MC Scow
The MC Scow is one of the most popular one-design classes in the United States. It’s a potent, dynamic dinghy with a big sail and a tall mast, that powers up quickly in light air and easily jumps on a plane when the breeze comes up. It’s also a stable, comfortable boat. You can walk across the deck, and easily tack and jibe without wearing a helmet or being a gymnast.
The MC weighs a bit more than many modern dinghies of similar size – 420 Lbs. As a result, the boats are durable and have a long competitive life. Thirty-year-old boats routinely win races. More important, the MC accommodates a wide range of sailors by body type and sailing style. You can be competitive anywhere between 160 and 230 Lbs., with either 1 or 2 people. There’s obviously some advantage to being light in light air and heavy in heavy air, but it’s not the deal breaker that it would be on other single-handers.
Thanks to an active class association and a supportive builder (Melges), parts and expertise are widely available. There are at least 6 sailmakers who actively design and sell MC sails. They are all dacron and the max dimensions are strictly enforced, but you can get a sail tailored to your needs, and the competition keeps the price down.
The MC fleet at MBYC is 15 years old. All of us have owned and raced other boats, and most of us would tell you that the MC has been the easiest and most fun to sail. You don’t need to recruit and train crew, there’s no arms race for new equipment, and the fleet is friendly and Corinthian. It takes about 10 minutes from the time you hit the gate until you’re sailing, and the boat is ideal for the prevailing conditions on Mission Bay.
For more information, please contact one of our co-fleet captains:
Bill Mendel, kcmendel@aol.com
Ev Meade, ev.meade@yahoo.com
