When the lifting-keel boats failed to sell in the hoped-for numbers, C&C introduced the U.S.-built Mega 30 FK to revive demand. Production of the entire line ended in 1980, after just 115 ODs and 27 FKs had been completed source.
Design and Construction
Below the waterline, the hull is a single-skin laminate. The topsides, deck, and stringers are balsa-cored, and aging examples can develop soft spots in the old balsa-cored decks. The hull-to-deck joint consists of an outward-turning flange secured with pop rivets and sealant, then covered by a vinyl rub strip. Leaking hull-to-deck joints are a known affliction.
Above the waterline, the boat has slab-sided topsides shaped to fit maximum waterline beam within the 8-foot towing limit. Its most distinctive feature is the bubble-top cabin, with dark-tinted wraparound polycarbonate windows that didn’t open on stock boats.
The original boat had no real structural bulkheads. On the OD, the lifting-keel trunk, supporting posts, and I-beam divide the saloon. The FK avoids that structure because of its fixed appendage.
Rig and Handling
The Mega 30 carries a powerful fractional rig on a single-spreader mast. The mast is deck-stepped in a tall tabernacle that allows it to lie back over the cabin trunk for towing.
The forestay attaches about seven-eighths of the way up the mast. Upper shrouds attach at the same height and lead aft to tension the forestay, while the lower shrouds share the chainplates. A split adjustable backstay flattens the mainsail. The boom-end mainsheet runs to a recessed traveler spanning the cockpit forward of the tiller.
Test sailors found the helm quite responsive. They also noted some excess weather helm unless the sail trim was just right; otherwise, the boat tracked straight and tacked quickly. Its narrow beam provides minimal form stability and little initial resistance to heeling, but it also contributes to predictable handling and ease of motion. As the breeze builds, the boat heels well over before eventually stiffening.
Accommodations and Deck Layout
For a trailerable boat, the FK offers a substantial interior rather than a crawl-in shell. Beneath the bubble cabin, there’s more than 6 feet of headroom around the workbench and sink counter. An original boat had four berths longer than 6 feet, while the forepeak was devoted to a portable toilet and storage.
The original settees and other furniture were made of birch plywood and could be lifted out for access to storage. Cedar cabin-sole boards were also fitted. A removable stainless-steel and aluminum ladder leads down to a fiberglass furniture pan. The companionway closes with one large board and a removable hinged lid, which also helps with ventilation.
The foredeck is open, with a single hatch and no anchor locker. The roomy cockpit has one lazarette, which houses a large fuel tank and a manual bilge pump that can be operated from the helm.
Known Issues
Aging boats can suffer soft spots in the balsa-cored deck and leaks at the hull-to-deck joint. The stock wraparound windows can also leak or crack, and the original fiberglass overhead liner has been known to deteriorate in service.
On the lifting-keel OD, the retracted bulb nearly touches the overhead, and the keel frame’s rollers or slides require regular replacement. The FK’s fixed appendage eliminates that chore.
The distinctive bubble cabin sits somewhat in the way when furling the mainsail. The transom-hung rudder swings up for trailering, but owners report that it will rise if the pull-down line isn’t tight, producing very heavy helm pressure.
The Verdict
The Mega 30 FK is a scarce, purpose-built racer-cruiser that distilled a briefly revolutionary one-design idea into a stiffer, simpler fixed-keel boat. With only 27 built and production ending in 1980, it remains an obscure but coherent expression of late-1970s C&C thinking. It is fast under the SA/D high-performance definition and easy to handle, though still quirky in its bubble cabin and pop-riveted deck joint.
Pros
- Fixed keel carries 2,860 lb of ballast and provides markedly stiffer motion than the OD
- Powerful fractional rig, with a mast that’s easy to lower for trailering
- Standing headroom and four long berths in a trailerable 30-foot hull
- Quick, predictable handling and a responsive helm
Cons
- Aging balsa-cored decks are prone to soft spots
- Hull-to-deck joint and wraparound windows are known to leak; windows may also crack
- Rudder can rise if the pull-down line slackens, causing heavy helm
- Original overhead liner can deteriorate
- No structural bulkheads as built
