Designed – or rather created – by Botín Partners for Melges Boats, nothing like or on the supply scale of the new Melges 40 has been seen before in the sport. A confluence of the latest performance technology wrapped up in a one-design package that if successful may rewrite the rule books on windward-leeward and coastal racing using the ultimate ‘level-rating’ platform. Adolfo Carrau explains why this project is so special…

That the Melges 40 design has been such a fascinating project is in part because while this is a production-built raceboat it is also genuinely groundbreaking.

The concept was first brought to us by Melges Europe president Federico Michetti, and both he and his US counterpart Harry Melges III have maintained their passion for their new baby ever since having that first kernel of an idea.

This will be the largest boat ever to be built for the Melges brand, but it still shares 100 per cent the same philosophy of producing a fast, fun and sporty raceboat. Both Michetti and Melges were seeking an exciting 40ft racer to refresh monohull sailing at the mid-sized range and to attract sailors who already enjoy one-design racing – whether on an existing Melges or another product – but who now want to take it to the next level. So the vision of building a superlight canting-keel racer was one we all jumped on with enthusiasm.