Melges 24s, Strong, Top to Bottom

Way back in 1999—months before the world was supposed to go haywire—a guy named Bill Rogner—that’s Bill, of Capt.’s Bill’s Barber Shop, in Punta Gorda, Florida­—was having the time of his life at the back of his new Melges 24. After three days of excruciatingly fickle winds, Rogner and the crew onboard Hurricane were a happy bunch as they packed up their boat at St. Petersburg YC’s Sailing Center. They were the top boat of only 10 of that year’s NOOD Regatta. It was a small fleet, yes, but it was the first time Melges 24s had lined up in St. Pete.

The class has had its peaks and valleys, as well as its challenges and evolutions as all-pro rock star teams came and went. Perhaps too grand-prix for its own britches, a steady decline in participation was inevitable. But over the past few years, with healthy grass roots resurgence, Melges 24 sailing is cool again.

Well, actually, it’s always been cool, but now it’s more affordable and more attractive to amateur teams. There’s no denying the Melges 24 is fast, fun, and athletic sailing, and if such a title existed, it would be the Sportboat of the Century. “It’s one of the nicest boats I’ve ever sailed,” says Peter Duncan, 2017 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. “It’s a terrific class, with really nice people, and it’s really competitive.”

When it comes to one-design sailing, that’s the complete package.

Duncan is a regular A-lister in both Etchells and J/70 circles. He’s an incredibly well-rounded sailor—with a full-time job in Manhattan—who enjoyed a brief stint in the Melges 24 class a few years ago. He was eighth overall at the 2016 world championships in Miami before jumping on the J/70 train and winning a windy 161-boat worlds in Italy the following year. Duncan says he’s been too busy with his commercial real estate interests to do much sailing of late, but opportunity came knocking with the Melges 24 Worlds, in Charleston, South Carolina, in May.

With USA 829, the Helly Hansen NOOD in St. Petersburg is essentially Duncan’s campaign kickoff. As of late January he hadn’t spent any time personally fussing with the boat and admits his program is a bit more behind the ball than usual. But he says with a chuckle, “I understand it’s a nice boat. It’s in pretty good shape, and we’ll work on it some when we get together.”

Helping Duncan whip the boat into shape and up to speed are Matteo Ramian and Carlos Robles, Victor Diaz de Leon and Willem Van Waay. Diaz de Leon and Van Waay, himself a recent Rolex short-lister, won the J/70 worlds with Duncan. There should be zero doubt they’ll get up to speed quickly in the new-to-them boat, but Duncan says he’s going into St. Petersburg, a venue also new to him, with realistic expectations. “There are a lot talented sailors in this class,” he says. “I’m just really looking forward to sailing with everybody.”

Laura Grondin, of Norton, Connecticut, is also new to the scene and happens to own the freshest fruit out of Zenda, Wisconsin. Apparently, someone backed out of a build slot, so she and her husband jumped on it. Their local fleet on Fisher’s Island Sound, which is MudRatz territory, is growing one 24 at a time. They’re now up to nine boats.

Flareups are happening elsewhere across the country, too. “We’ve had a huge surge in members,” Grondin says, attributing recent growth to the class’s development of a better-connected North American series. As the class’s first female international chair, she’s keeping tabs and likes what she sees. “They [the class] spread the events across the U.S., so now you can work your way toward a title. There is a core group of pro and Corinthian teams that are regular to a lot of these events, but now there are more traveling boats showing up. It’s a great boat, there’s no denying that.”