Melges 32

Melges 32

Development
Designer	Reichel/Pugh
Location	United States
Year	2004
No. built	230
Builder(s)	Melges Performance Sailboats SOCA Sailboats
Role	Racer
Name	Melges 32
Boat
Crew	five
Displacement	3,774 lb (1,712 kg)
Draft	7.00 ft (2.13 m)
Hull
Type	monohull
Construction	composite material
LOA	31.83 ft (9.70 m)
LWL	28.50 ft (8.69 m)
Beam	9.83 ft (3.00 m)
Hull appendages
Keel/board type	lifting keel
Ballast	1,570 lb (712 kg)
Rudder(s)	spade-type rudder
Rig
Rig type	Bermuda rig
I foretriangle height	39.90 ft (12.16 m)
J foretriangle base	10.80 ft (3.29 m)
P mainsail luff	44.00 ft (13.41 m)
E mainsail foot	15.40 ft (4.69 m)
Sails
Sailplan	fractional rigged sloop
Mainsail area	445 sq ft (41.3 m^2)
Jib/genoa area	254 sq ft (23.6 m^2)
Spinnaker area	1,302 sq ft (121.0 m^2)
Gennaker area	774 sq ft (71.9 m^2)
Upwind sail area	719 sq ft (66.8 m^2)
Downwind sail area	2,021 sq ft (187.8 m^2)

The Melges 32 is an American sailboat that was designed by Reichel/Pugh as a one-design racer and first built in 2004.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The design is an accepted World Sailing international class.^[7]

Production

The design has been built by Melges Performance Sailboats in the United States, since 2004, with 230 boats completed and remains in production. It was also at one time built by SOCA Sailboats of Laventille, Trinidad and Tobago.^{[1][2][8][9][10][11]}

Design

2009 US Melges 32 North American Sailing Championship on San Francisco Bay

The Melges 32 is a racing keelboat, built predominantly of composite material. It has a 7/8 fractional sloop rig with dual swept spreaders, a keel-stepped mast and carbon fiber spars. The hull is built from fiberglass reinforced epoxy and a PVC fiberglass epoxy sandwich. The hull has a nearly-plumb stem, an open reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller and a retractable carbon fiber lifting keel with a lead bulb weight. It displaces 3,774 lb (1,712 kg) and carries 1,570 lb (712 kg) of lead ballast.^[1][2][6]

The boat has a draft of 7.00 ft (2.13 m) with the keel extended. With it retracted the boat can be operated in shallow water or transported on a boat trailer.^[1][2]

The boat is normally fitted with a small 10 hp (7 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering.^[6]

For sailing downwind the design may be equipped with an asymmetrical spinnaker of 1,302 sq ft (121.0 m²), a reaching gennaker of 774 sq ft (71.9 m²) or a light air reaching asymmetrical spinnaker (VMG) of 1,113 sq ft (103.4 m²).^[1][2]

The design has a hull speed of 7.15 kn (13.24 km/h).^[2]

Operational history

The boat is supported by an active class club that organizes racing events, the International Melges 32 Class Association.^[12][13]

Events

Main article: List of Melges 32 championships

See also

• List of sailing boat types

References

1. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Melges 32 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
2. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Melges 32". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
3. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
4. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
5. Melges Performance Sailboats (17 September 2022). "The Melges 32". melges.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
6. "Melges 32". Boat-Specs.com. 2022. Archived from the original on 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
7. World Sailing (2022). "Melges 32". sailing.org. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
8. McArthur, Bruce (2021). "Melges Performance Sailboats". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
9. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Melges Performance Sailboats". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 14 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
10. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "SOCA Sailboats Ltd. 1996 - 2015". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
11. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "SOCA Sailboats Ltd". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
12. McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Melges 32 Class Web Site". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
13. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Melges 32 Class Web Site". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.

External links

• Official website