The Melonhead Home Page

Updated 12/15/07 fixing bad links, adding a video
1/30/08added link to Phil Maynard's web page annapolis

Sam Follansbee Melonhead in training. Block Island July 05

Sailing in a Brisk NW, October 1991

See The Video - Click Here. - Sailing the Melonseed in a BRISK NW wind. 1991 Potomac River, filmed by my Wonderful Brother in law Rick. I had the upper and lower snotters too loose that afternoon, that made it all the more rigorous. My brother in law Rick filmed away, while my nephew, Ben added commentary, he was really young at the time, maybe 4?.

See how the Melonseed handled the Northeaster of march '01 - click here to see.

"Melonheads" is a nickname given to a bunch of people who frequently get together to sail and talk about Melonseed Skiffs. The name was coined by Eric Peters of Scituate Massachusetts.

This page will contain links to information concerning the Melonheads, news, newsletters, and other things like that.

Elizabeth Durant Sailing her Melonseed in Cohasset MA

Roger Crawford accepting first prize for the Melonseed class at the 1991 Constitution Cup Regatta in Island Heights NJ. Roger Allan, then curator of small boats at the Philiadelphia Maritime Museum looks on. The Museum orchestrates this regatta.

This page is maintained by Andy Follansbee your friendly neighborhood Melonhead.

More Melonhead Pages

- Click Here to go to the Melonseed Skiff Melonheads discussion group on Yahoo. Yes- there is now a melonhead club on Yahoo! It is a discussion group with links and chats. All you need to do is sign up for yahoo and join the club. It is free too. Please email me at andy_follansbee "at yahoo.com" if you have trouble signing up and joining. I can send you an official invite via yahoo which will make it a little easier to get thru the signup process. This group was founded on 12/19/98.
How to teach your kids to love sailing
Year 2000 Summer Solstice Regatta - Duxbury & Plymouth.
Phil Maynard's Web Page. - Phil is a member of the Del Val TSCA and winner of the famous Annual Melnseed Race. He has built many boats including a stitch and glue melonseed. This page has photos of his travels and building his melonseed. Scroll down and find a few sailing videos too. Check out the Sandbagger Video!
Teak Rowing SeatsBuilt by fellow melonhead Eric Peters. Have a look. Buy One.
article by Barry Thomas of Mystic Seaport Museum about the melon seedSent to me by David Mendes of Israel, with permission to redistribute from Mystic Seaport.
Autumnal Equinox Sail -by Roger Rodibough - originally published in Messing About in Boats on Jan 1 1994.
Melonseed Modifications and tests
Pictures of Summer Solstice Regatta - 1996 A couple of nice pictures of that fine event.
1998 Summer Solstice Regatta Pictures and a little story about this wonderful event. NEW!! and incomplete. I have not scanned in all the pictures yet... if you have some, please pass them along.
1990 Constitution Cup Pictures and "unbiased" report on that fine event. A Good Read!
Sailing Melonseeds on Lake Mead Nevada Some nice pictures and a great story about Sailing on Lake Mead. Story by Chuck Camera of Las Vegas.
Sailing Melonseeds on Barnegat Bay Four nice pictures of what it is like out there where Melonseeds originated from.
Sailing Melonseeds on Duxbury Bay and Cohasset Nice pictures of what it is like out there where the new Melonseeds originated from.

Want to get Chapelle's original melonseed plan drawings?

Send $20 plus $5 shipping and handling to :
Ship Plans
Smithsonian Institution
PO Box 37012
NMAH 5004 / MRC 628
Washington, DC 20013-7012 USA
And ask for drawings by Howard Chapelle of the "New Jersey Melonseed Skiff".

Sad news, Jim Fetters Passed away last spring 2001. His obituary is available here from the capital news click here

This is a pictures of Jim's boat "Magellan's Melon".
Letter from Terry Oblander - This is a letter which I received from a good friend of Jim's - Terry Oblander with some memories about Jim. This page is maintained by Andy Follansbee your friendly neighborhood Melonhead. Email: andy_follansbee "at yahoo.com"

Links of Interest to Melonseed People:

Official Melonseed Skiff Home Page - This is the real Crawford Boat Building Page. It is worth a good look - has information on construction, history, and sailing techniques of melonseeds.
Mark Rosenstein's Sailing Page
Messing About In Boats - Now in its 25th Year! Over 600 Issues Published Since May 1983

Free counters provided by Honesty.com.