What vicarious joy you have brought! The simplicity of the Melonseed is the main attraction to its utility and appeal. Gentle breezes, Mainsheet, tiller, bailer. A thermos of hot coffee or tea. What else does a person need?
Salut Michel ... yes, that really was fun! We're in dry-suit weather now. Still two weeks left in October so I hope to sail again before the boat goes into storage in November.
Hello, Thanks for posting video. I was at HYC watching you from shore. It was a winding day for sure. I went to Jack Layton Park but you had gone. Really like to hear your thoughts on the Melonseed? I know you built 2 and have watched your other videos. Very inspiring. Chuck
Hi Chuck, thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the show both from shore and on-line! Sorry I missed you at Jack Layton park ... maybe next time.I haven't built any Melonseeds but I've been sailing Grenville for eight summers now. I really like the simplicity, ruggedness and pleasing lines. It was a little dear to acquire new from the builder but as they say, you get what you pay for. Absolutely no regrets about having a Melonseed in my life.
The boat could have gone even better if fitted with a tiller extension so the helmsman could sit on the side deck and hike out, and if the mainsheet had more purchase.
Thanks for this observation. A few Melonseed sailors have been known to sit out on the side deck to increase the righting moment but this is not a common thing. Most of the time, the hull form combined with the sprit rig’s ability to naturally spill wind in the higher gusts helps to keep the boat upright. Part of the appeal of the Melonseed is its simplicity based as it is on a century old gunning skiff so hiking straps and tiller extensions don’t really add to the experience of sailing this wonderful little boat. This is my eighth season sailing the boat and I’ve yet to capsize … unlike my years racing a Laser where going over was a regular occurrence! Hold fast!
@@GrenvilleMelonseedSkiff496 I purchased an early Laser in the 1970's with my paper route money. "Death roll" downwind as a lightweight early teenager! Wild rides. Reverse capsize. I just purchased a Crawford Melonseed (#469) and also 2 weeks later, a 1974 Laser. (I just had to when one came up cheap and local!) I love the idea of the Melonseed with no hiking, sitting down in the skiff. (A couple grands I want to introduce to sailing.) Love your videos.....I watch one or two every night. Thank you so much for sharing. (I would love if you took a sail in Lake Memphremagog. I think there is a launch near Lord's Island...and a sail past Monk's Bay, into Sargeant's Bay......times of my youth......you would love it!) Here is a view from the city of Magog. Lord's Island in the distance. Owl's Head Mountain in the distance. Sargeant's Bay is on the right (west) before you get to Owl's Head. Usual wind is coming north up the lake. Tack south, and ride home downwind. cdn.britannica.com/46/144346-050-8D2C97D6/Lake-Memphremagog.jpg
@@saabtech3510 Thanks for the memories and glad you’re enjoying watching Melonseed videos. Congrats on MS469!! The Montreal Melonseed fleet is always on the lookout for new sailing grounds so we’ll have to investigate Memphremagog. PS: Not sure if you’ve joined the Melonseed Melonheads online group but here’s the link … groups.io/g/melonseedskiffmelonheads
Thanks! PS: I liked your last helicopter video ... nice to see your catamaran on takeoff! I have a PPL glider rating so I'm really liking those flying sequences! Well done!
What vicarious joy you have brought! The simplicity of the Melonseed is the main attraction to its utility and appeal. Gentle breezes, Mainsheet, tiller, bailer. A thermos of hot coffee or tea. What else does a person need?
A perfect summation of the Melonseed experience! ⛵️😀
Fantastic video! Marvallous little dinghy in a beautiful bay. I liked the end with the arrival in the sheltered spot with autumn leaves. Love Canada!
Molte grazie Enrico! Autumn winds and colours are perfect for sailing. Of course a dry suit helps when the temperatures start to head toward freezing!
Great video. We were out in the same wind. Finally dropped out when it hit 30 knots. We were on the green shields racing at HYC.
Thanks Jim! I managed to find myself mixed up with the HYC fleet at the start of the race! I really had to keep my head on a swivel for a while there!
Wow!... That must have felt good!... 😎👍
Salut Michel ... yes, that really was fun! We're in dry-suit weather now. Still two weeks left in October so I hope to sail again before the boat goes into storage in November.
@@GrenvilleMelonseedSkiff496 I hope you will! (I got to get myself a suit like that!) 😉
Hope I can get as comfortable as you seem to be in those kind of winds!
It won’t take long I’m sure … the boat really comes alive in a big breeze! Too much fun!
Hello, Thanks for posting video. I was at HYC watching you from shore. It was a winding day for sure. I went to Jack Layton Park but you had gone. Really like to hear your thoughts on the Melonseed? I know you built 2 and have watched your other videos. Very inspiring. Chuck
Hi Chuck, thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the show both from shore and on-line! Sorry I missed you at Jack Layton park ... maybe next time.I haven't built any Melonseeds but I've been sailing Grenville for eight summers now. I really like the simplicity, ruggedness and pleasing lines. It was a little dear to acquire new from the builder but as they say, you get what you pay for. Absolutely no regrets about having a Melonseed in my life.
No dry sailing in this boat in that wind. Good fun! #490
A Melonseed in light airs or a big breeze … it’s all good!
Nice 😁
Kösz!
The boat could have gone even better if fitted with a tiller extension so the helmsman could sit on the side deck and hike out, and if the mainsheet had more purchase.
Thanks for this observation. A few Melonseed sailors have been known to sit out on the side deck to increase the righting moment but this is not a common thing. Most of the time, the hull form combined with the sprit rig’s ability to naturally spill wind in the higher gusts helps to keep the boat upright. Part of the appeal of the Melonseed is its simplicity based as it is on a century old gunning skiff so hiking straps and tiller extensions don’t really add to the experience of sailing this wonderful little boat. This is my eighth season sailing the boat and I’ve yet to capsize … unlike my years racing a Laser where going over was a regular occurrence! Hold fast!
@@GrenvilleMelonseedSkiff496 I purchased an early Laser in the 1970's with my paper route money. "Death roll" downwind as a lightweight early teenager! Wild rides. Reverse capsize. I just purchased a Crawford Melonseed (#469) and also 2 weeks later, a 1974 Laser. (I just had to when one came up cheap and local!) I love the idea of the Melonseed with no hiking, sitting down in the skiff. (A couple grands I want to introduce to sailing.) Love your videos.....I watch one or two every night. Thank you so much for sharing. (I would love if you took a sail in Lake Memphremagog. I think there is a launch near Lord's Island...and a sail past Monk's Bay, into Sargeant's Bay......times of my youth......you would love it!) Here is a view from the city of Magog. Lord's Island in the distance. Owl's Head Mountain in the distance. Sargeant's Bay is on the right (west) before you get to Owl's Head. Usual wind is coming north up the lake. Tack south, and ride home downwind. cdn.britannica.com/46/144346-050-8D2C97D6/Lake-Memphremagog.jpg
@@saabtech3510 Thanks for the memories and glad you’re enjoying watching Melonseed videos. Congrats on MS469!! The Montreal Melonseed fleet is always on the lookout for new sailing grounds so we’ll have to investigate Memphremagog. PS: Not sure if you’ve joined the Melonseed Melonheads online group but here’s the link …
groups.io/g/melonseedskiffmelonheads
@@GrenvilleMelonseedSkiff496 Thanks much!
❤️ it, as usual! Great sailing and music well combined! ... Check out my most recent video from 16 October.
Thanks! PS: I liked your last helicopter video ... nice to see your catamaran on takeoff! I have a PPL glider rating so I'm really liking those flying sequences! Well done!