Melges Performance Sailboats, based in Wisconsin, is introducing the Spark, a new dinghy for children and teenagers. The boat is aimed at beginners and is designed to be sailed both from a sailing club and from the beach. The shipyard offers two sail sizes so that young sailors can continue to grow with the same hull. The mast and boom are made of carbon fibre and are designed to make handling easier. The Spark Red costs the equivalent of around 3,800 euros, whilst the Blue version costs around 3,900 euros. It remains to be seen whether Melges will supply boats to Germany, and if so, under what conditions.
Two rigs for different weight classes
The Spark Red has a sail area of 3.7 square metres. According to Melges, it is designed for sailors weighing between 18 and 41 kilograms. The Spark Blue has a sail area of 4.52 square metres and is suitable for sailors weighing between 41 and 64 kilograms. Anyone who outgrows the smaller rig simply swaps the sail whilst keeping the familiar hull. The manufacturer cites its own Melges 15 as the next step up. The concept aims to avoid the need to switch between different boat classes.
A comparison with the optimist
The Optimist is 2.30 metres long and 1.13 metres wide. It weighs around 35 kilograms and has a sail area of approximately 3.3 square metres. Children typically sail it until they are about 14 years old. The Spark Red, at 3.7 square metres, is in a similar range. The Blue, at 4.52 square metres, goes well beyond that. It is also designed to accommodate heavier teenagers who have already reached the limits of the Opti.
Construction and materials
Melges promises that the hull has a modern design and handles well. At the same time, it should be great fun to sail and significantly faster than an Opti. The rig is similar to that of the ILCA and can therefore be set up quickly, meaning less time is spent on shore. The carbon rig reduces the weight compared to aluminium. For younger sailors, this means easier handling when rigging and manoeuvring.
Accessories and total cost
Melges offers a dinghy trailer for the equivalent of 475 euros. A deck cover costs around 255 euros. The foil bag and mast bag each cost around 175 euros. Anyone fitting out a boat from scratch will quickly reach a total cost of over 4,500 euros. On top of this, there may be transport and customs charges for delivery to Germany. The prices apply to the US market. It remains unclear whether and how Melges delivers to Europe. The manufacturer also provides no information regarding warranties, the supply of spare parts or servicing in Germany.
Pre-order and availability
A reservation costs 500 dollars, approximately 435 euros. This amount will be deducted from the purchase price. Once the deposit has been paid, the Melges team will contact you with details regarding equipment, delivery and the balance due. The boats will be delivered fully rigged with the selected sail size. Melges has not announced when the first boats will be delivered.
Market positioning and opportunities
The Spark is taking on the established Optimist. The Opti has a tradition stretching back decades and a global community. Coaches are familiar with the boat, clubs have fleets, and regattas are available everywhere. The Spark still has to earn this position. Its advantage lies in the twin-rig concept, which is designed to allow sailors to sail for longer in the same boat. Whether this will be enough to persuade clubs to make the switch is questionable. Without its own class structure, there is a lack of incentive for ambitious regatta sailors. As a pure training boat, it competes with cheap second-hand Optimists. The price of 3,800 euros is significantly higher than that of a second-hand Optimist. New Optimists, however, cost considerably more and can easily be twice as much.
Technical specifications of the Spark
- Model variants: Spark Red and Spark Blue
- Red sail area: 3.7 square metres
- Blue sail area: 4.52 square metres
- Red weight range: 18 to 41 kilograms
- Blue weight range: 41 to 64 kilograms
- Mast: Carbon
- Tree: Carbon
- Price of Spark Red: 4,352 dollars (approx. 3,800 euros)
- Spark Blue price: 4,500 dollars (approx. 3,900 euros)
Jan-Ole Puls
Editor Test & Technology