Yes, too much water will kill the flavor you are looking for and might even kill the plants. Last year was a prime example, when all my melons were nearly flavorless. I assume you are talking about cracking and not netting. Netting is a sign they are getting ripe. When they are ready you should be able to easily pull them off the stem, but don't wait until they fall off because then they may be overripe.

How do you plan to hold the fruit up on the trellis? The weight of them will pull them off before they've had a chance to ripen.

I've heard nylons (panty hose) make a great sling to hold fruit on a trellis.

Yup, pantyhose is the answer! This is my third year
growing them on a trellis (so much less space!), but you
need to be sure that trellis is STRONG - I had a major collapse the fisrt year - and I was certainly dubious about
the pantyhose trick, but it worked like a charm. From
experimentation, I find it easier to wait until the melon
is about the size of a golf ball (or slighter larger) before slipping the bottom 8"-9" of pantyhose over the fruit; then tie off the top SECURELY (heavy cord) and secure the cord to a crosspiece on your lattice/trellis
that can support the full weight of a mature melon. Center
sections (the leg) of pantyhose can also be used by tying
off the bottom end first - I get six "slings" out of each pair of hose. . . I try very hard NOT to water my melons
(for reasons suggested above) but mulch them heavily with 6" of straw - did have to cheat a little (mini-watering?)
during the recent drought.

Melons are one of the crops I use permeable row cover on, the other is tomatoes. I never tried mulching melons at all fearing that the soil wouldn't get hot enough and delay ripening. Most years in fact, the melon vines travel from the permeable row cover to a section of clear plastic. While I'm not big in general on plastic in the garden, I do make an exception for melons because it heats up nicely, stops the weeds, and keeps the fruits off the soil. Last year was the first time in 20 years my crop was a complete failure, due to constant rain and a plague of woodchucks, and this year is the first year I haven't planted them, mainly due to a continued woodchuck plague. Here's hoping you all have a bumper crop, they sure are a pleasure.
And oh yes, I should have guessed old panty hose - but I'm the wrong gender.

Very glad to hear someone has melons. I have 5 vines out there and because of the cucumber beetles, thus wilt, I don't have a single melon. I never even got any female flowers. I'll pass next year, or try another spot.
Good luck and I hope they are delicious!
Pat

Thanks for all of your responses.
I've tied them up using cheesecloth...sort of making a sling and tying the sling to a cross bar on the trellis.
I have had loads of flowers and have seven, approx 10 in. melons.
Now I'm noticing some wilt and because I'm new to gardening, I haven't been sure what was causing it. Is this due to beetles? Now what?