Melen Marine Ltd.

Melen Marine Ltd. was a short-lived American sailboat manufacturer based in Encino, California, specializing in compact, affordable fiberglass pocket cruisers during the mid-1970s fiberglass boom. Operating from 1974 to 1975, the company produced only a few hundred boats before abruptly going bankrupt, likely due to economic pressures and market saturation in small sailboats. Founded amid the popularity of trailerable micros, Melen Marine focused on simple, versatile designs for novice sailors, families, and micro-cruisers seeking low-cost entry into boating—emphasizing ease of trailering, shallow draft, and basic overnight capability. Their sole notable product, the Guppy 13, became a cult classic, with hull numbers reaching around 300 by production's end (e.g., one documented #245 from October 1975). Post-bankruptcy, the Guppy molds were not immediately acquired, leaving the brand as a footnote in vintage sailing history, though its designs influenced later micros like the Sparrow series.