mc sailboats

MCSA Member Ted Weihe created a MC book for purchase. Ted is contributing all royalties to the class!!  ( $3 of $20 book cost) - Thank you Ted.:   To purchase book, go here:  MC BOOK

Falling in Love with the MC Scow is a primer on racing the MC from a new comer to the class with a lifetime of sailing experience. Much of information is based on Zenda U. on-the-water training by the Melges Team and by MC champions. It is infused with personal recollections by the author. 

© MC Sailing Association, Inc. 2024. All Rights Reserved.

MC Sailing Association

Class contact information.

Click below

Class Email

Class Website

One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 1800+

Join/Renew Your Class Membership – Click here

Photo Credit:Lisaksphotos.com

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About MC Sailing Association

The MC Sailing Association originally formed in Shreveport LA, 1971. Since then, the MC class has grown to be one of the top one-design sailboat racing classes in North America. The scow design maximizes speed yet provides unmatched stability. There are more than 110 active fleets nationwide. An original design by the Melges family in 1956, it is unique in the fact that you can sail single-handed or double-handed. Sailing solo is easy, taking a crew is fun! The MC class is not just about racing — it has also been described by many people outside of the class as a very enjoyable and fun group to spend a weekend with!

Boats Produced: 2800+

Class boat builder(s):

Melges Performance Sailboats P.O. Box 1 N598 Zenda Road Zenda, Wisconsin 53195 USA

Phone +1 262 275 1110 Fax +1 262 275 8012

Email [email protected]

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 2800+

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

The contiguous United States plus Quebec

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? No

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  1-2

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  130-260lbs (singlehanded), 180-340 (with crew)

Portsmouth Yardstick Rating:   89.4

Boat Designed in  1956

Length (feet/inches): 16

Beam: 5’8″

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 420

Draft: ~3 ft (0.91 m) with a bilge board fully extended

Mast Height: 33’7″

Coaching or Clinic Resources

Tuning guides tuning guides tuning guides, class rules (pdf doc).

Back to One-Design Central

Copyright ©2018-2024 United States Sailing Association. All rights reserved. US Sailing is a 501(c)3 organization. Website designed & developed by Design Principles, Inc. -->

MC Scow User Guide, Part 1: Boat Setup and Maintenance

The MC Scow class is growing rapidly. Some of the sailors joining the class don’t have much sailing experience, so we decided to develop an MC Scow user guide to help them learn the basics quickly.

There are also plenty of MC tips on the MC Sailing Association (MCSA) website and the Melges website. Be sure to join the MCSA. This organization provides tremendous value to the class.

SailZing’s MC Scow User Guide

Our MC Scow user guide covers what you need to know to get started in the MC, with plenty of tips to make the process easier and links for more information. We’ll publish it in three parts:

• Boat setup and maintenance
• Basic sailing, safety, and seamanship
• Racing overview

Download part 1 of the user guide (pdf) here . Part 1 describes the MC scow in some detail and provides set-up and maintenance tips.

• Gelcoat care
• Hull structures – – bulkhead, backbone, etc.
• Hull fittings
• Mast fittings and rigging
• Boom and fittings
• Rudder, tiller, and extension
• Bilge boards (also called leeboards)
• Hiking straps
• Sail controls
• Rigging the boat
• Parts and accessories

To whet your interest, here are a few of the many questions answered in Part 1.

• Should I coil my mainsheet?
• What can I do about spider cracks in the gelcoat?
• How can I keep my boom blocks from twisting?
• What spares should I have on hand?
• How do I know if my boards are far enough down?
• What are some important upgrades to consider?
• What is a gudgeon?
• Can I step the mast by myself?

MCSA website Melges Performance Sailboats website SailZing MC Scow category

Related Posts

Sailing Fleets: MC-Scow Board

MC-Scow Overview by Eric Hood

2017 Zenda University MC-Scow Clinic

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In Good Company with the MC Scow

• By Dave Powilson
• Updated: October 19, 2021

When Scott Harestad describes sailing MC Scows, his eyes light up with the expectation of a kid on Christmas morning. You can almost feel the exuberance. “The acceleration in the puffs is just amazing!” he says gesturing outward, his face slightly reddening with excitement and eyes widening like he’s suddenly been transported onto a wild reach on some distant lake. His speech quickens, and he shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “And,” quickly catching a breath, “you’re constantly working the controls—cunningham, vang and mainsheet—to keep it there.” Then he’s suddenly on dry land again and just as quickly asks, “Have you sailed one?”

I have, so he pivots to Jen Edney, our photographer, who is standing nearby.

“How about you? Ever sail an MC?”

And before Edney has a chance to finish saying she hasn’t, he’s at work, trying to set up a time and place to make it happen.

Harestad is no fly-by-night MC Scow proselytizer. He’s earned his stripes through 40 years of participation and is on his fourth boat. From Spring Lake, Michigan, Harestad travels a lot, living by the adage “you go to their regatta and they’ll come to yours.” And as current class president, he’s eager to tick off the latest class success stories to anyone who will listen. Recently, he notes, they have five active sailmakers and a New Jersey fleet that’s blossomed from five boats to 30 in a year and a half. And now, at the class’s 50th Anniversary National Championship held at Clear Lake, Iowa, where there’s 119 boats, is a class record.

Anniversary regattas are nothing new in the one-design ­sailing landscape, but only a few draw such big fleets. When that happens, it’s not just a testament to longevity, but also a ­barometer of the class’s future. The MC has come a long way from its first national championship, held in early October 1971 in Shreveport, Louisiana. That event—won by hull No. 10—drew a dozen sailors, all with wide-eyed optimism about the future of this new Melges-designed scow. Andy Burdick is the president of Melges Performance Sailboats and holder of a Tom Brady-like record of 12 MC national titles. He says: “It wasn’t until the 1980s and ‘90s that production numbers started to get really big—over 100 MCs a year. Lately, it’s averaged around 50 a year.”

Still, that’s a number most classes can only envy.

Part of the MC’s success lies with the Melges traveling road show, where a trailer would be loaded up at the factory in Zenda, Wisconsin, and the driver would be given marching orders not to come back until the trailer was empty. It worked. There are now more than 2,800 MCs, with 662 of them holding class ­memberships—up from 574 in 2020.

As another indicator of the class’s well-being, if you want a new boat, the going wait is three months. And good used boats are rare as hens’ teeth. In fact, at the championship’s Saturday-night annual meeting, Harestad pushed the idea that everyone should buy new boats so the market would get an injection of affordable used boats. The demand is certainly there, and the boats hold their value, so why not? Dan Allen from Clear Lake, who has a new boat on order, sold his boat right after the regatta for just a few hundred dollars less than he bought it for six years ago.

Designed as a scaled-down, simplified version of the C Scow, the MC (the “M” is for Melges) is basic: a three-stayed rig and only five sail controls—mainsheet, traveler, cunningham, outhaul and vang. It’s easy to transport on a small trailer and simple to rig. It’s the least expensive of the Melges scows and, because it’s not sailed flat, is easier to hike on than most dinghies. Consequently, the class continues to draw a lot of master sailors. Witness the 2020 Masters National Championship, which drew 109 boats, also held at Clear Lake.

The class, however, is doing well at attracting racers from the opposite end of the age spectrum. “Some of the kids coming out of the junior program seem to feel that this is an old person’s boat,” says Dan Quiram from Pewaukee Lake, “but then they try a C Scow, which takes a lot of strength, and quickly realize this is a great boat for them.”

More than a half-dozen youth skippers are sprinkled into the 50th anniversary fleet.

Conceived as a singlehander, MC sailors regularly bring a crew aboard, especially when the wind is above 10 knots. In fact, unless you’re well over 200 pounds, you probably need to have a crew to be competitive when the wind’s up. The ideal total weight in a breeze is 210 to 380, which means it works well for a lot of husband-wife and parent-child teams.

The crew option has also been a great promotional tool. “I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve taken people with me on the MC who’ve never sailed before because all they really have to do is switch sides when we tack or jibe,” Burdick says. “They can get involved as much as they like with the sail controls and boards. I’ve seen a lot of people get into the sport just because they’ve gone for that ride.”

One case in point is Annie Samis, a 14-year-old junior sailor from Chicago, whose background includes Optis and Lasers. Never having sailed an MC, she was convinced to put her name on the 2021 Nationals crew list and was paired with Richard Blake, from the Hoover Sailing Club in Ohio. She got a chance to first sail with him in the practice race, but it didn’t take her long to get hooked.

“It’s so much fun!” she gushes with the enthusiasm of a high-school cheerleader. Samis and Blake already have plans to sail in a future Nationals as well as at the Hoover SC. As a bonus, her name was drawn in the raffle at the Saturday-night party that produced five winners of new sails, one from each of the class’s sailmakers—not a bad way to enter the class. The five sailmakers donated the sails, and raffle proceeds went to Clear Lake Youth Sailing.

Although the controls are basic, the MC is a bit like a saxophone—easy to play, but difficult to play really well. Excellence can sometimes take years. Maybe that’s why some of the best in the fleet are those who’ve been at it the longest—those in the masters, grand masters and mega masters groups. Almost 70 percent of the 2021 Nationals fleet were masters.

Quiram started racing MCs when he was 21, and at the time, he says, he thought to himself, “‘I hate those old masters bastards!’ Then I became a master, and I said, ‘I hate those old grand masters bastards!’ And now I’m an old grand master.”

There are also idiosyncrasies unique to scows. Former Finn sailor Andy Casy from Oklahoma says: “It’s challenging because you have a leeboard going out at one angle and the mast at another angle, and you have to get the right dynamics going to make it all work. You can have two boats in the same wind, and one will be 15 degrees higher than the other, just because that boat has ­everything working right.”

Matt Fisher points to the challenge of a blunt bow and big ­mainsail. “It can be a tough boat to sail downwind in a big breeze, as it’s easy to submarine the bow,” he says. “You have to go more by the lee than you’d think and really work to steer around the waves.”

Still, as Dan Wilson from Indianapolis points out, there’s a wide range of abilities at regattas. “No matter where you are,” he says, “you can find a group to race against at your level.”

The MC has one builder, Melges, which has been the case since the beginning, except for a period in the 1980s and ‘90s when Johnson Boatworks began building them, but it went out of business in 1998. Having one builder has added stability to the class, something highly valued in most one-designs.

There have been subtle changes over the years, such as the ­addition of a mast-base pivot plate, which allows one person to raise the mast instead of two. And from around 2010 through 2017, Melges produced a sealed-cockpit version, in part to minimize the amount of water in the boat when capsized. The builder then went back to the open-cockpit layout but removed the aft deck, which, among other things, made it easier to roll and store the sail. “Melges has been good at responding to what we want,” Harestad says, “and that’s been a real plus.”

Admit it or not, there’s more to a regatta than just the racing. Iowa’s Clear Lake YC proved this over a three-day national championship that was never completed, thanks to a rotation of no wind, rain, severe winds and thunderstorms. On this particular weekend, sailboat racing throughout the Midwest encountered similar conditions. Up north, A Scows were skunked on the first day of their US Nationals on Wisconsin’s Pewaukee Lake, eventually getting in four races over the next two days, and Chicago fleets racing on Lake Michigan reported tornadoes. For the purely race-centric, the apocalypse was surely at hand.

But from a broader perspective, the MC Scow 50th Anniversary event demonstrated resiliency to uncooperative weather and the ability to still chalk up a win of sorts, presenting a model for how to do a lot with just a little. While the weather allowed completion of just one race (the class minimum is three for a championship), the emphasis Clear Lake YC had placed on the nonracing side was the regatta equivalent of a winning lotto ticket.

Understand that this is no large yacht club, neither in numbers nor size—the 150 members occupy a small building on the site of a former Jaycee’s bathhouse at the base of Main Street. The building blends in well with the lakefront, evoking a late 19th or early 20th century railroad station, complete with wide roof overhangs around the perimeter. Founded in 1935 by “Cookie” Cook and a few others, it’s on public property, which makes it accessible for junior sailing lessons. There’s one ramp and a single dock with three fingers. Membership is $170 a year. Juniors are free. That the club’s volunteers pulled off the logistics of managing 105 visiting boats plus the home boats is nothing short of remarkable. Certainly, there was a ton of work, but they take it all with a dose of Midwestern modesty.

“We started organizing this right after the masters championship here last September,” says Stu Oltrogge, the event’s co-chair, “so we had the highway basically already built.”

Oltrogge’s wife, Judy, recruited 55 volunteers to handle the onshore activities—meals, registration, etc.—while another 25 took care of launching, haul-out and spectator boats. That’s a ­considerable volunteer corps given the size of the membership.

Clear Lake is just over 5 miles long, and the racing area at the south end of the lake is 2 miles in diameter, with an average water depth of 12 feet. It’s unique in that the water level is 100 feet higher than the surrounding area, which, in normal times, should increase the chances of good winds. Apart from sailing, Clear Lake is most known for the Surf Ballroom, where, in 1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper last performed before their plane crashed a few miles outside of town. While those musicians put Clear Lake on the map, it’s a vibrant, iconic Midwestern town with lots of activities every week, ranging from concerts at the lakeside band shell, to boat tours on a stern-wheeler, to farmers markets on Main Street.

There was also an intentional effort by Clear Lake YC to keep this event “small town.” “We decided we wanted to put groups of folks all around the lake,” says Mark Tesar, Oltrogge’s co-chair counterpart, “having them stay with host families or at an Airbnb.” Such a move was in part a muted response to lingering pandemic concerns, but also just a large dose of Iowan hospitality. The result was a handful of encampments of sorts. For instance, 13 Michigan sailors stayed at the unique “Pyramid House” along the lake’s north shore, a crew that included three national champions.

And then there was “the Compound,” where I was lucky enough to land a spot. I’m not sure whether it was a group of three houses based around three docks full of scows or whether it was three docks full of scows based around three houses. Either way, Mark Tesar, his brother Todd, and Mr. and Mrs. Oltrogge opened up their homes to MC sailors and made it available as a base for other boats. With plenty of food, beverages and shade on the porches, it would be tough to find a nicer place to hang out when the wind doesn’t materialize. With 17 MC Scows in front of their houses, there were more one-designs than you might see in front of a lot of YCs.

With visiting as well as local boats in the water and on vacant hoists along their docks, one could be sailing in less than 10 minutes and efficiently to the race area. Even better, with the racing area so close at hand, box lunches were available each morning at Clear Lake YC for people to take to their lodgings, and the plan was to sail a couple of races in the morning, come in for lunch, then sail an afternoon race. It was all very civilized.

Each private home, like most along any inland lake, has the requisite lakeside deck ringed with chairs and chaise-style lounges, with coolers readily at hand, and those became the hangouts during nonracing times, which meant they got a lot of use at this year’s event.

No doubt, the MC 50th Nationals will go down in class history as the regatta that wasn’t. Yet it was an opportunity for those who hadn’t seen each other since pre-pandemic days to reconnect—a reunion of sorts. So, it certainly was a regatta for the sailors looking to visit after a year of COVID-19 social denial. For Todd Tesar, it all felt normal. “We usually travel to a lot of the lakes around here and see the same guys all the time,” he says. “We stay at their homes; they stay at ours; we go to their weddings.”

Cam McNeil, who decisively won the event’s one and only race, says, “Despite the lack of races, it was still great to see old friends and meet new people.”

And that really is what this particular national championship is all about—gathering with friends, in honor of a beloved boat that loves you back.

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MC Scow Parts

West Coast Sailing is your source for MC Scow sailboat parts, rigging and accessories. The MC-Scow was conceived by Harry C. Melges, Sr., in 1950 and was based on the M-16 hull. In 1965, Harry and son, Buddy Melges, designed today's fiberglass MC- Scow. The MC is sailed single-handed most of the time, but a crew member can be added depending upon the skipper's weight and strength of the wind. Skippers range in age from youths to sailors in their 70s. MC Scow sailboat parts, rigging, and accessories with rigging guides, technical information, extensive selection, and fast shipping to help you get back out on the water.

• Qty in Cart

Harken 22 mm Traveler Car w/ Fixed Sheaves

Harken Thru-Deck 25 mm Wire Block

Harken Stand Up Ball/Socket Base (Hi-Load)

Harken Micro Cam Cleat H471

Harken 40 mm Single Block w/ Becket H2637

Ronstan 40 mm Single Block with Becket

Ronstan 55 mm Orbit Ratchet Block w/ Swivel

Harken 57 mm Carbo Block H2600

Harken 29 mm Double Block H342

Harken 57 mm Carbo Block w/ Becket H2601

Harken 57 mm Carbo Ratchamatic Block H2625

Harken 75 mm Ratchet Block H2670

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Rigging diagram.

Use the diagram below to reference Harken part numbers to appropriate application on your MC Scow sailboat. Parts recommendations are offered as a guide for common applications.

Ratchamatic Mainsheet

Use a Ratchamatic® as the second block (furthest aft on the boom) in your 4:1 Carbo mainsheet system. It provides holding power in heavy air, but becomes free-rolling when the wind is light. Ratchet engagement adjusts to suit muscle power.

Cam-Locks: Locking headposts let you fix blocks parallel to the boom to prevent the mainsheet from twisting.

Cascading Vang System

This powerful double-ended 16:1 system features high-strength, lightweight Carbo blocks to give you fingertip sail control from both sides of the boat.

Diagram provided by Harken. West Coast Sailing is an approved seller of Harken sailboat hardware.

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General Parts & Hardware - We offer a huge selection of  General Parts  including hardware, blocks, cleats, shackles, accessories and more here .

Line - Great options for halyards, sheets, control lines, and rigging in a wide range of diameters and materials available on our Line page .

Apparel & Accessories - We also offer large range of Apparel and Accessories from all of your favorite sailing brands.

Product Suggestions - If you're looking for a specific part for your MC Scow that you cannot find, let us know. We are actively working to expand our one design parts offering and welcome your input for parts you think we should be stocking to make it easier for you to get back out on the water. Submit you idea via our Product Suggestion Form   (opens in new tab).

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Beam:  32'2''    Draft:  5'5''     Beam:  30'2''    Draft:  12'3''     Beam:  27'    Draft:  12'3''     Beam:  12.5'    Draft:  7'     Beam:  15'    Draft:  8'     Beam:  11'    Draft:  4'     Beam:  12'    Draft:  6'     Beam:  20'    Draft:  2'     Beam:  11.5'    Draft:  5.5'     Beam:  10'    Draft:  4'9'     Beam:  10'    Draft:  5'     Beam:  10.5'    Draft:  3.9'     Beam:  9.5'    Draft:  3.9'     Beam:  10.5'    Draft:  5'     Beam:  10'    Draft:  4'     Beam:  10'7'    Draft:  3'7'     Beam:  9'8'    Draft:  4'4'     Beam:  8'    Draft:  1'     Draft:  1'     Beam:  7'10'    Draft:  9'     Beam:  10'    Draft:  2.56'     Beam:  8'    Draft:  2'     Beam:  7' 10'    Draft:  5''     Beam:  12'    Draft:  5'     Beam:  7.75'    Draft:  5.75'     Beam:  8'    Draft:  5.5'     Beam:  7'8"'    Draft:  2'     Beam:  9.42'    Draft:  3.17'     Beam:  6'    Draft:  2'     Beam:  8 12'    Draft:  2-3'     Beam:  6''    Draft:  2''     Beam:  6.25'    Draft:  3.67'     Beam:  8'    Draft:  4.5'     Beam:  7.42'    Draft:  2.83'     Beam:  8'    Draft:  5'     Beam:  8.42'    Draft:  5.5'     Beam:  7'    Draft:  5'6''     Draft:  1-3'     Beam:  6.5''    Draft:  5.5''     Beam:  6.6'    Draft:  5.6'     Beam:  5.5''    Draft:  2'     Beam:  6.67'    Draft:  4.25'     Beam:  6'6'    Draft:  4.5'     Beam:  5' 11'     Beam:  5'    Draft:  18'     Beam:  5.20'     Beam:  4.75'    Draft:  4'     Beam:  4'    Draft:  4'     Beam:  411'    Draft:  211'     Beam:  3'     Beam:  3.5'    Draft:  3' © 2001-2024 ./)   . . ./)   . . Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts. Sailboat Guide M-16 Scow is a 16 ′ 0 ″ / 4.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Johnson/Melges Boat Works and built by Tanzer Industries Ltd., Windward Boatworks, and Melges Performance Sailboats starting in 1950. Rig and Sails Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations. The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more. Classic hull speed formula: Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL Sail Area / Displacement Ratio A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more. SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3 SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay). D : Displacement in pounds. Ballast / Displacement Ratio A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize. Ballast / Displacement * 100 Displacement / Length Ratio A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more. D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³ D: Displacement of the boat in pounds. LWL: Waterline length in feet Comfort Ratio This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more. Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 ) D: Displacement of the boat in pounds LOA: Length overall in feet Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet Capsize Screening Formula This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more. CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64) Since 1999, all new M-16’s have been built using the MC SCOW hull and deck molds and now shares other rigging, such as a single rudder, with the MC SCOW. The main sheet traveller has been done away with and the mast no longer rotates. Sail Area Main: 108 sq.ft. Jib: 39 sq.ft. Embed this page on your own website by copying and pasting this code. Discover Related Sailboats About Sailboat Guide ©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Melges A Scow Melges E Scow Melges C Scow Melges MC Scow Melges X Boat O’pen Skiff Skeeta & Nikki Melges RIB 625C Melges Power 26 About Melges Melges Watersports Center Quantum Sails Zenda Find a Dealer SAILING WORLD'S BOAT OF THE YEAR Designed by Reichel/Pugh and built by Melges, the Melges 15 prioritizes stability, comfort, ease of use, and performance. “The Melges 15 creates a clear pathway for junior sailors to get started and stay excited about sailing while also being comfortable and accessible enough for adults to learn, race, or cross-train,” said Harry Melges III. 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. With the main design goals focused on stability and performance in a variety of conditions, the boat features a narrow overall beam and a flat cross-section shape for stability, righting moment, and ease of planing. For a more forgiving feel upwind and to navigate larger sea states, the Melges 15 has just the right amount of fore and aft rocker. Melges conducted extensive research and product testing to produce this layout factoring in cockpit depth, backbone height, and floor plan. The result is a comfortable environment for both the skipper and crew. The deeper cockpit takes the load off the sailor’s knees helping them feel locked into the boat while the high boom and gnav vang system work together to make the boat easier to maneuver. The asymmetric spinnaker offers an additional performance element while the single-pull launch and retrieval system makes handling the sail easy and fast. The Melges 15 is built to be sailed by everyone from friends and couples to families and kids. The design offers performance, comfort, and stability in one sleek package. PRODUCT OVERVIEW 15 ft 4.572 m 5 ft 6 in 1.675 m 2 ft 7 in 0.8 m 230 lbs 104 kgs 93.6 sq ft 8.7 m 39.8 sq ft 3.7 m 156 sq ft 14.5 m 2 Asymmetrical Spinnaker Learn more on QuantumSails.com . Ergonomic Cockpit – The Melges 15 features an ergonomic platform and a broader weight range for competitive racing. Melges conducted extensive research and product testing to produce this layout factoring in cockpit depth, backbone height, and floor plan. The result is a comfortable environment for both the skipper and crew. The deeper cockpit takes the load off the sailor’s knees and helps them feel more locked into the boat. Creating a boat that adults can feel comfortable while sailing was a key design factor in the hull and cockpit design of the Melges 15. Performance & Stability – With the main design goals focused on stability and performance in a variety of conditions, the Melges 15 features a narrow overall beam and a flat cross-section shape for stability, righting moment, and ease of planing. For a more forgiving feel upwind and to navigate larger sea states, the Melges 15 has just the right amount of fore and aft rocker. Single-Pull Spinnaker System – The asymmetric spinnaker offers an additional performance element while the single-pull launch and retrieval system makes handling the sail easy and fast. One line pulls the halyard up, bowsprit out, and tack line out. To take the kite down, simply release the pull-up line and pull the douser line to take the kite back down again. The kite douses into a bag located in the front of the cockpit. Cockpit Layout –  Every aspect of the deck hardware has been designed for simplicity and ease of use. With blocks and cleats situated in easy-to-grab locations making it easier on the skipper and crew to maneuver the boat. Gnav Vang – The Gnav vang system gives the crew substantially more space to maneuver in the cockpit. Tapered Aluminum Mast – 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. Aluminum Foils – Aluminum foils maximize performance and durability in one package. Consistent foil shape helps ensure fair racing across the class while being extremely durable. Flip-up Rudder –  Never has been getting your rudder up been so easy. No need to get wet, no lines to pull, just pop the tiller up and pull it forward, this action pulls the rudder into its flipped up position. Club Sailing or Racing –  Transitioning from a non-spinnaker to a spinnaker platform is quick and easy. Set the bowsprit and spin back in the boat and you are ready to go. This is a great feature for clubs who want to teach during the day and race at night. Closed Transom –  Comfort and safety were at the forefront of this design. Closing the transom of the Melges 15 has eliminated the need for a false floor, allowing for a deeper more comfortable cockpit. Any water that enters the easily drains out of the scupper holes in the transom and the bailors in the cockpit. Melges 15 Class Website Melges 15 Speed Guide Melges 15 YouTube Channel Rigging Videos How to Rig the Melges 15 How to Rig the Spinnaker on a Melges 15 Downwind How-To Videos How to Set the Spinnaker How to Gybe How to Douse the Spinnaker Introducing the Melges RIB 625C February 22, 2024 Melges Establishes New Partnership with Melges UK February 19, 2024 Annapolis Sail Works Joins the Melges Dealer Network October 17, 2023 Built to Last: The Melges 15’s Unwavering Focus on Durability for Institutional Use October 12, 2023 READY TO LEARN MORE? WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU Privacy Preference Center Privacy preferences. 195 IMAGES 2000 MacGregor 26X Sail Boat For Sale Melges MC Scow sailboat for sale Tartan Yacht Sailboats For Sale McConaghy Boats MC31 Launch 2001 Performance Crusing Gemini 105 Mc sailboat for sale in Washington 1978 MC 39 Sloop sailboat for sale in Outside United States VIDEO 1960s 1970s Bahamas, Sailing Yachts, 35mm Walking tour of the Christmas Holiday Lights display at Naples Canal in Long Beach California [4K] Soarin’ Around the World IMAX Flight Simulator ride at Epcot, Walt Disney World A comprehensive guide to painting boats and reflections in watercolor (Part 1- Drawing) Fredrikstad, Norway [UNAVAILABLE] Used 1977 Irwin MK III 37 Center Cockpit Ketch in Saint Petersburg, Florida COMMENTS Home The MC Sailing Association originally formed in Shreveport LA, 1971. Since then, the MC class has grown to be one of the top one-design sailboat racing classes in North America. The scow design maximizes speed yet provides unmatched stability. There are more than 113 active fleets nationwide. An original design by the Melges family in 1956, it ... Melges MC Scow THE MELGES MC SCOW. The Melges MC is one of the largest, most popular one-design fleets in North America. The scow design maximizes speed yet provides unmatched stability. There are more than 100 active fleets nationwide. An original design by the Melges family in 1956, it is unique in the fact that you can sail single-handed or double-handed. MC Scow The MC Scow is a recreational sailboat, with the reverse sheer scow hull built predominantly of fiberglass, with mahogany wood trim. It has a catboat rig with anodized aluminum spars, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and dual retractable bilgeboards.It displaces 420 lb (191 kg). [1] [2]The boat has a draft of 3 ft (0.91 m) with a bilgeboard extended and can be transported on a trailer. MC SCOW A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls. Melges Mc An original design by the Melges family, the Melges MC is cat-rigged boat with one of the largest one-design fleets in all of North America. It is unique in the fact that you can sail single-handed or double-handed - Sailing solo is easy, taking a crew is fun! There are more than 100 fleets nationwide with more than 2,700 MCs actively racing ... MC-Scow Sailing Speed Guide Plus Drills MC-Scow Sailing Speed Guide Plus Drills. In the MC class, your biggest opportunity to pass boats occurs while beating to windward. It separates the top 10 percent of the fleet from the rest. If you want to be a better MC-Scow sailor, boat speed is the first place to start. In this series of articles, MC-Scow sailor and SailZing contributor ... MC Scow MC Scow is a 16′ 0″ / 4.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Melges/Johnson and built by Johnson Boat Works and Melges Performance Sailboats starting in 1965. Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. About the MC Scow To purchase book, go here: MC BOOK. Falling in Love with the MC Scow is a primer on racing the MC from a new comer to the class with a lifetime of sailing experience. Much of information is based on Zenda U. on-the-water training by the Melges Team and by MC champions. It is infused with personal recollections by the author. MC Sailing Association The MC Sailing Association originally formed in Shreveport LA, 1971. Since then, the MC class has grown to be one of the top one-design sailboat racing classes in North America. The scow design maximizes speed yet provides unmatched stability. There are more than 110 active fleets nationwide. An original design by the Melges family in 1956, it ... MC Scow LOA: 16 ft. Beam: 5 ft. 8 in. Sail Area: 135 sq. ft. Weight: 420 lbs. As one of the largest fleets in North America, the Melges MC Scow® is a true Melges original. Designed, engineered and built ... Sailboats An original design by the Melges family, the Melges MC is cat-rigged boat with one of the largest one-design fleets in all of North America. It is unique in the fact that you can sail single-handed or double-handed - Sailing solo is easy, taking a crew is fun! There are more than 100 fleets nationwide with more than 2,700 MCs actively racing ... MC Scow User Guide, Part 1: Boat Setup and Maintenance We'll publish it in three parts: Boat setup and maintenance. Basic sailing, safety, and seamanship. Racing overview. Download part 1 of the user guide (pdf) here. Part 1 describes the MC scow in some detail and provides set-up and maintenance tips. Hull. Gelcoat care. Hull structures - - bulkhead, backbone, etc. In Good Company with the MC Scow Updated: October 19, 2021. MC devotees gathered in corn country to celebrate a half-century of the iconic scow. No wind be darned, they still found a way to have a good time. Jen Edney. When Scott ... M Scow The M Scow is a recreational sailboat, built predominantly of fiberglass, with wood trim.It has a fractional sloop rig with tapered or untapered aluminum or wooden spars. The hull is a reverse sheer scow design, with dual internally-mounted rudders controlled by a tiller and a dual retractable bilgeboards.It displaces 440 lb (200 kg). [1] [2]The boat has a draft of 2.67 ft (0.81 m) with a ... Macgregor 26 Home Page Factory website for the MacGregor 26', $19,990 trailerable sailboat, 24 mph, the WORLD'S best selling cruising sailboat. HOT NEWS from Roger MacGregor: AFTER BUILDING 40,000 MACGREGOR SAILBOATS, ITS RETIREMENT TIME. (Sort of). It has dawned on the MacGregors that we are suddenly way beyond retirement age, beyond geezerhood, and it's time to ... MC Scow Parts, Rigging and Accessories West Coast Sailing is your source for MC Scow sailboat parts, rigging and accessories. The MC-Scow was conceived by Harry C. Melges, Sr., in 1950 and was based on the M-16 hull. In 1965, Harry and son, Buddy Melges, designed today's fiberglass MC- Scow. The MC is sailed single-handed most of the time, but a crew member can be added depending ... Melges C Scow THE MELGES C SCOW®. The Melges C Scow was the first class of scow built by Harry Melges, Sr. in 1945. It quickly became known for cerebral, tactical skills being central to success on the water. Inspired by more than 100 years of competitive racing, this cat-rigged, maneuverable sailboat is great fun and a total pleasure to sail. MC sailboats for sale by owner. MC used sailboats for sale by owner. Home. Register & Post. View All Sailboats. Search. Avoid Fraud. ... Featured Sailboats (all): 13' Laser dinghy Wilmington, Delaware Asking $4,000. 46' Morgan 45 Davis Islands Yacht Club, Florida Asking $22,500. 28' Morgan Out Island 28 Palmetto, Florida M-16 Scow M-16 Scow is a 16′ 0″ / 4.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Johnson/Melges Boat Works and built by Tanzer Industries Ltd., Windward Boatworks, and Melges Performance Sailboats starting in 1950. ... Since 1999, all new M-16's have been built using the MC SCOW hull and deck molds and now shares other rigging, such as a single rudder, with ... Melges Performance Sailboats Melges Performance Sailboats. Melges has proudly delivered high quality boats around the world since 1945. Each Melges boat is built with pride and backed by an experienced, knowledgeable team. New from Melges. No matter your purpose — fishing, recreational watersports, cruising or spectating with friends and family, the Melges Power 26 is ... Melges Mc Scow boats for sale 2025 Beneteau First 14. Request a Price. Palm Beach, FL 33408 | Nautical Ventures. Contact Seller. <. 1. >. Find 16 Melges Mc Scow boats for sale near you, including boat prices, photos, and more. Locate Melges boat dealers and find your boat at Boat Trader! Used Boats The Super Scow 16 was based on the MC scow and is a fast boat for pleasure sailing on a lake. Introduced in early 1995 as a combination of the MC 16 hull and prototype M17 deck arrangement. All new fully-battened main, roller-furling jib, bow launching pole to tack its like new asymmetrical spinnaker. It weighs approximately 360 lbs. Hull/deck ... Melges 15 156 sq ft. 14.5 m 2. CREW. 2. The Melges 15 features an ergonomic platform and a broader weight range for competitive racing. Melges conducted extensive research and product testing to produce this layout factoring in cockpit depth, backbone height, and floor plan. The result is a comfortable environment for both the skipper and crew. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht