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Buddy Melges

1930-2023

Harry Clemons Melges

Jr., best known as Buddy Melges, and considered one of the greatest sailors of all time, has died at age 93. One could say that his competitive sailing and messing around in boats were bred in the bone.

When his father, Harry Melges Sr., returned home from the Second World War in 1945, he launched Melges Boat Works in Zenda, Wiscon- sin, providing Buddy with ample opportunity to perfect his sailing skills. Later, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, but his studies were interrupted when he was drafted into the Korean War, during which he earned a Bronze Star.

Buddy continued to sail competitively after Korea and in 1964, he won a bronze Olympic medal in the Soling Class, then a gold medal in the Flying Dutchman Class at the 1967 Pan

American Games in Winnipeg, followed by a gold in the Flying Dutchman Class in the 1972 Olympics in Kiel, Germany. Not resting on these laurels, he won the Star championships in 1978 and 1979, while also becoming 5.5 Metre world champion in 1967, 1973 and 1983. He collected additional championships between 1959 and 1983 as well as many other trophies. He became known as the Wizard of Zenda and his talents were so profound he could apply them to many different one-design racing boats. He also applied his formidable sailing skills to winning skeeter iceboat races, wrapping up seven first places between 1955 and 1981. He mentored many sailors and in 1983 wrote a popular sailing handbook, Sailing Smart

Arguably his most prestigious sailing grit was demonstrated when he competed in two America’s Cups. He raced in the 1987 Perth, Australia, contest but did not win the prize. But in the 1992 race off San Diego, at age 62, he helmed America3, financed and skippered by billionaire businessman

Bill Koch. They took home the trophy. “Buddy is the Leonardo da Vinci of sailing,” Koch said in a video.

Buddy was honoured numerous times—among the many laurels, he became US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman of the Year three times and was twice named One Design Sailor of the Year. According to the Melges website, Buddy won more than 60 major

RENDEZVOUS & REGATTAS

Chris Craft Rendezvous

Port Orchard, WA

July 13–16

SOAR

July 21–23

Gibsons Regatta

July 22–23

C&C Rendezvous

Telegraph Harbour Marina

August 4–6

Cow Bay

August 5–6

Maple Bay

September 2–3

CRASH

September 16–17 national and international sailing championships and was inducted in the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, the World Sailing Hall of Fame in the same year, and the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2011.

During all these sailing events, the re-named Melges Performance Sailboats Company continued to flourish. Buddy collaborated with yacht designer team Reichel/ Pugh, and along with other sizes, built the Melges 24, of which at least 900 hulls have been produced. The Melges 24 are known around the world and hold their world championship races in places ranging from Miami to Helsinki to Dubai (the Royal Victoria Yacht Club hosted the 2018 Melges 24 World Championship regatta).

Buddy leaves behind his wife of 69 years, Gloria, and children Laura, Hans and Harry III, as well as seven grandkids. The Melges traditions, however, continue: son Harry III runs the company and grandson Harry IV has qualified for the US Olympic Sailing Team.

—Marianne Scott