Melges 15 Assembly - A Comprehensive Look: From Delivery to Ready to Sail
Channel: SailZing Online Sailing Education
Date: 2022-09-26

This is a comprehensive look at setting up a Melges 15 sailboat from PARTS delivery to putting on the SAILS to go race. Yes. It's LONG. We made the video because the other videos skipped over details that were, in fact, important to us. We included timings below so that you can skip to the section of interest. We have screenshots from the video in the article at SailZing.com. https://sailzing.com/melges-15-assembly-comprehensive/

Ed Furry - https://www.youtube.com/user/Sail22LLC - helped with several of the videos and continues to put out videos with some nice upgrades that you might consider.

Melges’ Eddie Cox created a nice video that does a quick run through of assembling a Melges 15 here: https://youtu.be/BdogJjXHcm0

00:00:48 Melges 15 Parts

GNAV Tube
Boom
Sprit - May come pre-installed in bow.
Mast - 2 piece, with halyards installed.
Spreaders - Adjustable, Marked for Starboard (green) and Port (red). Angle toward stern when installed.
Daggerboard
Rudder
Tiller - Aluminum
     Upgrade: Rooster Carbon Tiller - 37" - Removed ~4" for better clearance while tacking
Bow Painter - Floating, by class rule
Dousing Bag / Sock with Halyard storage
Main Halyard - Pre-installed in mast, Dyneema
Jib Halyard - Pre-installed in mast, Dyneema
Spinnaker Halyard - Pre-installed in mast, Polyester cover / polyester core.
     Upgrade: Spinnaker Halyard - Tapered, fittings on end to help with spinnaker twisting.
Rig Tensioner / "Boat Breaker" - Used to finish stepping the mast and to detension the rig when not using the boat for a while.
Mainsheet - Polyester cover / polyester core, not tapered
     Upgrade: Mainsheet - Tapered, Robline Coppa 5000 / Dyneema core
Jib Sheet - Polyester cover / polyester core, not tapered, need to knot ends
     Upgrade: Jib Sheet - Tapered, Polyester cover / Dyneema core with soft eye ends
Spinnaker Sheet - Polyester cover / polyester core, not tapered, need to knot ends
     Upgrade: Spinnaker Sheet - Tapered, Polyester cover / Dyneema core with soft eye ends
Jib Blocks - Seldén Autoratchet
Spinnaker Blocks - Seldén Autoratchet
     Upgrade: Spinnaker Blocks - Harken Autoratchet 40 with soft shackle fastener
or: Harken manual ratchet with shackle.
Jib Clew Blocks - Seldén pair with shackle
Sprit Blocks - Seldén pair with ring
Bridle / Traveler - Dyneema line with Seldén Block on shackle
     Upgrade: Bridle Block - Allen Dynamic 40 TII with soft shackle on Dyneema line 
Lifting Bridle - Pre-stretched polyester with stainless carabiners
     Upgrade: Lifting Bridle - Dyneema, 2 color to distinguish back line, Stainless spring clips.
Mast Sheaves / Halyard pulleys - Main, Jib, Spinnaker - Plastic
     Upgrade: Main, Jib, Spinnaker Sheaves - Aluminum with stainless steel bearings.
Rig Tuning
     Upgrade: Shroud handles, Star grips for turnbuckle barrel, Scar Pins with Velcro for tool-less adjustments
     Upgrade: Rig Tension Gauge - Loos Gauge PT-1 
Drain Plugs - 3 x One Piece
     Upgrade: 3 x One way Valve
Shrouds - Dyform / compacted strand wire, low stretch, high strength with T fittings and turnbuckles
Forestay - 1x19 wire with T fitting and pin fitting and ball for Boat Breaker.

00:09:26 Upgrade: Star Grips & Handles Installation
00:14:06 Two Piece Mast Assembly
00:15:16 Melges Trailer & Mast Support
00:15:51 Spreaders Installation
00:18:16 Spreaders Adjustment
00:19:27 Shrouds / Sidestays Installation
00:23:47 Attaching the Shrouds / Sidestays
00:24:13 Preparing to Step the Mast
00:27:16 Stepping the Mast and using "Boat Breaker"
00:28:58 Adjusting the Rig
00:30:22 Synchronizing the Shroud Length - "Bucket Thing"
00:31:04 Adjusting the Rig - Using the Loos Gauge PT-1
00:32:34 Detensioning with "Boat Breaker"
00:33:15 Sprit Install
00:33:53 Installing the Sprit blocks
00:35:33 Tying the Tack Line
00:36:51 Dousing Bag / Sock Installation
00:38:30 Upgrading the Mast Sheaves
00:40:41 Rudder / Tiller Installation
00:42:18 Upgrading the Tiller Extension
00:42:46 Boom Installation
00:43:17 Vang Installation
00:44:08 Upgrading the Spinnaker Halyard Cleat
00:45:47 Upgrading the Spinnaker Sheet Blocks
00:47:13 Spinnaker Halyard & Dousing Line Path
00:50:34 Main Sheet Path
00:51:54 Bridle Height Adjustment
00:54:31 Spinnaker Sheet Path
00:54:52 Jib Sheet Path
00:55:34 Ratchet Blocks - Spinnaker & Jib
00:56:09 Downhaul / Cunningham Path
     Upgrade: Add a turning block at the base of the mast.
00:56:43 Vang Path
     Upgrade: Use thinner Dyneema from the eye to the GNAV tube block to the dual block strap. Make a tapered vang line to run the dual block.
00:57:33 Jib Halyard Adjustment
00:57:48 Main Halyard Adjustment
00:57:59 Outhaul Path
00:59:15 Scupper Flap / Drain Cover Operation
     Upgrade: SailZing.com offers customized, Delrin scupper flaps. Order at https://SailZing.com/shop
01:00:20 Sail Installation - Spinnaker
01:10:42 Sail Installation - Jib
01:16:12 Sail Installation - Main

Information is believed to be accurate at time of publishing.

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