BoatsMelges 14

Melges 14

Cat (unstayed) · Dbrd. Dinghy · First built 2016

A high-performance, ultra-lightweight dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig designed by Reichel/Pugh for pure speed

Designed by Reichel & Pugh.

LOA
Beam
Displacement
Hull type
Dbrd. Dinghy

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

TrailerableBeam 1.58 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 54 kg of hull, so roughly 650 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.
LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a beamy beam gives 1 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 1
CoastalBluewater

At 4.22 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 4.22
LightHeavy

20 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 20
EasygoingPowered-up

63.8 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 63.8

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Lighter than ~89% of boats her size on file

Compared with 372 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cat (unstayed)
Ratios
SA / displacement
63.8
Displacement / length
19.5
Comfort ratio
1.5
Capsize screening
4.22
Hull speed
5.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
260
Hull
Hull type
Dbrd. Dinghy
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 2016
Designer
Reichel, Pugh
Builder
Melges Boat Co

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

McDougall Waszp3.35 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA one-design foiling dinghy featuring wings and an unstayed rig, built in the thousands for high-performance racing
Topper International Topper3.40 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterAn Ian Proctor-designed polypropylene dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and three versatile sail-area configurations
Alcort Sunfish4.24 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthWith a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 47.02, this nimble 4.24-meter dinghy remains a benchmark for simple
Several Under License 29er4.40 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing
Ilca 4 (Laser 4.7)4.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bruce Kirby-designed dinghy sharing the classic Laser hull, optimized with a smaller sail plan for lighter sailors
Spindrift 134.06 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Hubert Vandestadt-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively, responsive sailing

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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