1989 Custom Buehler

A 1989 Custom Buehler trimaran built by Ian Manson, Sunbird III is a 43-foot fiberglass cruising yacht with a distinctive 25.5-foot beam. The trimaran design delivers exceptional stability at anchor and draws just one meter, opening shallow anchorages unavailable to conventional hull designs. The wide deck space provides room and practicality for extended offshore passages.

Below decks, the layout accommodates four berths across two cabins with 186-centimeter headroom. The U-shaped galley features a double-burner stove with hybrid induction and gas capability, an upright 120-liter refrigerator with electric compressor, and a separate 40-liter portable freezer. A front-loading three-kilogram washing machine and electric freshwater shower are fitted. The boat is set up as a full-time residence with custom systems for independent operation: a 120-liter-per-hour reverse osmosis watermaker, 1.6-kilowatt solar array feeding 700 amp-hours of lithium battery storage split between navigation and house banks, and a five-kilowatt Victron inverter-charger. A single-cylinder Yanmar diesel engine of 30 horsepower was professionally rebuilt recently, with approximately 1,000 hours total.

The ketch rig carries stainless steel standing rigging installed in 2019, with a full sail inventory including mainsail, mizzen, furling genoa, two screechers, and spinnaker. Ground tackle comprises a Rocna anchor with 60 meters of re-galvanized 10-millimeter chain, a second Fortres anchor (new), and a Danforth anchor. A three-meter inflatable dinghy with 9.8-horsepower Tohatsu outboard is carried on quick-release davits. Navigation equipment includes depth sounder, wind speed and direction indicator, VHF radio, and AIS transceiver. The boat has completed extended cruising in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra.