Design and Construction
What set the Melges 24 apart from earlier pocket racers was its use of America’s Cup-grade materials in a trailerable hull. The hull and deck are cored with Klegecell foam and wrapped in S-glass and biaxial fiberglass skins pre-impregnated with vinylester resin. The complete assembly is vacuum-bagged to limit voids and tighten glass-to-resin ratios.
Melges bonded the hull and deck with a proprietary two-part adhesive, without mechanical fasteners. The tiller, rudder, keel, and mast are all carbon fiber, combining strength with minimal weight. The builder claimed that the hand-laid molds held one-mil tolerances.
Below the waterline, a daggerboard-style retractable keel carries a foil-shaped lead bulb made by Omohundro. Kevlar straps secure the bulb, while Delrin strips guide the keel in its trunk and prevent movement underway.
The hull is unapologetically radical, with a plumb bow, a narrow 8-foot-2 beam, a flat bottom with hard bilges, and an open transom. Its nearly flat planing surface, firm turn of the bilge, and topside flare give the boat its distinctive profile. Well-radiused cockpit and deck edges allow the crew to hike hard without punishment.
Rig and Handling
The deck-stepped carbon fiber mast, built by Omohundro, has swept-back spreaders and weighs just 62 pounds—roughly a quarter less than an equivalent aluminum mast. It is supported by 1x19 stainless-steel upper and lower shrouds on calibrated Ronstan turnbuckles. The headstay doubles as the jib halyard, feeding a 3/16-inch wire into the luff.
A pneumatic Melges vang, adjusted with a standard bicycle pump, replaces the topping lift. The tapered aluminum boom is built in the Melges shop.
Upwind, the Melges 24 is fast; downwind, it’s really fast. Test sailors on Lake Union reached hull speed while beating in flat water. The deep 5-foot draft and bulb help the boat track, though it remains sensitive to crew weight.
The 13-foot cockpit lets the four-person crew change sides quickly through a tack. The driver, however, must move aft past the mainsheet, a maneuver that can allow the sheet or tiller to get away.
The asymmetric spinnaker flies from a 6-foot retractable carbon bowsprit to starboard. With no conventional pole, the sail must be eased and trimmed quickly during a jibe to avoid wrapping around the headstay.
On early hulls, the mainsail could catch on the backstay during light-air tacks. A mast crane with a “PacMan” fitting corrected the snag while also reducing excess downwind twist.
Accommodations and Stowage
The Melges 24 is a special-purpose racer, and its cabin reflects that. Headroom is limited, and the accommodations are spartan. The manufacturer described the molded interior as sleeping four, but in practical terms it serves mainly as storage.
There is a 6-foot-5 forepeak and quarterberths suitable for a small person, though camping aboard holds little appeal. Space is provided for a portable toilet, along with bins amidships and aft.
Beneath the cockpit sole is an 18-inch-deep locker extending to both sides. A rail-mounted tray slides the 3-hp outboard forward and out of the way. The boat has no internal flotation, although owners can fill the bins if they want more security.
Refits, Trailering, and Ownership
Besides the mast-crane modification for early boats, Melges later developed a fiberglass-framed spinnaker bag with a canvas lid. It sits over the companionway and cured an earlier nuisance.
As a trailerable one-design, the boat remains straightforward to manage. Two people can set it up quickly, it can be launched by hoist or ramp, and it can be towed without drama. A 2-hp outboard is the standard auxiliary.
With 850 built and an active class, parts and class support stay healthy. More than 900 boats now race across five continents.
The Verdict
The Melges 24 is a thrilling, high-tech dinghy disguised as a 24-foot keelboat. At 1,750 lb, with a carbon rig and retractable keel, it rewards experienced sailors with pace that can humble larger PHRF rivals in flat water. Yet it remains approachable enough to rig solo with a friend.
The cabin offers little refuge, and early boats need the backstay-crane modification. As a pure one-design racing boat, however, the Melges 24 has few equals.
Pros
- Carbon rig and retractable keel help keep displacement to 1,750 lb, contributing to explosive performance
- Easy to rig, tow, and launch for a trailerable racer
- Active global class with more than 900 boats and strong builder support
Cons
- Spartan cabin is unsuitable for anything beyond day racing
- Driver must move aft past the mainsheet while tacking
- Early hulls need the backstay-crane modification for light-air tacking
