melges 20 sailboat for sale

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Melges 20: Best One-Design

• By Tony Bessinger
• Updated: December 19, 2008

There’s no refuting that the Melges 20 incorporates the best features of all of Melges’ boats into one sweet little package. If it weren’t for the chine running through the aft section, you’d think the Zenda crew simply shrank the Melges 24. Yes, it’s like the 24 in many ways, especially how it moves through the water, but this pint-size sportboat has its own personality traits-good ones, too.

“It’s a boat that I think would be fun to just take out and day sail,” said Stewart, touting the virtues of a boat that will have you itching to leave work early whenever the breeze is up. And the ease of getting the Melges 20 to the water, particularly if it’s drysailed, is all the more reason to do so.

Intended as a straight up one-design, the class rules have no crew-weight restrictions, but the boat will sail best with three average size adults. Class rules mandate legs-in hiking, and allow professionals to be owner/drivers so long as they own the boat.

The Melges 20’s deck layout is clean and functional, and with the vang mounted above the boom, the business end of the cockpit is wide open for the forward crew to handle the spinnaker and move effortlessly from side-to-side. Spinnaker sheets are led inside the cockpit aft, which keeps them inside the stanchions (and not under the boat). Padded backrests on the upper lifelines provide comfortable support for the crew to lean outboard, out of the skipper’s line of sight.

The design brief with this boat was to keep it as simple as possible, getting away from the micro tuning that is the norm in Melges 24 class competition. Fore-and-aft adjustable shroud cars (set with pins) on short tracks can change rig tension from 200 to 700 pounds with very little effort. Rig changes can be made between races without having to break out the tools.

Getting from trailer to water with the Melges 20 is an easy task, too. With a deck-stepped carbon rig and retractable carbon keel (with kelp cutter) it’s possible to get the boat fully rigged and sailing in less than an hour.

We sailed the boat in 4 to 6 knots of breeze, but the square-top main and masthead asymmetric spinnaker gave the boat lots of power in the light stuff. “It reacts well to crew weight placement,” said Allen, “and the adjustable shrouds make adjusting the rig to different breezes a snap.”

McConaghy Boats, which will be building the 20, has a great reputation, and the Melges 20 is a fine example of their operation in China. The hull is a vinylester, resin-infused sandwich laminate with a CoreCell core, ensuring a lightweight, strong, laminate with the weight consistency weight required to uphold a strict one-design standard. The boat comes from the factory faired and ready to sail, and our test boat was finished off superbly, with virtually none of the imperfections one usually finds with early builds.

The non-skid was good, edges were smooth, and the fittings were bedded tight. In fact, Melges had enough confidence in the boats coming out of China that they offer shipping direct from the factory to the client with a promise the boat will be ready to sail, right out of the box.

The Melges 20 has all the makings to establish a strong one-design fleet in short time. Yes, the price tag is significant, but fleet discounts are available, and the support of the Melges operation is there to nurse the fledgling class along. History has proven that any new one-design, no matter how great it is, is only as good as the builder support behind it. With the Melges 20, the judges were confident that in a few years time there will be a whole bunch of these planing around the racecourse in good company.

A quick little sportboat with firm one-design class rules, legs-in hiking, and great light-air performance. It delivers high-speed sailing and excellent stability in heavy air.

Spinnaker system, as tested, is still in development. Advanced boathandling skills and athleticism required in heavy air (which is a pro, if that’s what you like).

Designer’s mission accomplished?

Reichel/Pugh was tasked by Melges to design a next-generation, compact one-design that would be easy to rig and sail. The judges agreed that R/P and Melges attained all these goals, and then some: a lot less technical than the Melges 24, but just as fun.

Melges 20 Specs

www.melges.com

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2017 Melges M14

• Description

Seller's Description

2017 Melges 14 Class for sale

The hull (617) is a 2017 hull. The mast hole was repaired at Melges in 2022 and the hull is clean and in excellent condition.

Equipment: In addition to all of the standard rigging, it comes with the following:

• Rudder/Centerboard bag
• Beach Dolly
• Gill Dry Suit size large

The price is $4500 for everything.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

SAILS for different weights and/or conditions: Full-Range: 98 sq ft /9.1 m2 Mid-Range: 85 sq ft /7.8 m2

This listing is presented by SailboatListings.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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MELGES SAILBOATS

FUN. MODERN. EASY TO SAIL.

Designed by Botin Partners Naval Architecture and built by Premier Composite Technologies, the Melges 40 is a weapon for windward/leeward, inshore and coastal racing. Fresh off the design line, the Melges 40 strengthens a unique sailing/racing experience.

The Melges 32 ®  is one-design racing at its best. Since 2005, it has successfully delivered bigger, better sailing that is fun and competitive. Complementing its sporty attitude, it possesses one of the most fun regatta schedules that includes many prestigious venues supported by an organized and well-established class association.

The reputation of the Melges 24 ®  precedes itself. Best known for its very competitive disposition and easy-to-sail personality, this modern sportboat maintains its status as a leader in high-performance, one design yachting. With more than 850 boats sold, it continues a humbling tradition of America's Cup, Olympic Medallists, Volvo Ocean Race recruitment. Looking to improve on tactics and boat handling skills? The Melges 24 builds better sailors.

Simple, fun world-class racing at yachting's most celebrated venues. Corinthians and professionals alike. Year after year, that's what the Melges 20 Experience is all about. The Melges 20 fulfills the need for a more compact, yet spacious, fast, well-built sportboat. With its introduction, Melges Performance Sailboats delivered the next generation of sailboat racing and competition. An exclusive Reichel/Pugh keelboat design, it is advanced in every respect. Made with high-quality materials and easy to rig, the Melges 20 enjoys a well-established worldwide fleet and fan base.

Designed by Reichel/Pugh and built by Melges, the Melges 15 prioritizes stability, comfort, ease of use, and performance. The Melges 15’s stable hull shape and ergonomic cockpit make it a suitable layout for adult racing and educational sailing. Easy conversion from a club configuration (non-spinnaker) to a one-design setup, provides more versatility to club programs and options for individual owners. With the main design goals focused on stability and performance in a variety of conditions, the boat features a narrow overall beam and a flat cross-section shape for stability, righting moment, and ease of planing.

Designed by Reichel/Pugh, the Melges 14 is a modern singlehanded one-design with the ability to sail with two. With its large and open transom, there’s never a need to bail. The carbon mast and boom complement its flexible sail plan with three different size rigs. With boats in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa, the Melges 14 is a one-design fleet for the masses. Sailors can order a custom Melges 14 dolly, easily car top it or tow it behind any vehicle. It’s a perfect beach boat, family sailboat or a one-design racing platform. It is speed, quality, durability, comfort and fun wrapped into one dynamic sailing package.

MELGES A SCOW

With six to seven crew, the A Scow is the fastest and largest of the Melges Scow family. Nothing compares to its century of heritage, delivering a combination of raw power, speed and performance unmatched in one-design sailing. A true classic, the A Scow is monumental to watch, not to mention powerful to race.

MELGES E SCOW

The elegant and super sleek Melges E Scow™ delivers an electrifying ride. The ever-growing fleet of Melges E Scows boasts both impressive world-class competition and accessible family fun for everyone. For more than 80 years, the E Scow has founded the tradition of fun and fast sailboat racing all over North America, from lakes and bays to protected ocean harbors. More than 50+ boats can be seen on the starting line.

An alternative, double-handed scow, the Melges 17 has a reputation for being fast and fun in light or heavy air. The rivalry pairings range from husband and wives to teamed siblings, making the Melges 17 the ultimate family racer!

MELGES C SCOW

The C Scow was the first class of scow built by Harry C. Melges, Sr. in 1945; it quickly became an all-time speed favorite. Inspired by more than 100 years of competitive racing, this cat-rigged, maneuverable sailboat is great fun and a total pleasure to sail. A modern, versatile and easy-to-sail boat, it accommodates 2-3 crew and is super-charged with a large, powerful mainsail. Built with integrity, the Melges C Scow™ is fast and calibrated superlatively for speed. It is one of the most friendly and popular classes in the Melges Scow family, producing as many as 80+ boats on the starting line.

An original design by the Melges family, the Melges MC is cat-rigged boat with one of the largest one-design fleets in all of North America. It is unique in the fact that you can sail single-handed or double-handed – Sailing solo is easy, taking a crew is fun! There are more than 100 fleets nationwide with more than 2,700 MCs actively racing each year.

MELGES X BOAT

The Melges X Boat® makes learning to sail fun, easy and addictive. For youth sailors, it is a rewarding experience that ultimately fosters a deep passion for the sport. Boasting a regular showing of over 100 boats at the X Inland Championship, it is one of the most active youth sailing fleets in North America. The Melges X Boat Experience not just about the racing. It’s about the community – Making lifelong friends through sailing, volleyball, and just plain fun. The Melges X Boat is the perfect, uncomplicated trainer designed specifically to be safe for novice sailors yet competitive & fun for aspiring junior racers. Fast and super smooth, it truly enables concise development and instruction of basic boat handling skills, maneuvers and racing tactics.

O’PEN SKIFF

Designed specifically for juniors, the little dinghy has blown a big breath of fresh air through our sailing world, close to the new-generation skiff concept, very fast and very simple. 100% open, self-bailing, rapid and responsive, with an up-to-date versatile rig, the O'pen Skiff offers kids a machine that delivers maximum fun while helping them learn the skills and reflexes to enjoy racing on current, high-performance equipment. Hundreds of sailing clubs around the world have opted for the O'pen Skiff, for a new, fun way of teaching sailing to appeal to youngsters attracted to new sail sports.

SKEETA & NIKKI

The Skeeta and Nikki are singlehanded foiling designs built by Jim and David French in Melbourne, AUS. The scow’s stability and ease are only further enhanced by the performance and durability of the wings and aluminum foils. Melges Performance Sailboats is the exclusive dealer for the Skeeta and the Nikki in North America.

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