Megalopolis Humphries 36

[fitlike]

Hi All,
I'm looking for a racing yacht and noticed Megalopolis, a Humphries 36 design #54 for sale in Ireland. Anyone know anything regarding this particular boat, seems to be cheap for what you're getting.

Cheers,

 

[savageseadog]

I raced in the same fleet for a handful of races many years ago possibly 30 years I think. We were in a different rating system and in a smaller boat so I couldn't really comment directly on performance. The original owner was Urban Taylor (Urban-Megalopolis ............Geddit?) He was a very experienced racer (now departed) so the boat would have been a top performer at that time I would have thought. He was either Holyhead or Pwllheli based so the clubs there might know something. He had more than one boat of different sizes named Megalopolis and one of them was raced at Liverpool by a subsequent owner where it was crashed into a wall. I don't know how much damage occurred but it could have been quite bad from what I heard. Just to make it clear, I don't know if it was the boat that you're looking at.

 

[fitlike]

Thanks savageseadog I'll ask around. Yes seems to have been a very good boat in her time.

 

[savageseadog]

One of the key points about buying a boat like that apart from the basics is how good the sails are. A new set of sails will cost as much as the boat.

 

[lpdsn]

I'm trying to remember which yard it was I saw her. She was out of the water at the back of the yard for a long time. Looked like a bit of a project then.

I both agree and disagree with SavageSeaDog, the sails are key, but a decent set of racing sails will cost a lot more than the boat.

 

[savageseadog]

Just to add, we were really in awe of the boat at the time we raced with her at Liverpool. The boat was considered to be really something at the time bearing in mind that Liverpool isn't the Solent. I remember the start of one race where a brand new jib got stuck in the headfoil, as they were trying to drop it, the wind had picked up. I remember very vividly being very close and watching as a crew member was hoisted up and a knife run down the luff to get it down, it was complete panic stations on deck as the crew fought to sort things out.

 

[Muddy32]

Just to add, we were really in awe of the boat at the time we raced with her at Liverpool. The boat was considered to be really something at the time bearing in mind that Liverpool isn't the Solent. I remember the start of one race where a brand new jib got stuck in the headfoil, as they were trying to drop it, the wind had picked up. I remember very vividly being very close and watching as a crew member was hoisted up and a knife run down the luff to get it down, it was complete panic stations on deck as the crew fought to sort things out.

Ouch.

 

[lpdsn]

Ouch.

Done properly it may have just needed a new luff tape, so smaller ouch. But...

 

[Dino]

Megalopolis had a major refit carried out when she was in Howth in the early 2000’s. Howard McMullan owned her and he spent a lot of money bringing her back to nearly new condition. Then she went to Cork and was mainly club raced down there. I’m not sure how well cared for she has been since. I don’t think she was well campaigned, just club raced. Not too many 3/4 tonners racing these days.
You’d want to be buying her very cheap.

 

[Dino]

http://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/One Tonner/Megalopolis.htm
I thought she was a 3/4 toner but she’s actually a One Tonner

 

[ridgy]

I've pondered this boat a few times over the last year or so. Even if the hull and engine are sorted it's the rig innit...inline mast and associated gubbins.
A willing crew required.

 

[lpdsn]

A willing crew required.

As always when racing.

 

[Euphonyx]

https://www.networkyachtbrokers.com/boats_for_sale/Humphries_36-3021.html/

The buying price is only the beginning for a boat like this! She was designed for racing in the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Assoc series, if it's the same yacht she was designed specifically for the reaching and fetching courses they set. A one trick pony?? From the designers website:

Megalopolis Print
The name Megalopolis needs some explaining. She was designed for the late Urban Taylor, and the name is a play on his Christian name (urban sprawl – megalopolis). Urban was a very experienced Irish Sea sailor and originally a dinghy sailor of great proficiency. His previous boat was the Farr One Tonner Prospect of Puffin.

Although by this time the One Ton rating band was on the move from 27.5ft IOR to 30.5ft, Urban liked the size of the old One Tonners and Megalopolis was designed more for Irish Sea sailing than round-the-cans events, with emphasis on fetching and reaching speeds.

Designed at pretty much the same time as Jade she had the same keel form (dubbed the MME keel – Micky Mouse’s ear) and indeed showed great flashes of speed.

 

[Ferris]

Blast from the past this, I sailed on her as weight in my early 20's in Howth. I just remember the huge effort to crew her and the fact that she didn't rate at all back then. Suspect she wouldn't rate now either, sure she'd be up against J109's etc.

If I remember she had a funny (IOR?) hump in front of the rudder.

 

[HowardJDavis]

I think the price is somewhat overpriced. If desired and perseverance you can bargain with the seller.

 

[Cariadco]

Wow....I looked at buying 'Megaloplis' when it was out of the water, in Pwllheli in 1995 (or thereabouts).
It did need a lot of work, but had just been sold.

 

[Cariadco]

Now it just gets weirder.....Yesterday whilst taking the Mutt for a walk 'round Porthmadog harbour, I was looking at an interesting 30 odd footer, home built yacht, on the hard. It had an interesting but odd shaped ''Bulb'' keel and a triple spreader mast. The owner pooped up, out of one of the nearby sheds and we got chatting.
He believes the mast was originally fitted to Megalopolis and got slightly ''bent'' when it pitch-poled, somewhere near Bardsey, years ago. He's managed to straighten it by manipulating the rigging.

 

[TOKOLOSHI]

Is this the one?