NORTH SAILS DOMINATES MELGES 24 CHARLESTON OPEN

North Sails Jeff Bonanni Shares Replay

Credit: Daniel Bergey

What factors do you believe led your team to the win?

Team owner and helm John Brown did a great job managing thin lanes, which allowed us to execute our strategy in every race.

What was your inventory at the open. What sails did you use? What difference did you notice between you and other teams?

We had light to medium breeze, with flat water, so we used the North Sails AP-3K mainsail, J-7K jib and P-1 Reacher. These designs are the gold standard in the Melges 24 class, and we like these particular sails for the lighter breeze in Charleston. They react to sail control changes very well, which is important on a short race track like Charleston when you need to work through a few upwind modes.

How was your overall feelings like heading into the last day? Any nervousness? Was there anything your team had to do well to remain in standings?

I wouldn’t say nervous, our team has a lot of strong personalities with even more self-confidence. The breeze was very light on the final day, and ultimately the only race was abandoned. I find it very difficult to stay engaged when waiting for breeze, but we kept the energy up and remained prepared.

List your top three takeaways from this event.

In Charleston, stay disciplined with regards to current strategy. Current trumps all other factors in this location particularly.
Always stay in touch with the pack of boats in front of you. There are many opportunities to pass and even more opportunities to gain as long as you stay close to the pack just ahead of you.
Ensure that you’re tuned and trimmed for the conditions! With the flat water conditions we had at the regatta, a firm leech seemed to work best for us.

What’s next on the racing circuit for the Melges 24 class? What are you most looking forward to?

Our next event is the Atlantic Coast Gulf Coast Championship in Mobile, AL. We plan on sailing all the events through the 2021 Worlds in Charleston, which we’re most looking forward to.

Why do you like racing in the Melges 24 class? What keeps you coming back?

We think this is the best sport boat design ever! It’s very rewarding to sail, takes us to beautiful venues all over the US and World, and we all have life-long friends sailing in the class.