AP-3K All-Purpose Kevlar Mainsail
#1 2011 & 2010 Worlds!
#1 2012 North Americans & US Nationals!
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Photo Sharon Green
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This is our all-round design Kevlar Mainsail. Cut in North's own
exclusive Clear Film Kevlar this sail is a little fuller than our previous
design, the KM-08 mainsail, and as a result develops more power and is a
very superior sail is chop. Choose the AP-3K
as your mainsail for outstanding speed all through the wind range. Due
to the low stretch properties of the Kevlar fabric flattening out the
sail in a breeze is no problem!
This sail was used to win the US Nationals,
Italian Nationals, French Nationals, North American Championships and
the Volvo Cup to name a few! This is the preferred all round sail by the
majority of top crews in the Melges 24 class. The sail is ready to win
straight out of the bag!
Mainsail standard features:
- Radial Construction
- Vision windows
- Spreader window
- Telltales
- E Glass battens
- ISAF in house measurement
- Class royalty
- Sail bag
AP-3DL All-Purpose 3DL Mainsail
The AP-3DL Mainsail is an all round mainsail built using North's 3DL manufacturing process. The sail's user friendly and easy to trim characteristics provide maximum performance to all teams.An extremely smooth sails with excellent longevity.Mainsail standard features:
- Vision windows
- Spreader window
- Telltales
- E Glass batten
- ISAF in house measurement
- Class royalty
- Sail bag
J-7K All-Purpose Kevlar Jib
#1 2011 & 2010 Worlds!
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“We used North’s standard Melges 24 One Design sails and the performance of these sails during the 6-day, 11-race series was fantastic. Our speed and height were awesome and we had no sail issues at all."
Chris Larson, 2009 World Champion |
The J-7K Kevlar Jib utilizes the best Kevlar materials available,this jib will not only last longer, but it will show even better performance in bigger breeze.
The J-7K Kevlar Jib features "vertical batten" (VB)design, which delivers slightly more sail area and better shape control than we were able to build last year. The addition of those three battens eliminates some of the leech hollow and for a straighter cleaner leech, particularly on the upper sections.The new batten pockets have openings at the leech to allow for easy batten removal.
Jib standard features:
- Harken clew blocks
- Leech/foot cord
- Leech telltale
- Telltales
- Cunningham and downhaul line
- Windows
- Roll bag
J-Zero Kevlar Jib
#1 2012 North Americans!
A new design for the 2011 season, the J- Zero already received greatpraises from top sailors, by winning the 2011 Bacardi Cup and 2nd at theCorpus Christi Worlds.
This all purpose jib was designed with a slightly fuller entry than theJ-7, which makes this jib, extremely easier to steer on all sea and windconditions. Made out of Contender AK-09 Kevlar.
The J-Zero Jib features "vertical batten" (VB) design, which delivers slightly more sail area and better shape control than we were able to build last year. The addition of those three battens eliminates some of the leech hollow and for a straighter cleaner leech, particularly on the upper sections. The new batten pockets have openings at the leech to allow for easy batten removal.
Jib standard features:
- Harken clew blocks
- Leech/foot cord
- Leech telltale
- Telltales
- Cunningham and downhaul line
- Windows
- Roll bag
Max Runner Spinnaker
#1 2011 & 2010 Worlds!
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Photo Erik Simonson
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The North Max Runner, previously known as the VMG, is designed for running in all conditions. It is a great all-around spinnaker that can sail deeper than any other sail on the market and is open enough to sail up to defend your position when necessary.
Cut very full in the luff, which supports a lot of projected luff area, the North Max Runner runs very deep and is easy to keep up to speed.
Because the leech of the sail is relatively open, this sail also performs well when the wind is up or very light and forward of the beam.
Under the rules, you are allowed to have two spinnakers on board, having the North Max Runner in combination with the North Power Zone Reacher is highly recommended.
For a one-spinnaker program, we recommend this as the spinnaker of choice! This sail works great in all conditions!
PZ-2 Reacher Spinnaker
#1 2011 Worlds!
#1 2012 North Americans!
The North PZ-2 Reacher is powerful to get you over the waves, and it is also open in the leech with a flatter luff curve so that when you press up for speed the boat accelerates and planes without the overpowered feeling. This sail gets you in the power zone more quickly.The power zone is the zone where the boat is powered up and planning freely, not bound up or over heeled. We use this sail in all planning conditions and it is also very fast in light air, especially when there is chop.
Under the rules, you are allowed to have two spinnakers on board, having the North PZ-2 Reacher in combination with the North Max Runner is highly recommended.
>> Contact the
Melges 24 Experts for additional information and questions about our products.
Tuning your Melges 24 for Speed
>> Download the
North Melges 24 Tuning Guide
>>
Watch Melges 24 Tuning Clinic with Vince Brun, Andy Burdick and Chris Larson
Have a Question? Ask the
Melges 24 Experts
Melges 24 FAQs:
When do you use the M24 Reacher instead of the Runner?
Harry Melges: The PZR (Power Zone Reacher) is good from 0-5 mostly when it is choppy
but for sure 0-3 when it is flat water too. Also again when it is
windy and wavy over 18 or so and again when it is flat water over
22.... For sure in waves and big breeze the PZR is much easier to
steer to and faster...
What are the I, J, P, E measurements for the Melges 24?
The Melges 24 measurements can be found at the Melges 24 class website.
The address is:
http://www.melges24class.com/Documents/ClassRules/M242008_Class_Changes.pdf
What's the most efficient way to move up in the standings?
Vince Brun: In my opinion we all have lots of strengths and weakness when racing and
sometimes we need to take a "cold" look on the past races to see what
are our worst problems. I have run clinics were the sailors asked about
tuning when their major problem was starting and rounding marks. Look
back on your races and try to identify the problems you had and rate
them from the most to the least important. After you have identified the
problem, solving will be a lot easier.
I've just put a Micronet Tacktick Windvane on the boat, so I can measure VMG, etc. My next question is. What's the best way to use instruments for boat-speed? Are there polar plots available for the boat, target speeds, etc? What's the best way to go fast when racing with instruments?
Vince Brun: I'm not a instrument guy even thought when
sailing big boats we all take advantage of it. On a smaller and lighter
boat the instruments aren't as important.
I do think that the boat speed is helpful,
to sail the Melges around the race course, but nothing better than
working on the "relative" speed against other boats. When boats are near
you, nothing else will be more accurate on judging performance.
Most definitely the VMG numbers aren't very practical since
they will be changing extremely fast and is not very helpful with the
helming. This is also true on bigger heavier boats. Boat speed is the
only number that should be used and could be a good help with keeping a
crew from sailing high and slow during critical periods of the race.
Can you give me some advice about jib car position? I normally use the jib car so that the piston hits the top of the third bolt from the back of the track. In heavy winds I move one hole back and in light winds I move the car one hole forward. It seems that regardless of wind conditions, I end up with the jib car about 3" in front of the cabin top.
Vince Brun: My strategy is to adjust to ensure the jib luffs evenly top to
bottom.
Correct, but the M24 requires an open upper leech and tight
sheet trim, so that the top will always luff a bit sooner than the
bottom tell tale.
What's the right weight distribution fore-aft when going upwind? At what conditions should the knuckle at the bow be in or out of the water?
Vince Brun: Knuckle should always be under water. This will make the waterline length bigger and therefore higher speed. Even if you have waves the bow should be in the water and the
crew should sit forward, or just behind the shrouds.
Assuming all other things are equal, in an oscillating wind pattern, how many degrees of a header will you accept before tacking. I.e. If you get headed by less than n degrees you'll grin and bear it. More than n degrees means you'll tack. What's the equivalent jibe/no jibe number for going downwind?
Vince Brun: If I have no boats around that could be affecting my wind, I will tack
on
4 degrees shifts. Anything smaller than that the gains from
the shift won't be enough to compensate for the loss from the tack. I do
tack on smaller shifts if this would free me up from other boats ( like
a boat to leeward going high and slow, forcing me to sail his angle ).
Have a Question? Ask the Melges 24 Experts