, providing members more chances to get afloat. Club fleets have been popping up in the US over the last year, with Houston Yacht Club perhaps showing Howth Yacht Club the way forward with their own club-owned fleet of boats.

New Melges 15s are loaded in the factory. Next stop Howth Yacht Club!

The Irish national championships are set for Howth on August 24th and 25th, and with expected international entries, the event should be a competitive fair, pushing the fleet past 24 boats.

Home advantage proved the difference as local sailors Paulo Mansel and Tiago Leal took the first Melges 15 Winter series title in Cascais at the weekend. The reigning J70 European champion, Paulo set a fast pace that the Irish Armada of eight boats could not quite match.

Racing to the windward in the first Melges15 European Winter Series event in Cascais, Portugal Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

Six races were completed over the 3 days in a 10-18 knot wind range with 25 knots and 4m swells making Saturday a lay day. John and Katie Sheehy led the Irish charge with a pillar to post victory in Race 1, and looked to repeat the same in in Race 2 only to be caught on the line in a photo finish by eventual event winner Paulo Mansel. Howth sailors Mike and Michelle Evans featured prominently in the early stages of Fridays races only to lose places downwind. With top speeds on the day of 16-17 knots and the boats sailing at big angles, it was easy to go from hero to zero.

John and Katie Sheehy led the Irish charge at the first Melges15 European Winter Series event in Cascais, Portugal Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

With conditions on Saturday coming in as big as forecast, sailing was postponed for the day which allowed the Armada time to regroup and fit in some sight seeing and the occasional Pastel de nata in Lisbon.

Sunday racing started on time in another 15-knot oscillating breeze with the big swell from the day before, requiring a few different gears to keep the boats at full pace. Royal St George Sailors Theo and Clodagh Lyttle excelled in the first race with an incredible display of downwind surfing in the swell to finish second, giving the leader; Mansel a scare as he hung on to take another win.

 Royal St. George Yacht Club's Theo and Clodagh Lyttle competing in the first Melges15 European Winter Series event in Cascais, Portugal Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

The second race saw another dog fight between Mansel and Sheehy, with Mansel maintaining a 15s lead for the duration of the race to close out the event. An early tack to the shoreline on the first beat the vital move, giving him an advantage he would not relinquish. This race too saw the ever-improving Farrellys finish a close 5th as the Dad, Son, Daughter panel rotated to great effect.

Melges 15 pair Cormac and Fiachra Farrelly of Howth Yacht Club charge downwind in Cascais Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

Aoibhinn Farrelly trimming the kite in the Melges 15 dinghy in Cascais Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

Royal Irish's Tom Flannery and Lily Dwyer in the big seas at the Melges15 European Winter Series Event in Cascais Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

The final race saw Stephen and Holly Quinn win the Committee boat start tack and hit the right corner to open up a big early lead, which was undone at the top mark with the final oscillation. Still though a fourth-place finish was consolation. John and Katie took the last race win holding off another local team of Madeira and Pinto who threatened as the wind dropped.

Mike and Michelle Evans of Howth go upwind in Cascais Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

Mike and Sarah Evans of Howth at the Melge 15 open event in Cascais Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

Sail Cascais are looking forward to the second Winter series event on April 12-14th, when boats will be available to charter. Closer to home, the Melges 15 demo boat made the journey south last week and was being put through her paces off Charles Fort in Kinsale at the weekend.

Swiss Irish Melges 15 pair Emmet Ryan and Kevin Brazel of Yachting Club Cern in Cascais Photo: Neuza Aires Pereira

Portugal's Paulo Manso and Luis Pinheiro are currently leading the first stage of the Melges 15 Cascais Winter Series. The sailors from Madeira Island had a consistent day, scoring a second and two firsts. 

John Sheehy and his niece, Katie, from the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Ireland, trail the leaders by three points in the 14-boat fleet. They won the first race by establishing an early lead, then scored second and fourth in the following races. 

Locals Joana Madeira and Diogo Pinto are currently in third place, with a 4th, 5th, and 3rd place finish on the day.

The second day of the Melges 15 Cascais Winter Series lown was blown out on Saturday's second day with big seas and wind forecast

It was a beautiful day in Cascais, with a solid breeze of 14 to 17 knots. The Race Committee chose to race inside the bay where the NW wind is shiftier and gusty, providing the fleet plenty to work on. 

14 teams from Ireland, Switzerland, and Portugal are competing in Cascais with half the fleet Irish-based.

Tom Flannery of the RIYC sailing with Lily Dwyer of the RStGYC are tenth.

Cormac Farrelly crewing for his son Fiachra from HYC are eighth.

Cascais Winter Series

As part of the ongoing promotional pricing to launch the Melges 15 dinghy class in Ireland, new customers who order a boat by the end of March will receive a free full deck cover and launching trolley writes Irish agent John Sheehy.

Orders by the end of March will enable new teams to have their boats well in advance of the Summer season.

There are multiple options for delivery, but a neat way to collect your new boat might be via a quick holiday road trip to Portugal, where boats would be ready for collection in time for the second Winter Series event in Cascais on April 12-14. New owners would get the chance to get up to speed with their new boat in the warm Portuguese waters under the careful eye of the experienced team at Sail Cascais and Melges15 expert Eddie Cox. As there are 8 Irish crews competing in the first event in 2 weeks time there will be plenty of advice to share for sailors competing in the April event.

The Melge15 boats in action in Cascais, Portugal 

With the second container of 12 boats due to land in Howth next month, the boat being launched in the UK next weekend and further deliveries to Ireland this year, it is hoped that the National championships on August 24th 25th should see 30 boats on the start line.

"Orders by the end of March will enable new teams to have their boats well in advance of the Summer season"

The Melges 15 offers the possibility for many crew combinations due to its stability and large easily handled sail area. So far in Ireland, many of the fleet are family members sailing together, and the class also has all-female and teenage crews making it a truly versatile boat for the future. A quick, easy to learn boat, the Melges 15 is perfect for parents who want to race with their children, and offers the ideal design for students, first-time sailors, and anyone else seeking an affordable, approachable and fun boat.

So far in Ireland, many of the fleet are family members sailing together, and the class also has all-female and teenage crews making it a truly versatile boat for the future

Meanwhile, as the class grows worldwide, a new trend has developed of clubs beginning to buy fleets of club boats as they look to retain and grow membership. Another HYC, Houston Yacht Club is the latest such club with nine boats delivered in January. The stability, performance and versatility of the M15 has proven a real hit across all ages of club membership.

For full pricing and further information contact John Sheehy of Melges Ireland, [email protected]

As the Irish Melges 15 dinghy fleet grows and evolves, Dublin Bay's newest class will debut in Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) 2024 summer season racing starting this April.

The fledgeling two-man class are looking forward to racing on Tuesday nights and Saturday afternoons as part of the DBSC card.

It's another shot in the arm for the country's biggest racing club which has already signalled a busy season and new committee vessel for its 140th season.

"With at least 12 boats, the class will have its own DBSC start"

With boats sailing out of Royal Irish Yacht Club, National Yacht Club and the initial base Royal St George Yacht Club next season, the coordination and structure that DBSC can provide will be especially welcome, according to Melges Ireland promoter John Sheehy.

With at least 12 boats to enter, the class will have its own start.

Melges 15 dinghies racing off Dun Laoghaire Harbour

Details for the Irish Summer calendar are being finalised but the imminent fleet in Howth will no doubt be looking to make the most of home advantage as they will host the Irish Nationals Championships on August 24th 25th.

With the Melges15 being launched in the UK later this month at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports show, it is expected that some overseas visitors may also participate, according to Sheehy.

In what is quickly turning into an unofficial Irish ‘South Coast’ championships, eight Irish teams have signed up for the first Melges 15 Winter Series event in Cascais, March 1st-3rd.

The Irish lineup includes new Irish sailors to the Melges15 as well as sailors from the existing fleet. Teams from the USA, Sweden, Portugal and Australia have also signed up to the event so far. 

Spaces are still available for the second Winter Series event in April 12th-14th for Irish sailors looking to avail of the double discount as part of the ‘Try before you buy in Cascais’ promotion as detailed previously on Afloat. With the boat being launched in the UK next month, it’s expected that some UK sailors will be part of the action in April.

Close downwind racing in the Melges 15

There’s no doubt that the unending sequence of Winter Gales has helped motivate the Irish crews to warm weather Winter sailing in Club Navel de Cascais, a venue that has previously hosted ISAF worlds, Americas Cup events and more recently, the TP52 World championships.

With a fleet of 12 boats, SailCascais ran their very first Melges 15 event a few weeks back; ‘ The Portuguese Champion of Champions

SailCascais will run the series. With a fleet of 12 boats, they ran their very first Melges 15 event a few weeks back; ‘ The Portuguese Champion of Champions’. This competition saw classes represented from the Optimist to Racing Yachts, as well as some World (ORC & 420) and European Champions (Dragon & J70). After seven races, the Star Class representative Afonso Domingos took the win holding off Portuguese SB20 champion Henrique Brites.

The first three Howth Melges 15s are ready for fittings in the factory

Closer to home, Howth Yacht Club is preparing for the arrival of 12 boats this March.

A view of the factory floor at world-leading composite builder Nelo in Porto, Portugal

A factory visit by Melges Ireland earlier in the month confirmed everything was in order as one by one the boats move through the production line. The boats are manufactured in Europe by Nelo, world leaders in composite boat construction.

The Melges15 demo boat is due to head South in February and should be spotted in Kinsale waters where some new faces will sail the boat for the first time.

To celebrate the launch of the European Winter Series in Cascais, Portugal, Melges Ireland is offering a double discount on the purchase of new boats for Irish sailors chartering at the series.

With a promotional charter fee of €475, new Melges 15 sailors can expect double this amount as a combined discount off a new boat. The charter includes a Melges 15 for five days, two days coaching and the three-day event. With the never-ending winter gales of late, there may never be a better time to book some warm-weather sailing in the world’s fastest-growing dinghy class.

Racing

There will be two Winter series events to aim for, March 1st – 3rd and April 12-14th. The events will be run in a relaxed manner by the highly experienced Sail Cascais team. The racing will take place from Friday to Sunday with optional coaching available on Wednesday and Thursday. Current Irish M15 sailors will attend which should be reassuring to those looking to try the boat for the first time. Sailors from the USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Portugal are also expected.

The Melges 15 is a pathway boat for junior sailors and an adult racing platform with a deep cockpit, high stability, and ease of handling

Coaching

Vasco Serpa, the current J70 European champion, and Eddie Cox from Melges will be leading the coaching and looking to pass on both general racing tips as well as Melges15-specific tricks. Between them, they have won numerous championships in A-symmetric boats. Sailors can dip in and out of this coaching as they wish.

Cascais 

The events will be run out of Club Navel de Cascais, a venue that has previously hosted ISAF worlds, Americas Cup events and more recently, the TP52 World championships.

A venue well known to many Irish sailors, Cascais offers easy access to warm weather winter sailing.  A 25€ Uber from Lisbon Airport gets sailors to Cascais in 25 minutes. With Lisbon Airport being served by Ryanair and Aer Lingus, there are multiple flight options to get there.  At the time of writing, return flights to Dublin can be booked for less than €100.

There is no shortage of accommodation options from 5-star hotels to AirBnBs within a short walk to the club. With great golf courses, mountain biking, surfing, historic monuments and of course amazing food, sailors, family and friends can expect great fun and memories on and off the water Melges 15.

The Melges 15 is a pathway boat for junior sailors and an adult racing platform with a deep cockpit, high stability, and ease of handling. Crews of all ages, sizes and abilities can sail this double-hander. A gamechanger for dinghy sailing that allows families, friends & partners to sail fast & and have fun in a stable, high-performance boat. Awarded World Boat of the Year in 2022, it’s now the fastest-growing class in the world, with 700 boats worldwide.

Irish Fleet

Ireland has been leading the charge launching the Melges15 into Europe. With 12 boats in the country, 12 due to land in Howth next March, there is still time to place orders for new boats with a potential third container pencilled in to land early May next year in time for the Summer sailing season.

Maybe it’s time to Go to Cascais and see what all the fuss is about!

Contact

Reach out to [email protected] to learn more about the offer, how you can book your spot as well as for information on how to demo the boat in Irish waters.

Since the Melges 15 first arrived in Ireland, exponents say they know it's fast. First out of the traps were Theo Lyttle and 14-year-old nephew Seb Lyttle, who had an impressive 16.7 knots recorded on Strava.

Lyttle’s reign was short-lived as less than ten days later, Ronan and Jack Murphy hit 17 knots.

At this stage the class decided that a trophy should be awarded for the top speed of the year. Hence, the Top Gun Trophy was born. Strict rules, like recording equipment and a safety RIB, were introduced.

Shortly afterwards, the Murphys were back with a top speed of 18.5. Meanwhile, John Sheehy was biding his time, checking Wind Guru, waiting for the perfect conditions. So in late season, Katie and John Sheehy went out and snatched victory with a speed of 18.7 knots (35kph)

Is 20 knots possible?

After a successful demo weekend at the end of October, a full container of twelve Melges 15s will be heading to Howth Yacht Club for Spring 2024 to supplement the existing boat there.

Family is a predominant theme amongst the orders, with cross-generational sailing being a common theme amongst the purchasers.

The demo weekend on October 28/29 saw hourly demo sails from 10 AM to 3 PM each day in Medium to Fresh conditions. While none of the participants had sailed the Melges15 before, they were quick to get to grips with the boat and put her through her paces. Different combinations sailed, Husband and wife, father and daughter, mother son, daughter and friend and even a three-up combination. While rarely raced three up, crews of three are allowed as per class rules, and it was interesting to see this configuration thrive, says Melges 15 Ireland promoter John Sheehy.

Trying out a three-up combination in the Melges 15 dinghy off Howth

Conditions on Saturday, especially the sea state around Ireland’s Eye kept everyone on their toes. Bragging rights for top speed of the day went to skipper Michelle Evans, tagging 15 knots blasting towards Lambay Island with husband Mike trimming the kite. The youngest skipper on the day was Optimist sailor Sarah McLoughlin, showing her dad Mark the way as they zipped around.

A Melges 15 during the demo sessions off Ireland's Eye, Howth Photo: Tom Ryan

Sunday brought new testers and firmer winds. Most sailing took place in the lee of Howth, where, initially, flatter water allowed the sailors to push the boat and themselves to their limits. A particular mention for the sailor celebrating his 70th birthday that weekend who chose 25knots true wind and large choppy waves off Ireland’s eye as the place to celebrate. After a long, fun weekend of sailing, the usual debriefs, and discussions in the bar, Howth sailors are looking forward to this new fleet arriving early next year with plans for weekly sailing and events underway. With a 13-boat fleet, Howth takes over from Dun Laoghaire as the leading fleet in Ireland.

Demo weekends will continue through the Winter in different clubs across the country as the class looks to build on its launch momentum, according to Sheehy.