Here’s a fairly close rendering of what the long-rumored Melges 40 will look like if Harry and the boys can get firm commitments from a few more potential owners. Designed by R/P to meet the HPR rule as well as to provide a one-design platform for owners looking for a replacement for the Farr 40 and other Grand Prix dinosaurs, it’ll have a pedestal, square top, and massive kites on a most likely retractable sprit, with a target price of around half a million, midway between the cost of a McConaghy 38 and a no-options Carkeek 40. The MC38 has proven that there’s a one-design market for a boat this size, at least in Australia – are the Melges strongholds of the US and Italy calling out for the same thing at a higher price? With Melges 20 and 32 participation down for the better part of a year now, we hope to see the sport’s best performance sailing cheerleaders fix their house before building a new one…more info in the thread here and the R/P rendering (of the very close HPR40, not the M40) from their site.
