13 April 2009- Firecracker

BOAT: Firecracker
OWNER: Ted Mercier, Jamestown
DESIGNER: Robert Perry, Tulalip, WA http://www.perryboat.com/
BUILDER: Saga Marine, St. Catherine’s, Ontario http://www.sagayachts.com/main.html
LENGTH: 43 feet [13 meters]
YEAR 1997
HULL: Baltek cored Kevlar with Vinylester resin
HISTORY:
The Saga 43 represents a different school of thought in sailing yacht design. Instead of greater beam (width) with a large rig – required to drive the boat through the water- designer Robert Perry took a different tack. Drawing upon lessons learned from long distance offshore racing, Perry made the Saga 43 longer, narrower, and easier to handle than many of the designs that are manufactured today. This unconventional approach exchanges roomy aft cabin space and high labor requirements above for a smooth sailing sled that slips through the water with a minimum of effort.
The sturdy low aspect ratio rig combined with a hull of vacuum bagged Kevlar makes for one very solid boat. Long, lean, and narrow makes for good speed.
Good design and build makes for longevity. Now lets see if Ted can get away from his responsibilities at Dutch Harbor Boat Yard in Jamestown for long enough to enjoy this beautiful boat!