Melges in Australia/Asia Pacific

As I was reading more articles about Melges 24 in the Asia Pacific region, I found the answer to my previous question. The Australian builder Northshore holds the license to build Melges 24’s and 32’s in both Australia and the entire Asia Pacific region.
Sail World magazine asked Northshore CEO Heath Walters why he thought the Wisconsin based company offered them the license to build the Melges. He answered: ‘…They were looking for an iconic name in boatbuilding. Which Northshore obviously is. It’s been operating since 1973. So Melges Boat Works were very interested to take that on. We’re a well known brand name in Australia. And we’re known for our quality boat building.’
Walters reports strong interest in the smaller Melges 24. The first two Australian built boats have been brought by owners based in Perth and Geelong. Northshore has three more boats on order and production booked till July. He specifies the interest in the Melges is nation wide as a few boats have already made base in Victoria, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. They will be coming together for the inaugural National Championship planned for Geelong 2008 with ten Melges 24’s.
Interest is spreading rapidly across the wider Asian region as well. The first yacht was just shipped to Korea and there has been a strong response from Japan. There are currently 12 second hand Melges in Japan and Northshore has been selling rigs and equipment to these owners. Enquiries have been coming in from South Africa who has a new fleet which is quickly increasing.
In order to keep all Northshore boat owners in contact, Heath Walters just launched a website/chat room at www.club.northshoreyachts.com.au

Melges 24 in Japan

After Australia and South Africa, Melges 24 is spreading rapidly in Japan. The class is growing thanks to the rapid increase in awareness and interest Japanese sailors are bringing to the Melges 24. As a result the Japanese Class Association is now going through a resurgence of interest and has therefore announced its regatta schedule for the 2007 season. The regattas will be used to strengthen the existing fleets but also to spark off new interests around the country. The class is becoming so successful, the Japanese Class Association plans to organize a Japanese National Championship towards the end of the year.

A Japanese Melges 24 Website exists for more information about the class. Unfortunately, it is in Japanese so I was not able to find more information on how they promoted the boat around the country. But it is clear that this business relies greatly on word off mouth promotion and having new sailors try out the Melges 24 in new countries is Melges Performance Sailboats best ally. By starting off in Japan, the Melges 24 may spread throughout Asia becoming one of the largest fleets around. World Championships were already held for Optimist in China a few years back, why not some time soon for Melges 24?
If indeed the fleet does expand, Melges Performance Sailboats may need to find a new builder-partner around Asia to be able to implement the demand in boats or will Melges rely on its Australian builder Melges Asia Pacific to do so?