The Melges 15 is a double-handed dinghy featuring an asymmetrical spinnaker. Designed by Reichel/Pugh and built by Melges, the Melges 15 prioritizes stability, comfort, ease of use, and performance.

The Melges 15 is a racing sailing dinghy, with the hull built predominantly of polyester fiberglass. It has a fractional sloop rig with a retractable bowsprit and a Gnav boom vang system. The spars are aluminum.

The Melges 15 mast features a tapered mast tip allowing for maximum depowering when the breeze is up. The stiffer bottom of the mast combined with the softer mast tip allows the M15 to be sailed competitively by a wider range of weights in both light and heavy air.

The Melges 15’s stable hull shape and ergonomic cockpit make it a suitable layout for adult racing and educational sailing. Easy conversion from a club configuration (non-spinnaker) to a one-design setup, provides more versatility to club programs and options for individual owners.

Feb 6, 2024 · The newest of these designs is the Melges 15, which hit the water in 2020, and which is currently being built by Melges in Zenda, Wisconsin for the North American market, and by Nelo, in Vila do Conde, Portugal, for the European market.

LENGTH: Traditionally, LOA (length over all) equaled hull length. Today, many builders use LOA to include rail overhangs, bowsprits, etc. and LOD (length on deck) for hull length. That said, LOA may still mean LOD if the builder is being honest and using accepted industry standards developed by groups like the ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council).

Mar 30, 2021 · Tim Cole describes his first experience on the Melges 15 dinghy and details the boat and what it's like to sail and race.

May 9, 2024 · Like its still-thriving patriarch the Melges 24, the Melges 15 was designed by Reichel/Pugh and won Sailing World’s Boat of the Year shortly after its initial launch. This two-person dinghy incorporates many lessons learned over the past three decades.

Aug 21, 2020 · Bob and Krista Mosby of Asheville, NC were searching for a boat they could sail together and with their son before he left for college. After looking at everything from outdated, one-design dinghies to the larger sportboats, they found a sweet spot with the modern Melges 15. Melges: What is your sailing background? How long have you been sailing?

The Melges 15’s stable hull shape and ergonomic cockpit make it a suitable layout for adult racing and educational sailing. Easy conversion from a club configuration (non-spinnaker) to a one-design setup, provides more versatility to club programs and options for individual owners.