[5] He gained a degree in aerospace engineering from Boston University after graduating in 1985.
[2] For five years, Melvin worked in aircraft design at McDonnell Douglas.
[5] At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Melvin competed in the Tornado event, finishing in 14th place.
[7] In 1994, along with Gino Morrelli,[8] Melvin designed the Hobie Wave catamaran.
[9][10] In 2010, they were both part of the team that built the USA-17 racing trimaran which went on to win the 2010 America's Cup.