Melges 15 and Beneteau 14
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13960
Printed Date: 26 Jun 25 at 7:21pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Melges 15 and Beneteau 14
Posted By: turnturtle
Subject: Melges 15 and Beneteau 14
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 11:03am
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Anyone got any feedback on these two new classes? They look like interesting double-handers to some incumbent alternatives, esp the Beneteau which has the option to move the DB into a forward slot to convert it into a Singlehander with a Kite.
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Replies:
Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 11:10am
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The Beneteau First 14 seems to come in two flavours: - standard with Dacron sails - SE edition with a more performance orientated programme Both look interesting...  |
Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 11:11am
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The normal version also seems to have alloy spars too... so a definite race vs crusing option.
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Posted By: gbr940
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 12:20pm
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Was lucky to get to sail a Melges 15 on a recent trip to the USA (at Hampton YC), fantastic bit of kit but the price tag I don't think will look great in GBP or EUR. Didn't feel particularly quick upwind but from 60-70deg through to full on downwind it was rapid! Not sure it'll do on PY but a great alternative if you're after something different ------------- RS400 GBR1321 |
Posted By: Mozzy
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 12:53pm
| Off boom sheeting with cleat... not sure that's the best option for a single person boat with spinnaker. Like you can see the in the first picture the sheet can end up awkwardly far away when you want to pick it back up. |
Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 1:06pm
| On my RS100 I switched the ratchet off the swivel base and moved it to the boom, replacing the boom block back onto the swivel base... I found it made life a little easier in unarig mode on tight reaches, but I don't think I'd want the cleat up there too, so good spot! |
Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 1:07pm
 was it a bit 'Laser II' ish without the kite? |
Posted By: Old bloke
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 2:05pm
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Look at the width of the transom on the First, also the blurb on the Melges is all about stability. I bet the pair of them will stick to the water like velcro until its blowing old boots.
Great for hooning around but are they proper racing boats? |
Posted By: tink
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 5:11pm
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https://www.beneteau.com/en/first-se/first-14-se" rel="nofollow - https://www.beneteau.com/en/first-se/first-14-se
Looks like attempting to be something for everyone, the focus here will be on the racing but it also ‘ allow(s) you to explore distant shores’ The unfortunate for UK market‘Mobility’ has an interesting carry on board trolley but in one photo the bow is resting on a BA the other a spare tyre, hopefully not on your average beach. Not really their fault but they talk about car topping- at 70kg hull that’s close or above many modern cars, if that’s hull weight where you putting mast, boom. Impossible to outboard and rowing provision. ------------- Tink https://tinkboats.com http://proasail.blogspot.com |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 13 Jul 22 at 7:33pm
I think the Melges have credible OD racing in the US&A. The Bendytoy looks like it's primarily aimed at the Med beach fleet market? I think they've been around a while. IMHO you only have to see the central toe straps to realise no sane person wants one as a personal boat. But that's the euroland way. A lot of intensively used fleets, then get new after a few years and the old ones go to landfill or the East.
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Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 14 Jul 22 at 8:44am
that's what appeal to me personally about it... it's a lot lighter to drag up the beach than Laser 2000.
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Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 14 Jul 22 at 9:13am
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On a personal level, I've pretty much discounted considering the M15 as it seems a bit too race-orientated for what I'd be looking for; plus there's the practicalities of it not seemingly being available in Europe currently. However I thought it looked like a nice introduction and was surprised there wasn't any comment on it on here. I'd say this looks like 'proper racing'...  |
Posted By: skslr
Date Posted: 14 Jul 22 at 9:45am
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Melges 15:
No personal experience, but favorable reviews in a certain U.S. online forum + our old sailing club bought five (!) of them after thouroughly checking the alternatives. So I guess it is one of the better designs. I personally would have preferred a self draining design, but numbers in the U.S. prove the single floor was the right decision I guess.
Beneteau 14:
I had the opportunity to sail the "carbon rigg version" serveral times with about 160 kg crew weight.
The little wheels you can use for launching and take with you while sailing and fasten them at the transom corners do not work very well and a "conventional" trolley is advisable.
The complete package is super-light which makes it surprisingly fast, responsive but also drifting away quickly when capsized.
The main sheet cleat sometimes works well, some angles are not so good. Everything else (Gnav, self tacker, furler, kite chute…) works very good.
The hull shape works well, just waves hitting under the bow are more noticable than in other dinghies - maybe a consequence of the reversed bow?
While it is not a dedicted "racing class" IMHO it is "racier" and more responsive than an RS200.
It definately is no detuned "multi-role-dinghy" like RS Quest etc. (Both statements by an RS fan boy and current RS owner who has sailed RS200s and RS Quests |
)Posted By: skslr
Date Posted: 14 Jul 22 at 9:49am
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The Melges is available at least in mainland Europe now: Price is "tax unpaid"
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Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 14 Jul 22 at 10:53am
| Thanks for the replies!!! |