Melges 14

Melges 14

Development
Designer	Reichel/Pugh
Location	United States
Year	2016
Builder(s)	Melges Performance Sailboats
Role	Racer
Name	Melges 14
Boat
Crew	One
Displacement	120 lb (54 kg)
Draft	4.5 ft (1.4 m) with daggerboard down
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	fiberglass
LOA	14.00 ft (4.27 m)
LWL	14.00 ft (4.27 m)
Beam	5.20 ft (1.58 m)
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	daggerboard
Rudder(s)	transom-mounted rudder
Rig
Rig type	Catboat rig
Sails
Sailplan	Catboat
Mainsail area	97.00 sq ft (9.012 m^2)
Total sail area	97.00 sq ft (9.012 m^2)

The Melges 14 is an American planing sailboat that was designed by Reichel/Pugh as a one-design racer and first built in 2016.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The design was named Sailing World magazine's "Best Dinghy" of 2016.^[6]

Production

The design has been built by Melges Performance Sailboats in the United States since 2016 and remains in production.^{[1][2][5][7][8]}

Design

The Melges 14 is a racing sailing dinghy, built predominantly of PVC-cored fiberglass. It is raced with one sailor but can carry two adults. It has a catboat rig with a carbon fiber, two-piece mast and single-piece boom. The sail is made from Mylar. The hull has a plumb stem and a plumb, open transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller with an extension and a retractable daggerboard. It displaces 130 lb (59 kg).^[1][2][5][6]

The boat has a draft of 4.5 ft (1.4 m) with the daggerboard extended. Removing the daggerboard allows operation in shallow water, beaching, or ground transportation on a trailer or automobile roof.^[5]

There are three different sized sails for different crew weights or wind conditions. The gold rig has an area of 97 sq ft (9.0 m²), the blue 85 sq ft (7.9 m²) and the red 58.8 sq ft (5.46 m²). The smaller sail sizes use shorter mast top sections.^[1][2][5]

Operational history

In a 2019 review in Sailing World Dave Reed wrote, "the Melges 14, the judges agreed, is a righteous challenger to the Laser's kingdom. It was recognized as the best dinghy in 2016, and it's a boat that will make you want to drop everything, rig up and go sailing when the breeze is on."^[6]

See also

• List of sailing boat types

References

1. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Melges 14 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
2. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Melges 14". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
3. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
4. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
5. Melges Performance Sailboats (14 September 2022). "The Melges 14". melges.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
6. Reed, Dave (19 April 2019). "Best Dinghy: Melges 14 Review". Sailing World. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
7. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Melges Performance Sailboats". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
8. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Melges Performance Sailboats". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.

External links

• Official website