1982 Miller Marine Deck Salon Boat in Bellingham, WA 98225 US

42' Miller Marine Deck Salon

Miller Marine is an old name in Pacific Northwest Boat Building. Started in the 1970's and run by Earl Miller, they built commercial and custom boats in sail and power. "Meridian" a Robert Perry designed 70' sled, was built by the Miller yard in the 1980's, (still sailing today). Another notable Miller boat is "Sachem", the Doug Peterson 44 (still sailing today), owned, finished and raced by Bill Buchan, the patriarch of the Buchan sailing clan, a notable sailing family in the NW.

The Miller 44 was probably their most well known design with several boats built and most still sailing today. "Siren" is out of the same mold as "Bonnie" (still sailing today) who terrorized the Seattle based PHRF fleet for many years, winning races around Puget Sound and Canadian events and then spent the summers family cruising.

This deck salon model was built as a hull with structual bulkheads and sold to a Boeing engineer who took about 7 or 8 years to complete her. She has a trimmed down sheerline and was finished off at 42 feet.

Al, the engineer, took his boatbuilding project seriously and had the advantage of using Earl Miller's design and construction experience and early computer programing resources to design the deck, house and interior. Not overbuilt and heavy, not too light and prone to failure, just right. Al launched his boat in 1989 or 1990 and sailed her for many years before selling to her second owner who like Al, sailed Puget Sound (Salish Sea) and the BC Coast. Currently, "Siren" is with her third owner who did a repower and pretty extensive updating. He's done the same thing, sailed her in the NW, BC and Alaska. Time has come for Siren to be passed to her next owner(s) / caretaker(s).

She has an inline, 3 spreader masthead aluminum rig. You can adjust sail shape and mast bend according to wind strength. She basically sports a 90's style race boat rig. New standing rigging in 2024. Note: This kind of mast and sailplan are not necessarily for the new sailor.

Below accomodations are generous sized V berth in the bow for two, two mid cabin Settees suitable for one person each side and a double Quarter berth Stbd aft, roomy for one cozy for two.

The center piece of the salon is the freestanding diesel stove, perfect for keeping the boat warm and provides a spot for the kettle to sit for that well deserved cup of coffee or tea, perhaps a hot buttered rum after a blustery day of sailing.

Galley to port with double sink and 3 burner propane stove with oven and a front opening referigerator. Nav table is to Stbd with comfortable seating and workspace. Quarter berth is just aft of the Nav table.

One head located just forward of the main bulkhead on the Stbd side is shared by the crew.

The Beta engine is only two years old with 500 hours on it. During the mechanical refit, the current owner had a new water heater put in and updated the engine compartment.

On deck she's pretty much all business, the large cockpit is set up for short or single handed sailing with wheel steering and mainsheet control within reach of the helm. The dodger overlaps the aft bulkhead and protects the forward part of the cockpit for crew or guests and provides a rain cover for the main hatch.

The bottom of the boat is conservative in wetted surface without adding too much drag and the keel being a long chord deep fin, provides excellent tracking. The designer of record was unreported so I called Robert Perry, (Sailing Hall Of Fame Yacht Designer). I sent him a photo of the boat out of the water. He said; "It's something like Gary Mull would have drawn if Ranger had asked him to design a 44". Well, a little digging and a phone call to Earl Miller (still sailing today) resulted in the disclosure that the hull was designed by no other than the famous Gary Mull. The deck salon was either designed by Al, the builder and first owner or Peter Hatfield, unknown.

Bottom line is: this is a pedigree boat drawn by a famous designer and and built to high standards by a Boeing engineer who did a great job. In short, its a wolf dressed up as a sheep. Comfortable, safe, well built and Fast. Put some black sails on it and go yacht club racing and stir things up in your local racing community. Or, take your friends and family sailing

The currrent winch and running rigging layout lends itself to single or short handed cruising.

This is one of those boats that is off of most peoples radar. Many of the Miller 44's were either racer / cruiser's or center cockpit cruising boats. This is one of the few deck salons that was built. Time has come for Siren to be passed to her next owner(s) / caretaker(s).

She would make a perfect PNW liveaboard or, fit her out for extended cruising and either take a right or left at Cape Flattery, either direction would suit her just fine.

If you're searching for a good looking, extremely well built boat for local or distant cruising, you owe it to yourself to see "Siren" in person.

Please contact Jack Spriggs to arrange for a personal inspection.