1985 Shannon 43 Ketch

The Shannon 43 is a hand-laid fiberglass ketch built to the exacting standards the designer established for ocean-crossing capability. At 43 feet 10 inches long with a beam of 13 feet, she carries 27,500 pounds of displacement and is designed with the length-to-displacement and sail-area-to-displacement ratios favored for reliable long-distance passagemaking. A centerboard that retracts to 4 feet 9 inches makes her friendly to inland waterway passages. The ketch rig carries 970 square feet of sail across double headsails, main, and mizzen, with roller furling on both headsails and recent North Sails from 2021. A Westerbeke 82-horsepower diesel auxiliary provides independent propulsion, supported by a 12-volt bow thruster.

The interior prioritizes cruising comfort with five berths across three cabins. The forward cabin has a v-berth for two, the main salon offers convertible settee berths, and a private aft cabin sleeps two with its own head. Two full heads include separate shower stalls, pressure hot and cold water throughout, and proper holding and overboard discharge systems. The galley is U-shaped with a three-burner stove, oven, and Sea Frost refrigeration. Teak joinery with solid teak and holly cabin sole, plus substantial tankage of 150 gallons fuel and 100 gallons water, support extended voyaging.

The deck is built for serious sailing with dual anchor rollers, electric windlass, stainless rail pulpits, boarding gates, and teak hand rails. Electronics include dual Raymarine E-80 radar sets, Northstar GPS, VHF radio, and autopilot. Aluminum spars are awlgripped; rod rigging is stainless steel with Harken roller furling hardware and two-speed primary winches. The hull construction uses hand-laid biaxial laminates with closed-cell foam core, and encapsulated lead ballast in the keel eliminates bolt corrosion concerns.

Fuel tanks, water tanks, and all water lines were replaced in 2020. Recent sails date to 2021. The boat includes two anchors with chain and rode, a life raft, cockpit cushions, and a folding teak cockpit table. She carries four AGM batteries, shore power capability, and both manual and electric bilge pumps.