Shannon 43 Ketch

“Aurora Mystic” is a classic Shannon 43 ketch that has spent many years on the Great Lakes and is in wonderful condition. The design goal for the Shannon 43 was to create a medium displacement boat that would accommodate the strongest construction standards in the industry, provide the necessary water and fuel capacities, and create an environment in which people could sail safely, comfortably, and quickly no matter how  long or short the passage. The 43 has a length/displacement ratio of 250, and a sailarea/displacement ratio of 18.6. The consensus of yacht designers is that boats with these mid-range   figures are the best suited for long distance passagemaking. The safest ocean voyage is always the swiftest as long as the boat provides security and comfort even in extreme conditions, as all Shannon 43 owners have experienced.  The Shannon 43 is ICW friendly with a mast height and draft of under 64’ and 4’9” centerboard up (8’7” centerboard down) respectively.

Specifications, Equipment and Information:

Builder/Designer

Builder: Shannon

Designer: Walter Schulz

Dimensions

 LOD: 43'10"

LWL: 36'7"

Beam: 13'

Displacement: 27,500#

Draft: 4'9” - 8'7"        

Engines

 Engine: Westerbeke 82HP

Bow thruster - 12VDC with two new batteries

Tankage - all new replaced in 2020 along with new water lines

Fuel: 150 gal

Water: 100 gal

Holding:  25 gal.

 ACCOMMODATIONS Forward cabin sleeps two in double berth with filler. Private entrance to forward head. Settees in main salon sleeps three: L-shaped settee to starboard converts to double berth; straight settee to port sleeps one. Private aft cabin sleeps two in double berth. Private entrance to aft head. Teak interior with solid teak and holly cabin sole.

 FORWARD CABIN Double v-berth with filler sleeps two; Storage and holding tank beneath; Shelving and custom cabinetry above port and starboard; Several lockers; White fiberglass headliner; Overhead hatch; Two opening ports; Separate entrance to forward head;

FORWARD HEAD Located to starboard immediately aft of forward cabin; Double entrance; Single stainless steel sink with vanity - storage beneath; Separate stand-up shower stall with hand-held shower and teak grate; Shower sump discharges overboard. Marine toilet with holding tank plus y-valve for overboard discharge; Deck pump out; Full length mirror; Linen and sundries lockers;

 PASSAGE WAY Tall cedar-lined hanging locker in passageway; drawer bank with locker; Mast enclosure;

 MAIN SALON L-shaped settee to starboard - converts to double berth; pull-out single settee to port; Storage compartments behind both settees; Shelves and lockers outboard of both settees; Three drawers beneath port settee; Water tank (50 galllons) beneath starboard settee; Fixed centerline double-leaf dinette table with center storage; White fiberglass headliner; Two overhead hatches with screens; Overhead handrails; Seven bronze Spartan opening ports with screens;;

 GALLEY U-shaped; Located to starboard forward of companionway; Double stainless steel sink;  mixing faucet; Manual Separate fresh water spigot with Seagull filter; Accumulator tank; Manual fresh water foot pump; Raw water pump with separate spigot; Three burner propane stove and oven - two 10# tanks; Top and side loading loading ice box with Sea Frost refrigeration/freezer engine drive with 110VAC assist compressor. Icebox drains with manual pump to sinks; Four drawer storage bureau; Storage drawer beneath oven; Cabinets above and outboard; Butcher block Formica counter tops; Opening port;

 NAV STATION Located to starboard immediately aft of galley - faces aft; Swivel seat with backrest; Lift-top chart table; Instrument array panel; AC-DC panel; laptop shelf; Two drawers; locker with shelves; pantry locker.

 AFT HEAD Located to port at companionway; Two door entrance: from main salon and aft cabin; Single stainless steel sink with hot and cold pressure water service; Vanity with storage beneath sink; Sundries lockers; Full length mirror; Separate stand-up shower stall with handheld shower head and teak grate; marine toilet with holding tank plus y-valve for direct overboard discharge; Deck pump-out; Opening port;

 PRIVATE AFT CABIN Located to port; Separate entrance to aft head; Double berth with insert; Four drawer bank; Cedar-lined hanging locker; Opening port; overhead hatch; water tank (100 gallon) and small storage area under berth; 

INTERIOR APPOINTMENTS Satin varnished teak joinery throughout; Solid teak and holly cabin sole with large access hatches;

DECK Teak bow platform with dual stainless steel anchor rollers; Twin anchor rode deck pipes; Two large foredeck cleats with chocks; Stainless steel bow and stern double rail pulpits; stern boarding gate with fold-down boarding ladder on transom; Twin amid-ship cleats port and starboard with toe rail chocks; Stainless steel stanchions with boarding gates port and starboard; Double lifelines; Teak hand rails on cabin top; Four chrome cowl vents with dorade boxes;

 GROUND TACKLE Two anchors with  chain and rode; Ideal 12VDC electric windlass with chain and rope gypsies;

COCKPIT Full length seats port and starboard with lockers below; T-shaped helm section in stern; Helm seat - with propane storage beneath - Two tanks; Helm step platform; Bridge deck forward; Pedestal mounted wheel steering; teak capped cockpit coamings with cubby storage; Dodger; Sliding companionway hatch with sea hood; Teak companionway drop boards - with convenient storage rack;  Life raft storage compartment below; Folding teak cockpit; cockpit cushions.

 SPARS AND RIGGING Double headsail ketch rig; Sail area 970 sq ft; awlgripped aluminum spars; Main is keel stepped; Mizzen is stepped in cockpit on reinforced bridge; Navtec stainless steel rod rigging; two Harken roller furling for headsails;  adjustable mainsheet traveler on cabin top; ; Running backstays for mizzen;

 WINCHES two speed primaries;  two speed secondary and two speed for main sheet;  Mainmast winches include two halyard winches; one on main boom; two on mizzen mast and one on mizzen boom;

SAILS: North Sails, new 2021: Main with  two reefs; Mizzen with reef ;  Yankee working jib; club staysail;  and staysail.  Genoa

 AUXILIARY DIESEL  Westerbeke 82HP 4-cylinder, FWC; Aquamet stainless steel shaft; Three blade fixed bronze prop; primary fuel filters;

 TANKAGE 150 gal of fuel in  four aluminum tanks; 100 gal of water in two stainless steel tanks; 25 gal holding tank with deck pump out and y-valves for overboard discharge; Manual overboard pumps both holding tanks; 110v hot water heater with engine heat exchange system;

 PLUMBING Hot and cold pressure water service to galley plus both heads and showers; Two electric bilge pumps; Manual bilge pump; Spartan bronze sea cocks with double hose clamps

 AC-DC ELECTRICAL 120 VAC shore power and 12 VDC systems; Four AGM batteries; Bass distribution panel with master and individual breakers; Shore power cord; battery charger;  Battery selector switch; Battery monitor; 12VDC navigation and running lights; 12VDC interior lighting; 110VDC GFI outlets;

 ELECTRONICS/NAVIGATION Ritchie 6" pedestal mounted compass; "Icon" VHF  IC-M59 and M-127; Two Raymarine E-80 radar;  Northstar  951 GPS;   Garmin GPS MAP 492; Raymarine ST-60 Auto-helm; Raymarine ST-60 Depth;  Raymarine   ST-60 Wind; Raymarine  ST-60 Speed.

 SAFETY AND SURVIVAL Emergency tiller; Assorted life jackets; Lifesling.

CONSTRUCTION Hand laid-up (no chopper gun)  molded fiberglass hull with white gelcoat, biaxial laminates, vinylester veil coat and closed cell PVC Airex linear foam core; Raised teak toe rail with stainless steel striker; Teak rub rail with stainless steel rub rail;  Hand laid-up molded fiberglass deck - white gelcoat, biaxial laminates, Divinylcell cross -linked PVC foam core (no balsa) with contrasting tan diamond -pattern nonskid; Deck is adhered to the hull with Sikaflex  and mechanical fastened with thru-bolts to hull flange; Modified performance cruising hull design  keel (cutaway forefoot and cutaway in front of the ruder skeg) with encapsulated solid lead internal ballast (no keel bolts); Centerboard cavity in keel; Skeg hung rudder; Pedestal mounted wheel steering with cable and quadrant and emergency tiller; Keel stepped mainmast; Mizzen stepped in cockpit with compression bridge; solid teak and holly double-screwed cabin sole;

 MISCELLANEOUS Docklines, fenders, extensive spare parts, safety equipment,  screens for all ports and hatches,etc.