Here’s a near-perfect live-aboard cruiser for a couple. And that’s just what Bob Perry and the Saga Concept Team had in mind when they introduced the Saga 43. Taking the lead from the shorthanded offshore racing fleets like the Whitbread and BOC around the world races, SAGA has opted instead to maximize waterline length to gain the desired interior space, and to judiciously pare weight, and retain a relatively narrow beam. It is a proven offshore concept with a strong scientific basis. The result is the SAGA 43, a more suitable and more comfortable offshore cruiser with a high range of positive stability and better overall seakeeping qualities than boats with extreme beam. The hull has an ultra-fine entry angle with low drag, and is therefore very easily driven through the water and chop with far less sail area required. That makes for less strain on the rig, lower sheet and winch loads, and most importantly, less sweat for the crew. Coupled with its 20,000 lb. displacement the SAGA 43 will require no more effort to sail than the average 38 footer. But the big bonus is that the SAGA 43's longer waterline length translates to higher speeds under both power and sail than ordinary boats with the same LOA. In fact the 43 performs more like a 50 footer with a dynamic waterline length of over 41 feet when underway. This boat is rare, as you get both speed and comfort in a great looking package. A revolutionary fast design by Robert Perry makes the Saga 43 a true sailor’s boat. If sailing is your pleasure in life there isn’t another boat in its class that will delight the senses more than a Saga 43. Saga 43’s can be found worldwide. Bay sailing, coastal cruising or crossing oceans, it’s your choice and “Firecracker” is your magic carpet. The SAGA 43 rig is also heavily BOC-influenced and optimized for shorthanded crews. Nothing on the market is easier to handle. Neither a cutter nor a sloop in the usual sense, the rig has tandem Harken Mark II roller furling units for the headsails. The rig is proportioned so that it does not require overlapping headsails for power when sailing close-hulled. The inner furler handles the self-tacking jib for windward work. A custom HARKEN traveler on the foredeck reduces tacking up a narrow channel to a mere turn of the wheel. After bearing away to a reach, the crew simply rolls out the reaching genoa on the outer furler to increase horsepower downwind. The jib is then furled out of the way. The resulting forward shift in the center of pressure maintains a light balanced helm pressure and superior control on a SAGA 43, in conditions that wider beam boats with conventional rigs will get quite heavy on the helm and tend to want to round-up or spin-out. The Saga 43 is no slouch on the water- in fact she has an impressive sail area/displacement ratio of 20.01. Control is very desirable. In light air and at deeper downwind angles, an asymmetrical spinnaker may be flown from the stainless steel bowsprit without the complications of either a conventional spinnaker pole or the associated leaks and problems of a retracting type pole. Mainsail hoisting, sheeting and reefing chores are taken care of from the inside the safety of the cockpit with a push of a button on the Harken 40.2, two speed self-tailing electric winch. Mainsail handling is further simplified by a HARKEN ‘Batt-Car’ system. Of course with her rig and hull proportions the SAGA 43 is not a ‘me too’ looking boat, and at a second glance, several unique on-deck innovations really set her apart. The stainless steel bowsprit supports the dual anchor rollers and gets the anchors clear of her near-plumb bow. A combination of dorade vents, opening ports, and lots of hatches provides excellent ventilation even in tropical heat waves. Storage boxes at the mast partners hide away halyard tails and winch handles. Further aft another set of boxes swallow-up the mainsheet, reefing lines, and halyards that are led aft, a thoughtful touch to clear the inevitable clutter in the cockpit. A self-draining storage locker for a 6 man valise life-raft and even a proper CG approved vented locker to store the gasoline for the dinghy's motor are important but usually overlooked features. The cockpit features 7'6" sculpted seats suitable for sleeping under the stars. Notable is the walkout transom and swim scoop, no strenuous climbing up or over a coaming, simply walk out at dinghy boarding level. A transom door closes off the opening, keeping pets and kids safely on board when underway. Molded in foot braces make the crew comfortable even when heeled. The ‘stealth’ bridge deck has been cleverly designed so that while it will keep water out of the cabin it does not hinder easy entry below to the cabin. Only a couple steps down the inviting ladder and your eye is carried forward a full 14 feet across the expansive main saloon. One is immediately impressed with the live-aboard influenced galley to starboard. A large freezer and reefer are equipped with 12v. compressors. A microwave, Force 10 three burner stove, and lots of drawers and cabinets are all there too. There is ample room for two gourmets to chop, dice, and sauté all at once! Forward of the galley is a working navigation area and inviting main saloon with drop leaf table. All joinery is hand crafted, hand-rubbed, and satin varnished in cherry-wood. The relatively narrow beam of the hull is never evident when aboard because of the highly efficient layout and a full 6'5" of headroom. And when sitting across from your guests in the settees, the keel-stepped mast does not intrude congenial conversation or your view. The owner's stateroom is forward with its own ensuite head and shower. In the forepeak forward of the head is a huge chain locker, which is separated from the head by a Starboard type door for easy cleaning. This locker, however, is all storage- and lots of it- as the two hawse pipes lead below the locker to get the weight of the chain down low, where you want it. The bed is queen size, Pullman style, the preferred layout for offshore cruising. Lots of drawers, cabinets and lockers are built-in. Beneath the berth there are six drawers, while outboard and above are storage cabinets the length of the berth. Ash staving covers the hullside between. There is a large fiddled cherry bookshelf at the foot of the berth, which houses a nice 18” Toshiba flat screen TV and DVD player. A second cherry bookshelf has been installed at the head of the berth. New mattress was installed, and custom berth cover with shams was made in 2010. The entire starboard side of the master stateroom is storage. Forward is a large locker with shelves inside and a fiddled bookshelf on the cabinet top space above. At the aft end is a cedar lined locker, this one for hanging storage, with fiddled shelf space above. Between the two is a vanity type space, with a mirrored locker door and shelves above the fiddled countertop and two drawers and a drop-front locker below. The main saloon features a fixed drop-leaf centerline cherry table, with opposing settees. The table can comfortably seat six, and has a center storage space. Each settee is equipped with a lee cloth, and has water tanks and storage beneath, as well as storage behind the seat cushions. There are three cabinets above the settee on the port side and two cabinets and a book shelf above on the starboard side. The salon cushions were reupholstered with Candle Light Ultrasuede in 2010. Overhead one also finds plenty of grab bars to hold on to at sea. An upholstered foot stool with removable cushion top serves as additional storage as well as an additional seat for dining. The guest stateroom is aft alongside the ‘public’ head which boasts a separate shower stall with dramatic semicircular acrylic shower door on tracks. Both head modules are one-piece molded fiberglass, thoughtfully designed with minimum trim or dirt catching corners, forming a seamless sanitary unit that is a cinch to clean. Especially practical is the fact that there is no exposed woodwork in the head/shower area, not even a teak floor grate to mildew. The shower and head areas have molded-in non-skid floor surfaces for safety. The berth in the guest stateroom is a generous 6'7" x 6'2"; the cabin is well ventilated, with two opening ports, and an overhead hatch. There is a cedar lined hanging locker, a stack of drawers with a Corian top above them, ash batten staving lining the hull and room to move around. The current owners have converted this hanging locker into a pantry for extra storage while cruising. Removal of a few screws to revert back to a hanging locker. New upholstery at berth cushions in 2010. The specification and features list should make it clear that “Firecracker” is ready for the demands of bluewater sailing. While all boat builders boast equally of the engineering and construction features that make their boat especially seaworthy, few are really ready right "out-of-the box" for around-the-clock sailing and living aboard. Many boat buyers spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars modifying so-called ‘offshore’ sailboats with these kinds of features before setting off on a serious cruise. Padeyes for crew safety harnesses are provided standard, as are two removable jacklines so the crew can work the length of the deck without unclipping. Lifelines and rails are 30" high, not the usual 24". Mast rails are provided for crew support while working at the mast. The main saloon berths are equipped with lee-cloths for off-watch sleeping safety. The galley stove has a stainless steel guard bar to prevent the cook from falling into a hot stove and even the galley belt is provided for cooking underway. All cabinets and drawers are positive locking in a seaway. A captive retention pin is provided to positively lock hatchboards in place. An additional Whale high volume manual bilge pump mounted below the main saloon sole is included besides the usual one mounted in the cockpit. Firecracker is fortunate to include a Klacko Marine custom radar arch. This arch includes a dinghy davit that when not in use virtually disappears at the rear of arch. Raising and lowering of the dinghy is a breeze using the electric winch at the cabin top, a single line system allows the dinghy to be raised in less than a minute. With the davit bar in the down position it aids greatly in entering or exiting the dinghy. In addition to serving as a mount for the radar; the solar panels, antennas and wind generator mast are mounted to the arch as well. Another advantage Firecracker has is the 6’3” keel. This keel gives the Saga 43 better performance to windward, pointing higher and sailing faster than shallow draft boats. The deeper draft boats are more restricted in shallow waters. The current owners have cruised Firecracker from Maine to the Bahamas and transited the ICW with little or no restriction. The 6’3” keel was not installed on the majority of Saga 43’s. It is rare to find boat with such attentive owners who not only know, but also love, every square inch of their boat. Firecracker is a unique opportunity to own a true “go-anywhere” vessel built to deliver her owners in complete comfort and safety. Firecracker is one of those special boats that have been continually maintained to do exactly what Bob Perry designed her to do, sail far and sail fast. If you have some real sailing in mind, give Firecracker a closer look. You will not be disappointed! The owners have made Firecracker available as they contemplate purchasing a trawler for their continued cruising. |
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