Melges 32
Encyclopedia
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The Melges 32 is a one-design
One-design
One-Design is a racing method where all vehicles or boats have identical or very similar designs or models. It is also known as Spec series. It is heavily used in sailboat racing. All competitors in a race are then judged based on a single start time...
class of sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
commonly used for racing. The boat is notable for its ability to plane over the water downwind in modest winds, and for its combination of a simple design that is highly tunable.
The Melges 32 is produced by Melges Performance Sailboats
Melges Performance Sailboats
Melges Performance Sailboats, is a United States company founded by Harry Melges, father of former Olympic sailor Buddy Melges. The company's headquarters is in Zenda, Wisconsin. The about six hundred existing boats are approximately evenly split between North America and Europe, with fleets in...
, a United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
company founded by Harry Melges
Buddy Melges
Harry "Buddy" Melges, Jr., is one of the most successful competitive sailors in history, with dozens of national and international championships in many different classes, including ice-boating as well as conventional sailing...
. It was designed by the Reichel/Pugh
Reichel/Pugh
Reichel/Pugh is a yacht design company based in San Diego, California, USA. It is led by John Reichel and Jim Pugh.Since the late 1990s, Reichel/Pugh-designed yachts have successfully competed in many major races, including the America's Cup...
design team and went into production in 2005. The boat is 9.7m (31ft 10in) long and 3m (9ft 10in) wide at the beam. It carries around 93m² (1800ft²) of sail area, main, jib and asymmetrical spinnaker combined. Upwind, it has a mainsail
Mainsail
A mainsail is a sail located behind the main mast of a sailing vessel.On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast....
and 105% jib
Jib
A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast...
. Downwind, it has a large 103-121m² (1,113-1,302ft²) asymmetrical spinnaker
Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
that flies from a retractable bowsprit
Bowsprit
The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a pole extending forward from the vessel's prow. It provides an anchor point for the forestay, allowing the fore-mast to be stepped farther forward on the hull.-Origin:...
.
The boat's hull is made from lightweight fiberglass. The mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
, rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
, bowsprit
Bowsprit
The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a pole extending forward from the vessel's prow. It provides an anchor point for the forestay, allowing the fore-mast to be stepped farther forward on the hull.-Origin:...
, and keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
fin are made from carbon fiber for light weight. The hull is generally flat on the bottom, making it plane easily. The 778kg (1700 pound) keel fin and keel bulb can retract up to the hull bottom to make it easier to put on a trailer.
The boat is generally raced with a crew of five or more. Because the boat sails faster with a heavier crew, class rules for racing limit crew weight to 629kg total.
Strict one design class rules govern the Melges 32 amateur owner/driver requirements, professional crew limitations and crew weight maximum to limit the number of crew.
On the 21st of November 2008 the ISAF (international sailing federation) recognised the Melges 32 as an international class, having fleets in Europe, North America and Australia.
External links
- Melges 32 - Manufacturer's description and info
- Melges 32 Class Association - Owners racing class
- Melges 32 Photo Gallery - Provided by Class Association
- Soca Sailboats - Builder's homepage
- Melges Asia Pacific - Melges Australia
- Northshore - Northshore Yachts Australia