Launching the IC37
Branding · Marketing Communications · Photography · Videography · PR · Drone · Social Media · Web Design · Website Management
The IC37 is a 37-foot modern race boat exclusively for Group 1 sailors; the strict one-design class is simple, fun, competitive racing for the Corinthian sailors of the world. New York Yacht Club engaged Melges Performance Sailboats to bring the Class Association from concept to reality. At the time, I was Director of Marketing at Melges. This role included helping develop the IC37 brand, launching & managing the class website & social media platforms, photographing the Sea Trials and first regatta, producing over ten videos, writing press releases and acting as communications manager for the new class online, in socials, and in print.
Here are a few work samples:
The Joy of Racing Reimagined
From the very beginning, the Melges IC37 Class was developed to create a racing experience unlike any other. It is an innovative amateur one-design class designed to race with a crew of family and friends. Men and women. Young and not so young. Sailors who race for the love and joy of the sport.
Over 20 boats now sailing. More on the way! It’s time to get a team together. Learn more about joining the fleet at melgesic37class.com
From Concept To Reality
NEWS RELEASE » FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ZENDA, Wis. (May 21, 2019) — The Melges IC37 Class has transformed from concept to reality. On Friday, May 31, 20 boats will converge on the starting line for the very first time.
The fleet of 20 New York Yacht Club (NYYC) owned boats has left the two factories, Westerly Marine and FIBRE Mechanics. Now that the initial fleet has been delivered, the builders are now working to construct the privately-owned boats, purchased around the world.
“We are proud of the build quality, the design, and the equipment chosen for this project,” says International Melges IC37 Class President Phil Lotz, “but more importantly, we are proud to bring a visionary concept forward in the sailing world, creating more joy in the sport through a strong class that simplifies sailing and limits the arms race.”
The Melges IC37 Class features strict class rules designed to enrich the sailing experience for Corinthian sailors around the world. The rules require coed amateur crews, limit teams to a single set of one-design sails, provide incentives for youth participation, eliminate costly masthead wind instruments, restrict private regatta coaching and mandate a simple tuning matrix managed solely by mast step shims.
The inaugural year of IC37 one-design racing will feature one-design competition at seven regattas in Newport, R.I. followed by a winter series in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The 20-boat fleet of NYYC boats, chartered to members, will line up for the first time during the first weekend in June. It will be a rewarding sight for all involved in the class development and a heartening spectacle for everyone who appreciates big boat one-design competition. Learning will be a priority this summer. Teams are just starting to become fully formed, and the focus will be on refining skills, tactics, boat handling, and maneuvers. But the strict one-design nature of the class should help each team quickly conquer the learning curve associated with any new boat.
The training weekends with class-sponsored North Sails coaching will be followed by the Leukemia Cup, the NYYC 165th Annual Regatta, the NYYC One-Design Regatta, the Sail Newport Regatta, and the Queen’s Cup. The two highlights of the season certainly will be the Melges IC37 East Coast Championship July 15 to 20, held during the NYYC 175th Anniversary Regatta, and the inaugural Melges IC37 U.S. National Championship, September 27 to 29.
The Melges IC37 Class will set up shop in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for the winter. The Lauderdale Yacht Club will host the Melges IC37 Winter Series, comprised of three regattas in November, February, and March.
While the Melges IC37 Class has yet to hold an official class competition, it has become evident that all the project partners have created something profoundly important for the sport. For both men and women. For young and not so young. For boat owners and crews alike. The Melges IC37 Class was created for sailors who race for the love and joy of the sport. It was created to make possible what many sailors seek: the opportunity to test their preparation, skill, and teamwork on the most level playing field available.
Photo Gallery by Hannah Lee Noll → link
The First IC37 by Melges Sets the Pace
NEWS RELEASE » FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWPORT, R.I. (May 1, 2018) – Launched just a week ago, the first IC37 by Melges has aced its initial sea trials on Narragansett Bay and, in the process, added significant energy to the already substantial buzz surrounding what many in the sport believe will be the next great one-design keelboat.
The New York Yacht Club developed the concept—a strict one-design class for amateur sailors with mandatory female participation—and has committed to purchasing a fleet of 20 new boats that will be used for member charter and the biennial Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. North Sails, Westerly Marine, yacht designer Mark Mills, Southern Spars, Harken and Melges Performance Sailboats are part of the team of industry leaders involved with bringing this boat into existence. Interest from the general sailing public has exceeded expectations with orders on the books for 20 additional boats.
After a rather bleak Newport spring, the sun shone for much of the past week, allowing a team of industry professionals to put the boat through its paces in a full range of wind conditions and test all the relevant systems and equipment.
“It’s pretty impressive how spot on everything is and how well everything works,” said Harry Melges of Melges Performance Sailboats, who was on hand for the first sail. “Westerly has done a great job building the boat. Same for Southern, North and Harken and everybody else that’s been involved with the project. Everything is working great.”
Melges also emphasized that these sea trials are just the early part of a journey that will hopefully culminate with IC37 by Melges fleets racing on both coasts of the United States, on the Great Lakes and abroad.
“From here, we are going to go out and really dial in the rig tune, the sails, make sure everything fits and looks the way we want it to and then work on the boat handling side of things,” said Melges. “We need to make sure everything is set up the way it should be. As far as initial sea trials go, the IC37 by Melges thus far has been close to perfect. The potential for the boat and class is exciting.”
North Sails is responsible for the development of the class’s one-design sail and rig package, with president Ken Read personally overseeing the project from its infant stages through the sea trials, and beyond.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been on a boat where you just splashed it in the water, put the rig in, pulled the sails up an hour later and went sailing as we did with the 37.” said Read. “We could have immediately gone racing, which is really quite amazing when you think of the process that a new design and build goes through. There’s a lot of learning to be done, but all in all the boat does what a good boat should do. The boat simply ‘talks’ to the helmsperson and the trimmers when there is too much or too little trim. It’s easy to dissect what feels right and wrong. Downwind we were up and flying, 12 knots of boat speed in 12 knots of breeze. There’s really nothing but positives, which is a real testament to everybody who has put together this project.”
With the first boat now sailing and more on the way shortly, Melges Performance Sailboats will turn its attention to building the class structure with the goal of class racing starting early in 2019. The commitment to Corinthian participation is a foundational concept.
“The sport is eager for a class where amateur sailors not only steer the boat, but also play an integral role in the tactical decisions and development of boatspeed,” said Melges. “We anticipate a class that is equal parts competition and camaraderie. And we’re especially excited about the class provisions that mandate female participation and make it easy to incorporate junior sailors into the crew. This is a tremendous platform and it will produce great racing.”
Viewing of the new boat in Newport, Rhode Island can be arranged through Melges Performance Sailboats by contacting sales@melges.com.
