a scow sailboat

National Class A Scow Association

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One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 30

Photo Credit:

Photo Credit: One van der Wal / melges.com

About National Class A Scow Association

The 38 foot Class A Scow was the first scow designed and built by J.O. Johnson of Johnson Boat Works in 1895 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota USA. The boats were originally built of wood, but transitioned to fiberglass hulls in the 1980’s. Carbon fiber spars, foil-shaped rudders and transition to an asymmetrical spinnaker with bow sprit was completed in the late 1990’s.

The boat has dual rudders and dual bilgeboards (no fixed keel) and therefore requires a crew of six or seven to keep her upright in a blow. The A Scow is now built in Zenda, WI by Melges Performance Sailboats – the fastest and largest of the Melges Scow family. With over a century of heritage, delivering a combination of raw power, speed and performance unmatched in one-design sailing the A Scow is a true classic. A full length feature film documentary called “The Ultimate Ride” was released in 2006. Gary Jobson remarked on the class in this article: https://www.sailingworld.com/racing/ultimate-ride-indeed/

Boats Produced: Records are sketchy, but there have been several dozen built over over the past 125 years. There are probably 40-50 active boats with most of them racing at this time.

Class boat builder(s):

Melges Performance Sailboats P.O. Box 1 N598 Zenda Road Zenda, Wisconsin 53195 USA

Phone +1 262 275 1110 Fax +1 262 275 8012

Email [email protected]

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? Almost all the boats are in North America. There are perhaps 3 in Europe and 1 in Australia that we have heard of.

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

Typically in the upper Midwest of the USA (Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan) but races have been held in the east and in Texas.

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? Yes

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  6 or 7

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  1100 – 1500 lbs

Boat Designed in  1895

Length (feet/inches): 38′ (11.582 m)

Beam: 8’3″ (2.515 m)

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 1,850 lbs (839.146 kg)

Draft: ~6′ with bilgeboard fully extended

Mast Height: 40′

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

5 new sailing scows aimed at the cruising market

• Toby Heppell
• October 25, 2023

There has been a raft of new sailing scows announced this year, with the cruising market following the racing world in design philosophy

Those who followed the early stages of this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race will surely have been intrigued by how well the front runners in the Class 40 fleet appeared to handle the brutal wind against tide conditions that caused problems for a lot of other boats. Conventional wisdom has it that a slim, narrow hull is ideal for sailing upwind in a blow. Yet the recent Class 40s carry their immense beam well forward of the mast, with a bow that’s closer to a square shape than a conventional point.

However, when heeled these boats present a relatively narrow immersed section that doesn’t slam into a head sea with the intensity that the flat saucer-like hull might suggest. At the same time they have enormous righting moment, which gives power to punch over big waves and reduces the total time spent sailing to windward. This stability is also an important factor in the boats’ behaviour in strong gusts: an increase of wind that would have many of the rest of us scrabbling for another reef is often handled simply by depowering the top of the mainsail with a bit more twist.

Although this hull form has only been in existence for little more than a decade, since David Raison won the 2011 Mini Transat in a boat of his own design, it has quickly gained traction across the Mini 6.50, Class 40 and IMOCA 60 fleets. It’s now increasingly appearing in designs for cruising yachts, which also have potential to offer considerably more internal volume than other vessels of a similar length.

Skaw Paradise

The Skaw Paradise is a very beamy 11.3m foiling scow bow cruiser with its roots firmly in the racing scene, but with the concepts reworked to produce an ultimate cruiser. Skaw CEO and founder Benoit Marie is also technical director, coach and co-skipper (when racing double-handed) for Caroline Boule, who’s notched up a string of impressive results in the Mini 6.50 class this season in her full flying Sam Manuard-designed Nicomatic.

Marie co-designed the Skaw Paradise with naval architect Clément Bercault of Berco Design. “We could not find any boat on the market suiting our needs, so we started designing our own perfect boat,” he says.

“It’s one to take our friends and family around the world to unseen places, in the safest, easiest and fastest manner.”

The Skaw Paradise differs to Nicomatic in that it has fully retractable C-foils that are intended to act like motion dampeners, giving a smoother ride, while also increasing both stability and speed. While much is borrowed from the racing world, this boat has been simplified as much as possible, so it’s not complicated to sail.

SailScow 37

Much of the drive towards scow bow cruising yachts is driven by top level racing sailors. Armel Tripon, who raced the then radical Sam Manuard-designed IMOCA 60 L’Occitane de Provence in the 2020 Vendée Globe, has lent his name to the SailScow brand that’s working on a range of four designs from 28-42ft.

“The hull I was able to test racing around the globe delighted me,” says Tripon. “I can easily imagine myself cruising on a scow to take full advantage of the sailing performance, the ease of passage through the sea and the incredible comfort at anchor – I can’t wait to try it out.”

The first SailScow model is a 37ft cruiser designed by Gildas Plessis, a strong advocate of this hull shape. It’s primarily of marine ply and epoxy and offers a step change in internal space compared to other yachts of this length. Options include a four cabin layout, with two doubles forward, both with rectangular beds, while aft there’s a further double, plus a twin cabin with bunk beds. Alternatively there’s space for a giant owner’s cabin forward, plus one aft double port and a generous technical and stowage area to starboard.

VPLP Fast Cruising Scow

PLP’s carbon Fast Cruising Scow is a 40ft concept that aims to maximise both performance and comfort. It has a covered and glazed saloon/cockpit area like those found on cruising catamarans. On the same level as the working areas of the cockpit, it provides shelter from sun and water both when used as a dining area and as a watch keeping zone on passage.

Air draught a fraction over 20m (67ft) helps provide a big rig that will produce plenty of power, while retractable foils will reduce heel angles thanks to the righting moment they generate, at the same time as cushioning the passage of the boat through waves.

Breton yard IDB Marine was one of the forerunners in producing a cruising boat based on a scow bow design. The Mojito 650 uses the same extreme scow bow hull as the phenomenally successful David Raison-designed Maxi 650 that won the series division of the last Mini Transat race, taking five of the top nine places.

The Mojito 650 is a detuned boat with a new coachroof that gives a panoramic view, plus a six-berth interior with a full-size rectangular double bed forward. There’s also plenty of stowage and all that’s lacking compared to many significantly larger craft is standing headroom and a separate heads compartment. A smaller and simplified rig compared to that of the Maxi 650 makes this an easy boat to sail and a lot less tweaky than the original, yet it’s still one that will happily plane at speeds well into double digits and hold its own upwind against boats 10ft longer.

La Rochelle-based RM Yachts has been forging a different path to mainstream yards for more than 30 years with its range of distinctive fast plywood/epoxy performance cruisers. The latest model – a sixth generation RM designed by Marc Lombard, is directly influenced by today’s raceboats, with the aim of producing a spacious, fast and dry 36-footer that can cover long distances at fast average speeds.

“It offers greater safety, more interior and exterior space and greater ease of movement,” says lead designer Eric Levet. “The hull is powerful and voluminous but not excessively so at the bow, for a good passage through the waves.”

The first example is scheduled to start construction in January next year and is expected to be afloat in July 2024.

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About the E Scow

The elegant and sleek E Scow is the pinnacle for high speed one-design racing for sailors in North America, from lakes and bays to protected ocean harbors. With 70+ boats regularly hitting the starting line at the National Championship, the E Scow is an ever-growing fleet driven by a design that’s always innovating.

Melges Performance Sailboats is the quality builder the class enjoys for creating these magnificent race machines. They have provided many of the innovations built into the boats, all carefully guarded by tight class scantlings and an experimental project process. With all the control lines led to the deck and an asymmetrical spinnaker launch and retrieval system, the boats are exciting and relatively as easy to sail as they have ever been. Melges continues their multiple decades worth of expertise building excellent products, including new E Scows.

The National Class E Scow Association manages the class and the National Championship regatta. Membership is across North America and include both active members and associates.

In 2023, the E Scow celebrated its 100th birthday. There were multiple celebrations across the country, culminating in the National Championship regatta in Madison, WI, where 128 boats participated – all on one starting line. The Race Committee did an amazing job of creating four segment starting lines that extended for over a mile. It was an event for the ages.

As the class looks forward to the next 100 years, the focus is on increasing the size of our regatta participation at local and regional events, along with engaging anyone interested in learning more and participating in E Scows. Here are a few ways you can get involved:

• Review the regatta schedule on e-scow.org and attend an event near you.
• Find out the name of the fleet leader close to you, under committees on e-scow.org, send them an email and ask about schedules and ways to get involved
• Send a quick note to the class secretary at [email protected] or any of the class officers.
• Call Melges Performance Sailboats to find out about purchasing new or used
• Review the classified ads on e-scow.org for used boat listings

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• Sailboat Guide

M-16 Scow is a 16 ′ 0 ″ / 4.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Johnson/Melges Boat Works and built by Tanzer Industries Ltd., Windward Boatworks, and Melges Performance Sailboats starting in 1950.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Since 1999, all new M-16’s have been built using the MC SCOW hull and deck molds and now shares other rigging, such as a single rudder, with the MC SCOW. The main sheet traveller has been done away with and the mast no longer rotates.

Sail Area Main: 108 sq.ft. Jib: 39 sq.ft.

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by Buddy Melges

Set up : Winds 5 12 m.p.h.

1. Mast Rake Hoist tape measure to black band then take to transom corner and measure 428″.

2. Jib Should be set on halyard ball to allow 2″ of scope left when at maximum tension on luff control. Start high on clew board so jib leech will strike lower spreader 9″ in from tip = good idea to place a tape at that point on spreader.

If the main now has too much back wind, lower one or two holes on clew board. If the ram is held aft at this time or the mast is held straight lower 1/3 = release ram control to allow mast to float. Now cleat ram in neutral position so that boom vang may be used and will not induce more low mast been unless desired and if so release ram and allow mast to move forward at deck line, this action will flatten lower 1/3 of main sail and also effect set to lower batten. If low batten (leech) is up, this is flaps down for pointing and slow speeds. The ram forward and outhaul will trip this batten and boat will accelerate.

Mast set up : Winds 15 25 m.p.h.

Release mask rake control while sailing to windward (in winds over 15 m.p.h.) until when trimmed to maximum mainsheet tension the blocks on the main traveler are 8″ top of traveler block to bottom of the boom block.

When raking the mast the jib clew lowers and releases the jib leech opening the slot” between jib leech relationship to spreader should now be 3″ in from spreader tip. If the wind increases into the twenties the jib car can be released outward until leech of jib is at spreader tip or beyond.

Ram should be induced at this time to flatten lower sail camber lock ram when desired flatness of main is achieved so the boom vang may be played aggressively.

Running back stay must be lead to boomkin for best results. Some runner is used in all conditions over 6 m.p.h. When sailing in 20 m.p.h. pull until you can no longer move the fine tune control.

Mast tune (Athwartship)

The column should be straight or a slight sag from deck to tip put intermediate shroud at center of mast, top shroud should be just forward with lower forward of top mast on alllarge section carbon mast.

Aluminum mast and small section carbon masts may have lower in aft mast position of the 3 (but no open holes between shrouds at chain plate). Tension shrouds to be very taut.

Jib traveler should be 21″ off center when sailing 0 15 m.p.h. Winds over 15 m.p.h. try the leads 28″ off center.

Main traveler on center until over powered, then move down or outward to control angle of heel.

Rules when easing main, the sail will camber (get deeper) when dropping traveler outward or down this act will depower. So much for set up by the numbers lets talk about sail handling and crew work, in winds around 10 m.p.h. which is boat speed conditions.

Considering the crew is all on the windward rail and hiking out the following guide lines must be followed.

• The lee rail must be wet or just dry. Never have any water on the deck because we will lose the lateral resistance of the bilge boards.
• If the outside tickler on the jib begins to flutter or jump and the boat goes flat in the water, the crew has missed the opportunity to move ahead of the wind pressure in order to maintain the perfect heel angle. If the inside tickler of the jib stalls it should be up to the helmsman to pull the bow down to maintain heel angle without crew movement.
• The crew and shipper must always present the boat for Mother Nature before she arrives to the boat. In short, if sailing into puff the skipper heads up the crew hikes and the mainsheet person and traveler person must stand ready to act. The jib person would be first to act if the new puff is a lift the jib should be cambered then the bow will start into the wind with little effort from the helmsman. Then the jib is trimmed once the heel angle is stabilized and the track of the hull is to the wind. This act is probably followed by the mainsheet person easing the main and the traveler lowered but only for the duration of the puff.

Most crews do really well on increase wind pressure but the crews that win anticipate the hulls and start the power up procedure before the boat enters the lull. This is the challenge and the crew calling the wind and pressure consistently will probably be the winner.

Bilge boards on the A are large in profile and can be pulled up to 8″ in a breeze to release the “constipation” and windward helm.

Obviously time in the boat is the big winner. A crew of 6 or 7 needs to work as one, with each person doing the job required to win or gain boat speed. Present the boat on every angle to the wind. (This must be practiced).

If the wind shifts up the wind, it certainly does down the wind and must be played aggressively in short learn how to jibe to take advantage.

Handling the asymmetrical spinnaker

• Always set up the sheets aft of the tack line.
• Tape main halyard, tack line, sheets so they will never release inadvertently.
• Stuff in chute bag clew first, tack second the leech and luff next.

Start hoist and when head is between spreaders, call for tack out. Halyard and tack line must always be pulled through cleats so if the sail hits the “piss” it will not fall completely into the “drag mode”. The clew sheets must be eased to facilitate a quick fill without a lot of side load that may capsize the rig.

Crew position as indicator to bilge board position. If 3 or more crew members are sitting to leeward the bilge board must be near to maximum down. If 3 or 4 crew members are on the high side (15 to 25 m.p.h.) the bilge board can now be pulled to 1/2 position. This will let the hull skid, then track to higher speeds under greater control.

Main trim 0 10 m.p.h. when crew is to leeward the sail trim is just beyond a luff (usually seen at the lower spreader). A very large effort by crew to wet the rail to reduce wetted surface. Helmsman scallops to leeward, working pressure to sail deep. The main must be eased, trimmed and played incessantly in these conditions.

15 to 25 m.p.h. with crew on the rail the main must be over trimmed just like ice boating because the wind has been brought forward trimmed to the low transom corner is experience. But watch it when jibing or takedowns, the main must immediately be eased to proper wind angle or capsize is possible.

The Mexican takedown is probably the safest of all takedowns and the simplest when approaching the bottom mark on starboard tack with a port rounding simply stay outside the 2 boat length circle until abeam of the mark to round to port. Step one is drop the starboard, step two is to over trim the kite as the helmsman begins to turn down. As the helmsman is pleased with the clew coming to the lee rail he accelerates the turn and at the same time calls “Monica”. (Blow the halyard) the boat jibes and the kite is against the rig the crew is on the proper high side of the boat as she reaches (not runs) to the mark to round. There can be a reverse Mexican which is jibing to starboard from above the lee mark and then jibe again to round to port or reverse Mexican could be used at the starboard gate (as we said above to round the port gate). The Mexican can be performed from a full plane to within 2 boat lengths of the mark turn.

Forward takedown can be used in winds under 10 m.p.h. This takedown starts by retrieving the lazy sheet by the 2nd crew forward or jib man this will be used to haul in foot as sail reverses. Next the tack line and sprit pole are released simultaneously and the 3 crew members go “zonkers” retrieving the foot the body of the sail as halyard is released dont use this system when crew is necessary on the rail for stability.

Windward takedown simply pull the clew to the port side of the boat when making a port tack approach be aggressive because the foot can catch the water between the tack and the forestay on the starboard side, the sheet tender must trim the windward sheet as the forward hands jump in to help with pulling on this windward sheet. xxx(Clews) keep the foot under tension and you wont shrimp). xxx When the foot of the sail is taut between tack and clew. Monica!

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THE MELGES 17

FUN. MODERN. EXCITING TO SAIL.

An alternative, double-handed scow, the Melges 17 has a reputation for being fast and fun in light or heavy air. A streamlined and sporty scow geared for speed, it is a quick and easy racer with a reputation for being a fun family boat. The rivalry pairings range from husband and wife to teamed siblings, making the Melges 17 the ultimate family racer!

• Light and easy sailing: hull weighs 335 lbs and the carbon fiber spar is only 16 lbs
• Features an advanced underdeck board system
• Incorporates the most innovative sailing concepts: exclusive Melges Hands Free Kite System™ (HFKS), roller furling Kevlar ®  jib with recessed roller furler, self-stepping mast design, new foil rudder and shaped boards derived from aluminum extrusions

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