Melges 32

Melges 32
Development
Class symbol

Designer	Reichel/Pugh
Year	2005
Design	One-design
Boat
Crew	5+
Draft	2.1 m (6 ft 11 in)
Hull
Hull weight	1,712 kg (3,774 lb)
LOA	9.7 m (32 ft)
Beam	3 m (9.8 ft)
Sails
Mainsail area	41.3 m² (445 sq ft)
Jib / Genoa area	23.6 m² (254 sq ft)

The Melges 32 is a one-design class of sailboat commonly used for racing. The sportsboat 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, a United States company founded by Harry Melges. It was designed by the Reichel/Pugh design team and went into production in 2005. The boat is 9.7 m (31 ft 10 in) long and 3 m (9 ft 10 in) wide at the beam. It carries around 93 m² (1,000 sq ft) of sail area, main, jib and asymmetrical spinnaker combined. Upwind, it has a mainsail and 105% jib. Downwind, it has a large 103–121 m² (1,110–1,300 sq ft) Asymmetrical spinnaker that flies from a retractable bowsprit.

The boat's hull is made from lightweight fiberglass. The mast, rudder, bowsprit, and keel fin are made from carbon fiber for light weight. The hull is generally flat on the bottom, making it plane easily. The 778 kg (1,715 lb) 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 629 kg 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 21 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

Classes of World Sailing

Current Olympic classes	470 49er 49er FX Finn Laser Laser Radial RS:X Nacra 17

ISAF centreboard classes	29er 420 505 B14 Byte Cadet Contender Enterprise Europe Fireball Flying Dutchman Flying Junior GP14 Int. 14 Laser 2 Laser 4.7 Lightning Mirror Moth Musto Performance Skiff O'pen BIC OK Dinghy Optimist RS Feva RS Tera RS100 RS500 Snipe Splash Sunfish Tasar Topper Vaurien Zoom 8

ISAF keelboat classes	12 mR 2.4 mR 5.5 m 6 mR 8 mR Dragon Etchells Flying 15 Hansa 2.3 Hansa 303 Hansa Liberty H-boat J/22 J/24 J/70 J/80 Melges 20 Melges 24 Melges 32 Micro Platu 25 RC44 SB20 Shark 24 Soling Sonar Star Tempest Yngling

ISAF yacht classes	Class40 Farr 30 (Mumm 30) Farr 40 IMOCA 60 J/111 International Maxi Association Soto 40 Swan 45 Swan 60 TP 52 X-35 X-41

ISAF multihull classes	A-Class Dart 18 Formula 16 Formula 18 Hobie 14 Hobie 16 Hobie Dragoon Hobie Tiger Hobie Wildcat Nacra Infusion SL 16 Topcat K1 Tornado Viper F16

ISAF windsurfer classes	Formula Experience Formula Windsurfing Funboard Kona Mistral Raceboard RS:One Speed Windsurfing Techno 293

ISAF kiteboarding classes	International Kiteboarding Association

International Radio Sailing Association classes	10 rater A Class Marblehead One Metre

Former ISAF classes	11:Metre One Design 29erXX Aloha Buzz C-Class Division I Division II Division III Elliott 6m Farr 45 Farr Maxi One Design Hobie 17 Hobie 18 IOD ISO Laser Vago Lechner A-390 Mistral Junior Mumm 36 Nacra F18 Open 50 ORMA 60 Sydney 40 Ultimate 20 Windglider X-99

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