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Shannon 43

Designer: Walter Shultz  ·  Builder: Shannon Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1986
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About the Shannon 43

Built by Shannon Yachts beginning in 1986, this Walter Shultz-designed 44-footer represents classic American bluewater cruising design with a distinctive staysail ketch rig configuration. The fiberglass construction combines traditional aesthetics with modern materials, creating a vessel well-suited for serious offshore passage making. With a displacement of 27,000 pounds and 10,000 pounds of ballast, this design prioritizes stability and seaworthiness over pure performance. The substantial 8.58-foot draft and keel/centerboard hybrid configuration provide excellent upwind ability while offering shoal-water versatility for gunkholing. The comfort ratio of 35.37 indicates a motion that favors stability in heavy weather, making extended offshore passages more comfortable for crew. The staysail ketch rig totaling 910 square feet offers excellent balance and redundancy, particularly valuable for shorthanded sailing or challenging conditions. This sail plan allows for numerous combinations and easy sail handling, with the ability to carry reduced sail area while maintaining good balance. Shannon Yachts built a reputation for high-quality construction and attention to detail, and this model exemplifies their commitment to creating seaworthy cruising boats. The 60-horsepower auxiliary engine provides reliable motoring capability, while the hull speed of 8.10 knots offers respectable passage-making potential under sail.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 43.83 ft / 13.36 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 36.58 ft / 11.15 m
Beam 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
Max Draft 8.58 ft / 2.62 m
Min Draft 4.75 ft / 1.45 m
Displacement 27,000.00 lb / 12,247 kg
Ballast 10,000.00 lb / 4,536 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 910.00 ft² / 84.54 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Keel/Cbrd.
Rigging Type Staysail Ketch
Construction FG
Designer Walter Shultz
Builder Shannon Yachts (USA)
First Built 1986
Related Sailboats Mason 43 · Peterson 44 Cutter · Mason 44 · Ct 44 · Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 141
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.24
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 37.04
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 246.25
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 35.37
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.74
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 8.10 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.15
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,699.16 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 16.42
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 55.50 ft / 16.92 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 19.25 ft / 5.87 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 48.75 ft / 14.86 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 15.83 ft / 4.82 m
SA Fore 534.19 ft² / 49.63 m²
SA Main 385.86 ft² / 35.85 m²
SA Total (100%) 920.05 ft² / 85.48 m²
Est. Forestay Length 58.74 ft / 17.90 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Mercedes
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 60
Fuel Capacity 100 gals / 379 L
Water Capacity 200 gals / 757 L
How It Compares

vs. Ct 44, Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes, Mason 43, Mason 44, Peterson 44 Cutter

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Shannon 43 ★
43.8 ft
Ct 44
43.9 ft
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
43.9 ft
Mason 43
43.8 ft
Mason 44
43.9 ft
Peterson 44 Cutter
43.8 ft
LWL
Shannon 43 ★
36.6 ft
Ct 44
37.6 ft
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
31.3 ft
Mason 43
31.3 ft
Mason 44
31.8 ft
Peterson 44 Cutter
38.7 ft
Beam
Shannon 43 ★
13.0 ft
Ct 44
13.1 ft
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
12.5 ft
Mason 43
12.3 ft
Mason 44
12.3 ft
Peterson 44 Cutter
12.9 ft
Displacement
Shannon 43 ★
27 lbs
Ct 44
20 lbs
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
24 lbs
Mason 43
25 lbs
Mason 44
27 lbs
Peterson 44 Cutter
30 lbs
Ballast
Shannon 43 ★
10 lbs
Ct 44
9 lbs
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
8 lbs
Mason 43
8 lbs
Mason 44
9 lbs
Peterson 44 Cutter
10 lbs
Sail Area
Shannon 43 ★
910 sq ft
Ct 44
873 sq ft
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
—
Mason 43
771 sq ft
Mason 44
—
Peterson 44 Cutter
865 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Shannon 43 ★
141 s/nm
Ct 44
120 s/nm
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
—
Mason 43
146 s/nm
Mason 44
146 s/nm
Peterson 44 Cutter
—
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Shannon 43 ★
16.2
Ct 44
18.9
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
—
Mason 43
14.5
Mason 44
—
Peterson 44 Cutter
14.4
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Shannon 43 ★
37.0 %
Ct 44
45.8 %
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
35.4 %
Mason 43
33.6 %
Mason 44
34.3 %
Peterson 44 Cutter
33.3 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Shannon 43 ★
35.4
Ct 44
25.7
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
—
Mason 43
39.2
Mason 44
—
Peterson 44 Cutter
38.2
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Shannon 43 ★
1.74
Ct 44
1.93
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
—
Mason 43
1.68
Mason 44
—
Peterson 44 Cutter
1.67
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Shannon 43 ★
246
Ct 44
170
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
351
Mason 43
365
Mason 44
382
Peterson 44 Cutter
231
Hull Speed
Shannon 43 ★
8.1 kts
Ct 44
8.2 kts
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
—
Mason 43
7.5 kts
Mason 44
—
Peterson 44 Cutter
8.3 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Shannon 43 ★
2.2
Ct 44
3.3
Hinckley 43 Mccurdy Rhodes
—
Mason 43
1.3
Mason 44
—
Peterson 44 Cutter
2.1
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