mega byte sailboat

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One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 60

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About Megabyte

Specifications: Length: 14′ 3″ (4.34 m) Beam: 5′ 2″ (1.57 m) Mainsail area: 100 sq.ft. (9.29 m²) Hull weight: 130 lb. (59 kg) Sails & Rigging: Fully battened Mylar sail (MK II rig) or the original and more conventional MK I rig which has the stiffer mast and partially battened sail. Carbon fiber 2-piece mast – flexible for controlling the power in the sail. Vang, Outhaul and Cunningham control lines are well led to the cockpit sides.

Boats Produced: Approximately 385

Class boat builder(s):

Zim Sailing 33 Broadcommon Road Unit 1 Bristol RI, 02809 Call us: (401) 237-6117

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 360

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

New England Mid Atlantic Mid West Northwest Coast

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? No

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  1

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  130 lbs. to 220

Portsmouth Yardstick Rating:   90.80

Boat Designed in  The Megabyte was designed by Bruce Farr and Ian Bruce in 2000

Length (feet/inches): Length: 14′ 3″ (4.34 m)

Beam: Beam: 5′ 2″ (1.57 m)

Weight of rigged boat without sails: Hull weight: 130 lb. (59 kg)

Draft: raft: 2′-6″

Mast Height: 23′

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• Sailboat Guide

Megabyte is a 14 ′ 2 ″ / 4.3 m monohull sailboat designed by Bruce Farr and built by Performance Sailcraft and Zim Sailing starting in 2005.

• 2 / 5 Catonsville, MD, US 2008 Megabyte $2,750 USD View
• 3 / 5 Catonsville, MD, US 2008 Megabyte $2,750 USD View
• 4 / 5 Catonsville, MD, US 2008 Megabyte $2,750 USD View
• 5 / 5 Catonsville, MD, US 2008 Megabyte $2,750 USD View

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)

Now available through Zim Sailing. Newport, RI (USA)

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Sail1Design

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April 16, 2014 by Sail1Design Editor 1 Comment

The Megabtye is a fast, yet stable boat that can be sailed with two crew or raced singlehanded. The boat was designed to carry some “serious weight” with a proper cockpit laid out for two people, but with the simplicity of a single sail. The Megabyte’s lightweight, tapered, carbon fiber mast and battened Mylar sail provide plenty of power when needed, and are easy to depower with well led controls. Sailors well over 200 lbs can singlehand the Megabyte competitively and comfortably thanks to its powerful sail plan, deep cockpit, and high boom. The two piece carbon fiber mast and 130 lb hull make Megabytes easy to car top and transport. The Megabyte was designed by Farr Yacht Design and selected as Boat of the Year by Sailing World in 2000.

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August 31, 2022 at 16:43

I have a Megabyte purchase din 2001, in goo shape. Any suggestions about listing this boat for sale?

Ted Chapman

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J-Boat quality and performance come through in this 33-foot daysailer

Following the race, the bulk of the fleet streamed along the garish edge of Key West headed for their slips while crews coiled lines and savored their final few moments on the aquamarine waters off Southern Florida. It was at this point, in the early hours of Friday afternoon, that I met Kai Bjorn on a dirty, sandy public beach in the heart of Old Town Key West.

Kai is a former big-time football player, a Starboat sailor who represented Canada in the 2000 Sydney Olympic regatta, and a representative for Performance Sailcraft-builders of the 29er, Byte and Megabyte sailboats. He had rigged a "sea-foam green" Megabyte, and the boat was waiting in the shallow waters just off the beach. I had been told that the Megabyte is a large singlehanded dinghy aimed squarely at the 225-pound sailor who has outgrown the Laser. Unfortunately, I check in about 55 pounds short of that mark. And this was only the beginning of my worry list.

"It's real puffy out there," Kai said by way of introduction. "Somewhere between 2 and 18 knots." He eyed my pale frame with a friendly bit of what seemed like concern. Photographer Walter Cooper was lurking offshore in his center-console powerboat-circling and waiting like a salvage wrecker straight from a Key West history book. Did I mention that I am, at best, an average Laser sailor? I've won a Tuesday night beer can race or two. But my modest goal in weekend regattas has always been to finish in the top half of the fleet. And I reach that goal about half the time.

I could just feel a disaster coming on: the eyes of the record-size Key West fleet upon me as the boats streamed through the testing area; the gusty southwesterly; the thought of getting pushed around by a bulky sea-foam green boat; an Olympic sailor on the beach telling me to play it conservatively; and, of course, a photographer to record my antics for all posterity.

But as luck would have it the chaos and destruction never arrived.

In fact, the contrast between the anticipated disaster and what actually happened couldn't have been more different. Ah, the Megabyte-I handled it, managed it, blasted around on it, even jibed in it-and brought it home in one piece.

Okay, when I got back to the beach, Kai grabbed at least three different control lines and pulled good lengths out of each saying, "You needed this much tighter. You needed this much tighter. You needed this much tighter."

But sail trim be damned, I could not stop smiling. I was in control of the boat and not the other way around.

The Megabyte is what happens when designer Bruce Farr and small-boat impresario Ian Bruce team up with the goal of updating both the Laser and the Finn. And it's what happens when big and talented sailors such as Kai are looking over their shoulders.

A good friend of mine sails a Finn at the top level of the class and upon hearing of my Megabyte adventure said matter-of-factly, "The Megabyte is for big guys who don't want to hike anymore. They call it 'The Gentleman's Finn.'"

The Megabyte hull weighs as much as a Laser, but is about 5 inches longer and carries 20 additional square feet of mainsail. The Megabyte's beam is a generous 5-foot, 2-inches-a full 8 inches wider than the Laser. It was this beam, and the accompanying added stability, that smoothed out my ride-and my jibes-in the big puffs off Key West.

There are other improvements beyond sheer size. The bigger hull allows for a real cockpit, which is more than a foot deep in most areas. The mast is carbon, and the sail is Mylar. The traveler is mounted in the middle of the boat, which allows for a greater throw arc. Together the combination allows for a much better looking and more tweakable sail than one typically finds on a Laser.

Upwind, I was working hard, feathering and dumping the southwesterly from my sail in the big puffs. I'm certain that if I had not been in my "deer in the headlights" posture, I would have taken a moment to "bone" the outhaul, cunningham and vang to smooth out the ride.

Off the wind, I felt surprisingly in control, even when planing on a broad reach. The heavy-air jibes were far less traumatic than aboard a Laser. I will admit that, while tempted, I did not try any extended by-the-lee runs or jibes.

Although I sailed singlehanded, the Megabyte appears well suited for two adults or even an adult and a kid or two. There is an extra set of hiking straps forward as well as plenty of cockpit room. The hull certainly carries enough stability and volume to support two adults without the ice rink feel often provided by a Laser in a similar configuration.

After a healthy session blasting around the harbor, I logged some additional upwind time and headed back for the beach and the big boats. On the way back to shore I realized that I had not capsized. Weathered sports adages pushed through my mind. "You're not skiing hard enough if you don't fall at least once a day. You're not playing defense hard enough if you don't pick up a couple of fouls."

I hadn't capsized.

It crossed my mind for a moment: maybe I needed to go back out, ease the mainsheet out to the knot and try a little by-the-lee dead downwind planning a la Mendelblatt, Torgerson, Myrdal and Hardesty.

Maybe not I'm over 30 now, and the gym seems more and more distant from my home and office. Teeth-shaking capsizes with the boat coming off a plane 15 yards down the track from where you lost control are no longer highlights of the small boat experience. If I can go out on a big, fast dinghy, blast around the harbor and NOT go swimming-well maybe that's not such a bad thing.

The horsepower necessary for full-bore adventure was there. I just chose not to tap into it.

This latent potential is my favorite thing about the Megabyte. But my Finn sailor friend likes the Megabyte for different reasons. And other Megabyte aspects attract a family up the river who load father, daughter, and snacks aboard their Megabyte on warm summer evenings. It is a versatile, fast and simple boat. It is everything the Laser is, and more.

I do find it ironic that a boat spec'd and designed specifically for a narrow segment of the dinghy market delivers much more than its intent. The Megabyte is appealing to a much broader market than first impressions belie.

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MEGABYTE Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of MEGABYTE. Built by Performance Sailcraft and designed by Bruce Farr, the boat was first built in 2005. It has a hull type of Dbrd. Dinghy and LOA is 4.34. Its sail area/displacement ratio 62.38. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

MEGABYTE has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about MEGABYTE and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, contributions, who designed the megabyte.

MEGABYTE was designed by Bruce Farr.

Who builds MEGABYTE?

MEGABYTE is built by Performance Sailcraft.

When was MEGABYTE first built?

MEGABYTE was first built in 2005.

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MegaByte Line Guide

These Line Length Guides are based on current production boats, all lengths stated here are not guaranteed to be correct for your particular setup. If you are not sure what you require please call or email us at Contact Us and we will help you identify or estimate the ideal length, diameter and type of line for your application.

6 Great Sailboats For Tall People (With Pictures)

Being tall comes with advantages and corresponding disadvantages.

On a sailboat, the disadvantages become apparent quickly with the amount of headroom down below and the height of the boom above the deck, for starters.

Are there any sailboats out there that are comfortable for tall people to go sailing in?

Table of Contents

3 Dighies That Tall People Can Sail In:

Dinghies are smaller than keelboats, but a few can accommodate a tall person without a problem.

The MC Scow is a dinghy that has been in production in North America since 1956, redesigned by Harry Melges from the earlier J Scow.

It is 16 feet long with a wide 5’7″ beam, allowing plenty of room side to side.

It is a catboat rig, meaning it has a single sail with the mast far forward toward the bow.

The combination of the beam width and the mast location allows plenty of space for a tall person to operate in. Hiking straps allow you to lean out far over the water, actually giving taller people more of an advantage in racing.

There is an active racing class from the east coast to the mid-west of the United States, and the boat is still being produced by Melges Performance Sailboats.

2. International Canoe

One of the most unique classes of sailboats ever designed, there are several variants on the International Canoe or International Ten Square Meter as it is also known.

Its origins go back to the mid-19th century.

There is a One Design class, a “box rule” class where any design is legal as long as it complies with certain measurements. The Asymmetric Canoe uses the one-design boat but carries an asymmetric spinnaker.

The long, thin boats feature a main and a jib and are generally sailed single-handed.

The main interesting feature for the tall sailor is the sliding seat. This is a long construction that slides from side to side and extends out over the water.

This means the boat is actually controlled from the “outside” of the hull, giving a tall person complete freedom of movement.

The boats are difficult to control in a tack, as users must slide the seat, and the boats are narrow and tipsy. But it is a classic design, and the tall, experienced sailor will have a great experience.

3. Megabyte

The Megabyte is a newer design and class of dinghy, made currently by Zim Sailing.

It is similar to the old Finn design in the hull and rig, but it is a much lighter boat and has a more ergonomic layout.

For the tall sailor, the attraction will be the large, deep cockpit and the high boom. The mast for the single sail is forward, so it will not interfere with you.

The hull is light (130 lbs.), so combined with the relatively large sail, the boat has a lot of speed potential.

Given that, a taller sailor hiking in higher winds will find themselves in a competitive advantage, as they can use their leverage to keep the boat flatter in a race.

Though a more recent design, the Megabyte is growing in popularity, given its speed and ability to be car-topped to regattas or casual day sails.

3 Affordable Keelboats Tall People Can Enjoy:

Keelboats are generally easier for taller people to navigate in, as the boats are larger and roomier.

Here we will focus on smaller keelboats that can be sailed short-handed or even single-handed and are affordable:

Westerly Marine Construction was one of the largest marine manufacturers in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s, coming out with many innovative and focused designs.

The Centaur is a 26-foot boat designed to be a family cruiser. While many comfort-focused boats at that time were simply scaled-down models of larger boats, the Centaur was a unique design built around the roomy interior.

The large, high windows are distinctive to the boat, and it has a high boom for good clearance. It is 8 1/2 feet wide, and the headroom below is a minimum of 6 feet.

The disadvantage is that the deck space is cramped due to the large cabin and the shallow bilges.

It is not the best sailing boat performance-wise, but it is comfortable to sail.

There were 2500 Centaurs built between 1969 and 1980, and they are all over Europe and the US.

2. Leisure 23

Frank Prior designed this boat, and the first models were launched in 1973.

There was an SL model with a redesigned deck and cabin introduced in 1975.

The boat was designed for serious cruising, with a beam of almost 8 feet and 5’10” headroom, which is remarkable in a boat that size.

The main feature for tall people will be that the boom does not extend past the cabin. This means you have the entire cockpit area to operate in without fear of smacking your head.  

The cockpit is wide and uncluttered, and the interior is roomy, meaning the boat will be a comfortable sail for a tall person.

About 900 boats of both models were built up until 1990, with most in Europe but many imported to the USA. The boat has decent sailing characteristics beyond its comfort and has a cult following in the industry.

3. Catalina 30

With 6,430 boats sold between 1972 and 2008, this is one of the most successful sailboats ever built.

There were several different models and redesigns over the decades, but the basic layout was unchanged.

Even for its length, the boat is a roomy design with a 10’10” beam. The headroom is 6’4″, so most tall people will be able to stand fully upright. Many people live aboard Catalina 30s, so they have ample space for all your needs below.

One remarkable aspect of the Catalina 30 is that it has outstanding sailing characteristics despite the space and comfortable design. Many are raced competitively worldwide, as it performs and handles very well in light air or heavy air.

With so many of these boats made, models are always available, some for under $10,000. You might have to do some work to get one of the more affordable ones in shape, but these were some of the nicest and roomiest racer-cruisers ever made at that length.

While the boat can be handled single-handed, as we stated in the criteria above, it will require an experienced sailor to do so, given the size of the boat and the rig.

The model was replaced in 2010 by the Catalina 309, so if you want a similar boat but of more recent vintage, that is a place to start.

Final Thoughts

Not every sailboat is going to be comfortable for every tall sailor. Finding the right boat is the key.

The boats we have examined in this article might be the ideal boat for you or the starting point for finding the perfect fit.

MC Scow – Wikipedia

Megabyte – USSailing

Review: Centaur – Spin Sheet

Leisure 23 – Leisure Owners Association

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Megabyte Parts

Zim Sailing no longer produces the Megabyte sailboat. Shop remaining stock of Megabyte specific parts, sails, and accessories.

Macdiarmid Sails

Batten 1, Megabyte

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Call to order - mast, megabyte, mkii upper.

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Megabyte Locknut for Mast Step

Megabyte Lower Gudgeon

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Megabyte Mylar Sail Batten Set

Megabyte Plug, end MKI Upper

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Megabyte Sailboat Dolly

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Description

Dynamic Type 3 dolly for the Megabyte sailboat. Proudly made in the USA by Dynamic Dollies and custom sized for your boat, offering a great fit ease of maneuvering. Shipped in an easy to assemble kit.

• Dolly style allows bow of boats with a curled gunwale to hang from a specifically shaped handle fitting. Snug-fitting edge trim atop the handle fitting protects the gunwale gelcoat. Type is suitable for Sunfish, Laser 2, JY 15, and more
• Boat-specific tube and sling lengths provide a custom fit for each boat, enabling a balanced handle load and easy maneuvering.
• All joint fittings are through-bolted and designed for increased torque stability.
• Strong, 3 inch non-stretch, polyester sling provides wrap-around boat support.
• Adjustable, flexible V-fittings on bow and tongue tubes provide boat support forward of the sling and prevent boat and aluminum contact.
• Eyelets on sling and handle fittings facilitate securing boat to dolly in storage, on trailers or in racks. Tie-down with the handle fitting eyelet helps prevent slippage on steep ramps.
• Easy dolly breakdown using the snap buttons on wheel shaft and tongue tube, as well as wing nuts on axle tube cross fitting.
• Pneumatic, non-corrosive, 16 inchå x 4 inch wheels can be secured on wheel shaft with provided screws for added security. For soft sand conditions, tire pressure can be reduced to increase tire footprint.
• Ships in an easy to assemble kit.
• Proudly made in the USA by Dynamic Dollies and Racks.

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