MELGES 17 SAILS

The Melges 17" is one of the latest addition to the Melges Performance Sailboats family of high performance, one design products. Professionally designed by Reichel/Pugh exclusively for Melges, all 17 feet of this streamlined racer is geared for speed. From its supermodel profile to a standard set of high-tech, Kevlar® sails by North, this ride is where sophisticated ideas and excellence in boat building converge.

Built to handle a crew of two comfortably and competitively, the M17 incorporates some of the most innovative sailboat engineering concepts. It is built utilizing Melges' M-preg" laminating process making for a durable, fit and trim hull that weighs 300 lbs. The spar, made of carbon fiber material, weighs only 16 lbs! A very special feature of the new Melges 17 is the exclusive Melges Hands Free Kite System" (HFKS). One control line hoists the asymmetrical spinnaker, the bow sprit extends and you're off! To take the kite down, pull the douse control line and the kite collapses into the boat, the bow sprit retracts.. upwind you go! Other unique features include a roller furling Kevlar^® jib with recessed roller furler, self-stepping mast design and new wave foil bilge boards that are aluminum extrusions ensuring the M17 tracks like a dream! This boat truly offers the best of both worlds .. guaranteed edge-of-your-seat racing excitement, equipped with all the modern conveniences of Melges know-how.

Melges 17 AP+ Mainsail

With the high speeds that are attained on the Melges 17, our mainsail has a flat profile with super light carbon/kevlar material. The Melges 17 Mainsail features a high aspect roach for more sail area and 5 full length adjustable RBS battens for the ultimate in stability and performance. This sail has similar traits to that of windsurfing sail where weight savings and a flatter profile are must when attempting to maintain a high levels of speed.
Our mainsail features new Aramid cloth that is lighter, stronger and more durable than what has been used in past seasons. The same fast shape combined with the latest high performance cloth that is made exclusively for North Sails means there will be no “copycats” on our success.

Mainsail standard features:

• Full length adjustable RBS performance battens
• Enhance vision window
• Leech telltales
• Waterproof, personalized sail bag
• Choice of colored numbers (red, blue, green, black)
• Country code for international racing
• Spectra leech and foot cords
• Stainless Cunningham and outhaul grommets

Melges 17 AP+ Jib

The most important quality in considering the Melges 17 jib is durability while maintaining elements of speed. The Melges 17 jib has the optimum mix of a long life span while delivering the desired performance to really make the Melges 17 go. Designed to provide the most height while maintaining boat speed, the Melges 17 jib also lives up the rigors of furling and unfurling while sailing. There is nothing worse than a headsail that does not furl cleanly while racing. The Melges 17 jib has a fast, streamlined shape while racing, and the vertical battens and smooth profile allow for very clean furling and unfurling.

The North Sails 9 AP+ Jib also features new style cloth which will provide for a lighter and more durable sail without sacrificing the elements of speed. This latest version of the Melges 17 Jib is the best yet, making it impossible to use anything other than North if you are looking to succeed.

Jib standard features:

• RBS Tapered Battens
• Leech telltales and ultra-lite luff telltales
• Spectra leech and foot cords
• 8 plait luff control line
• Enhanced vision window
• Harken Carbo Bullet blocks attached to clew

Melges 17 AP Asymmetrical Spinnaker

In Melges 17 racing, every second counts when it comes to hoisting, dousing and gibing the spinnaker. The best feature about our Melges 17 spinnaker is the silicone based Dynalite fabric that is used in its construction. This slippery material allows for huge time savings while hoisting, dousing and gybing, simply a must if you want to survive in the front of a Melges 17 race. Another bonus of the Dynalite material is that it proctects very well against dirt, mildew and other foreign substances from damaging your sail. Along with our exclusive Dynalite material, we have developed the best possible shape for the Melges 17 that features a nice full profile which allows for the ultimate in downwind performance. When it comes to making sure you are on the leading edge of Melges 17 racing, there is no other choice than North Sails.

Spinnaker standard features:

• Dynalite material used in construction
• Reinforced “Belly” patched for retrieval line
• Durable head, clew and tack patches
• Spectra luff line for tension adjustment
• Spinnaker color selection – Blue, Red, White, Green, Black, Hot Green, Hot Yellow

Tuning your  Melges 17 for Speed

• We recommend not exceeding350lbs total crew weight as this puts excess stress on the mast and the boat.

• When sailing, the boat performs best with the board all the way downin all conditions upwind.  Downwind it is best to pull theboard up 8” to 10” on the control line except in light air it will bebest to leave the  board all the way down.

• It is important to alwayskeep the ends of the spinnaker halyard tied off. It is difficult to re-lead through the backbone to the transom,so it is important to maintain control of both ends of thespinnaker halyard at all times.

• The Roller Furler should furl counter clock wise when furling up the jib.  So, it is important to roll it up clockwise before putting up the jib.

• The Spectra outhaul linecoming out of the thru-deck pulley on the end of the boom ismeant to go through the clew of the sail and through the hole inthe side of the boom and then tie a slip knot to make a 2:1purchase.

• The bow eye issuitable for tying the boat to the dock or towing the boat itself,but not suitable for towing multiple boats.  When towingmultiple boats tie off the tow line to the base of the mast, and tie offboats behind off the base of the mast as well.

• McLube the mast track and the mainsail bolt rope to allow the mainsail to go up and down more easily.

• You can also Mclube the spinnaker tomake it easier to pull in and out of the chute launcher.  Keep in mindthat the standard spinnaker is made from silicone impregnatedmaterial so it is already very slippery.

• When stepping the mast, tie off the bow sprit so that when tension is pulled on the spinnaker halyard, the bow sprit does not extend.

• The red boomvang linecomes up through the deck in the aft fairlead hole, the Cunninghamcomes up in the next forward hole in the center of the mast step,and the spinnaker halyard comes up the starboard hole on the sideof the mast step.

• After leading the chute retraction end of the spinnaker halyard through the lower grommet in the spinnaker tie a doubled up knot in the halyardabout 12”-18” from the end before putting the end thru the topgrommet belly patch and knotting off.  This allows the spinnakerto go into the chute tube without a large bunch up of spinnakercloth at the end of the line.  Make sure you tie big enoughknots so they don’t pull thru the grommets.  If the kite will not pullall the way into the chute launcher the knots are too far apart.

• When tying the tack line to the tack of the kite,tie a very short loop and keep the knot tight to the sail toprevent the knot from jamming in the block at the end of the pole.

• Open tank drain plugsafter sailing to check for water, also, open forward inspectionports to check for water and air out when not sailing.  Evencondensation can add up to a considerable amount of water overtime.

• The diamond shrouds are pre set with 4” of pre bend in the spar.  Be sure to keep the turnbuckles tied off. 

• Do not sail the boat with less than 3” of prebendin the mast and sufficient tension on the diamond shrouds.  Theseshrouds support the mast head spinnaker and prebend the mast tofit the mainsail in light air.

• Make sure that the tiesremain on the sidestay turnbuckles as well to prevent theturnbuckles from changing settings or losing turnbuckle parts.

• Check the spreader angleon the lower spreaders by running a straight edge across the tipsresting on the shroud and measureing to the aft side of the masttunnel.  The measurement should be 10”.  Also, make sure the tips areextended so there are 3 holes showing in the spreader tips.

• When launching on a hoist,pay special attention to the mast and spreaders to prevent damageon the hoist.  Also, make sure that the lifting bridle issecure and not caught under any deck fittings.

Melges 17 Rigging Guide

Melges 17 road ready with aluminum aft holddown in place. The boom travels inside the cockpit in a padded boom cover.

Harken jib halyard block with Spectra 2:1 jib halyard looped through the becket on the Harken bullet block.

Sidestay attaches in forward or bow side hole of the sidestay chainplate.

M17 mast hooked into mast step. Notice the yellow spinnaker halyard is placed into a grooved notch and is also led inside the boom vang bale. Noticethe yellow spectra Cunningham and red spectra boom vang lines are led aft , underneath the mast and between the mast step hooks.

Spinnaker halyard led behind the starboard spreader but in front of the starboard spreader adjuster.

Spinnaker halyard led through the eyestrap just along side the main halyard cleat.

Spectra sprit tack line and white bow line attached to bow eyestrap.

Here you can see the spinnaker halyard going through its Harken bullet block. You can also see the main halyard puller (yellow attached to the main halyard).

Here we see the red main halyard going across the top of the mast. There are no sheaves in this masthead fitting.

Harken swivel attached to the forstay wire which lives in the luff of the jib. Also the swivel is attached to the webbing loop on the head of the jib.

Another view of this attachment of the Harken roller furling swivel to the forestay and jib.

Opposite side view of the Harken roller furling swivel . It is good to tape this o-ring once it is secured in the clevis pin.

Here we see how the Spectra jib halyard which is a 2:1 goes through the top of the Harken roller furling jib swivel.

Another view of the 2:1 Spectra jib halyard going through the Harken upper roller furling swivel.

Here we see the very long blue jib halyard puller attached to the Spectra loop in the end of the jib halyard. Remember the other end of the grey Spectra jib halyard is attached to the becket on the Harken bullet block that has a becket and is secured to the mast up at the hounds (where sidestays are bolted in.

Another view. The Spectra halyard just rolls through the top of the swivel and rides on the clevis pin which acts like a sheave.

Here we see the adjustable tack line for jib luff adjustment.

Another view of the jib luff adjustment system.

Deadend your 2:1 jib sheet on the eyestrap of the jib car block slider.

The 2:1 jib sheet system on the Melges 17.

Attach the main halyard to the outhaul and raise to level or 90 degree angle to mast before putting the full deck cover on. You can find that perfect setting for the boom height to where your cover fits perfect, mark your halyard puller at the point where you secure at the base of the mast.

Harken mainsheet system mounted on Spectra bridle.

Harken cascading boom vang system .

Here we see both the spinnaker halyard attached to the head of the spinnaker (near jib sheets in this picture). Note the spinnaker halyard is outside the sheets. Also, you see the spinnaker retrieving line coming out from underneath the white foot tape before it goes to the lower retrieving patch.

Here the spinnaker retrieving line (opposite end of the spinnaker halyard ) is going to through the first or lower spinnaker retrieving patch.

Just before you feed the tail of the spinnaker retrieving line through the upper retrieving patch you need to put a large knot about 18" from the tail as shown in the picture.

Spinnaker sheets attached to the spinnaker webbing in the clew of the asymmetric spinnaker.

Here you can see the retrieving line , spin sheets, jib sheets all attached.

Contact the Melges 17 experts:

Andy Burdick (262) 275-9728 Work (262) 275-8012 Fax andy@melges.com  Harry Melges (262) 275-9728 Work (262) 275-8012 Fax harry@melges.com