NORTHERN STAR
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Specifications
| Name: | NORTHERN STAR |
| Builder: | Saga Marine |
| Length: | 43' 3" (13m) |
| Beam: | 12' 0" (3.66m) |
| Year Built / Refit: | 2003 |
| Engines: | 1 x Yanmar 4JH3E |
| Staterooms: | 2 |
| Flag: | US |
| View Brochure | |
| Name: | NORTHERN STAR |
| Builder: | Saga Marine |
| Length: | 43' 3" (13m) |
| Beam: | 12' 0" (3.66m) |
| Year Built / Refit: | 2003 |
| Engines: | 1 x Yanmar 4JH3E |
| Staterooms: | 2 |
| Flag: | US |
| View Brochure | |
Please contact me for a FaceTime live walk-thru showing of this boat!
Here's a near-perfect live-aboard cruiser for a couple - and that's just what Bob Perry & the Saga Concept team had in mind when they introduced the Saga 43 in 1997. Over 55 Saga 43's are now cruising! Taking the lead from the shorthanded offshore racing fleets like the Whitbread and BOC around the world races, Saga opted 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 an 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. 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.
Neither a cutter nor a sloop in the usual sense, the rig has tandem 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 special high clew reaching genoa on the outer furler to increase horsepower downwind. The jib is then furled out of the way.
This boat is a rare mix of speed and comfort in a great looking package. Revolutionary fast design by Robert Perry...this is a connoisseur's boat...a sailor's boat. Big sail plan + easily driven hull = a great light air boat. It’s a truly thrilling boat to sail! If you sail for pleasure there isn't another boat in its class that will delight the senses more than a Saga 43.
"The Saga 43... can be seen in cruising destinations just about anywhere in the world and is considered by many to be a real classic that will stand out with the Valiant 40 and Cal 40 as an example of a truly excellent cruising boat design." Blue Water Sailing Magazine 10/04
Our offering, "NORTHERN STAR", has been well looked after and is well equipped and ready to go. With a water maker, solar panels, dinghy, and engine on davits, reverse cycle heat/AC, Dickerson 12,000BTU heater, SSB, 12v refrigeration, dual switchable Racor filters and much, much more there's not much to put on board besides yourself and go!
If this sounds like the type of sailboat you have been dreaming about, NORTHERN STAR is certainly worthy of your personal inspection!
While the exterior of the Saga 43 means business under sail and fine performance, the moment you step inside you come into a very classic and elegant interior. The interior of NORTHERN STAR is hand crafted in satin-varnished American cherry wood and whispers luxury. Headroom is generous at 6'3". All of the cabinets have inviting raised panel fronts on them.
Forward head: 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.
Just aft of that is the Par manual head, which has a fiberglass shower seat that lowers over it if you want to shower seated or for changing. There is bin access on the shelves on either side of the seat and mirrored sliding cabinet doors lining the hull sides on either side of the space. The entire space is made of molded fiberglass and laminate, so cleanup is easy and the space is bright. The floor is also molded non-skid for safety. The clamshell sink is on port and has storage beneath it as well. Across on starboard is additional counter space. The shower head is a wand on an adjustable bar with its own separate mixer. There is a screened Lewmar hatch overhead for ventilation and light, as well as two overhead lights. Headroom in here is 5’9” (except for under the hatch).
Forward stateroom: Located just aft of the forward head, the master stateroom features a 6’6” x 52” x 36” Pullman style double berth along the port side of the cabin. There are pad eyes for securing a lee cloth when underway. Beneath the berth there are six drawers, while outboard and above are storage cabinets the length of the berth. In addition, beneath the berth are two storage areas, one deep large storage and one shallow rectangular. Ash staving covers the hullside between. A pair of reading lights is located at the head of the bed. There is a large fiddled bookshelf at the foot of the berth.
The entire starboard side of the master stateroom is storage. Forward is a large cedar lined locker with shelves inside and a Plexiglas fiddled bookshelf on the cabinet top space above. At the aft end is another 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.
Lighting and ventilation for this cabin include the two reading lights, five LED ceiling lights, an overhead hatch, two opening ports, a Caframo fan mounted at the foot of the bed and a heat/AC supply vent. Headroom is 6’2”.
Saloon: The main saloon features a fixed drop-leaf centerline cherry table, with opposing settees. The fiddled table can comfortably seat six, has a center storage space with positive latching lid and drawers on the end for silverware and other small items. Each settee is equipped with a lee cloth, has storage beneath it and storage behind the seat cushions. The starboard settee is 6’2” long; the port is 6’8”. An interesting feature on this boat is that the cubby space behind the seats has clear hinged acrylic doors which are hinged, have finger pulls and slide bolts, so you can see what is inside yet things remain contained.
The cherry battened headliner is removable for access to the deck hardware and wiring. Overhead one also finds plenty of grab bars to hold on to at sea. There are water tanks and storage beneath the settees, storage behind the settees and shelving and cabinets outboard and above that. Ventilation and illumination is good, with four fixed ports, two dorade vents, four reading lights, one Hella fan, two overhead hatches and an opening porthole. Headroom in the saloon and nav area is 6’3”.
Nav station: The nav station is aft facing on the starboard settee and includes the hinged AC/DC distribution panel and a drop-down hinged locker for laptop storage. There is ample storage beneath the chart table and an upright paper chart locker below the nav station. There is a dedicated small halogen lamp for chart reading.
Aft head: The aft head is located on port and is across from the galley. When you enter, the VacuFlush head is to the left, with the molded scallop sink is directly in front of you, with storage beneath it. To the left of the sink above the counter is a molded fiberglass cabinet with acrylic shelves inside of it; there is another locker beneath the counter under this. To the right of the sink is the separate stall shower, which has a fully molded interior (including a shower seat) and a circular acrylic door that rotates to open or close. There are also acrylic shelves above the sink and shower seat. Ventilation to this space is provided by a dorade, one hatch and two opening ports. Headroom is 6’4”.
Galley: The galley is aft of the nav station and at the foot of the companionway steps to starboard. Wrap around Corian counter tops are fiddled and provide plenty of space to prepare anything from crackers to crepes. The galley storage is generous.
Facing forward, there is a large double stainless steel sink with double doors beneath it in front and a tip-out trash bin on the end. Looking along the hullside one finds counter space to the right of the sink, then wrapping around, the stove and more counter space to the right of that. Above the stove is a stainless steel shelf and a cherry one above that. Beneath the stove is a drop-front cubby for pot and pan storage; on either side of the stove are three drawers and a drop front locker beneath the counter. Above the counter on either side is cabinet storage with sliding acrylic door fronts. On the aft end are the refrigerator and freezer compartments, with the refrigerator portion having a top/front lid for easier access to the bottom of the compartment. Above that is an overhead space that was designed for a microwave; the current owners decided they would rather have the additional storage and had a latching acrylic door put on it. There is an overhead hatch, two opening ports and a Hella fan for ventilation. Headroom in the galley is 6’4”.
Aft stateroom: Aft of the head on port is the guest cabin. The berth is a generous 6'7" x 6'2" and has two drawers beneath it. The cabin is well ventilated, with two opening ports, an overhead hatch and a Hella fan. There is a cedar lined hanging locker (the current owners used this as a pantry), a stack of drawers with a Corian top above them, ash batten staving lining the hull and room to move around. Headroom in here is 6’4”.
Forward head:
Aft head:
The hull of the Saga 43 has a nearly plumb bow and rakish stern with a convenient walk-out swim platform. Construction of the hull is of hand-laid fiberglass, using premium grade polyester resin, with two layers of Vinyl ester resin for added osmotic protection. There is aircraft grade Baltek balsa coring in the hull and deck; the core is voided or replaced with high density backing plates in areas of thru-hulls or deck hardware attachment. Along the keel is additional heavy duty keel solid laminate layup for additional keel and mast support strength. The aluminum slotted toe rail has a PVC rub rail for full length hullside protection. The keel is externally hung lead with a double row of 10 1" keel bolts. All bulkheads and furniture components are fully bonded to the hull and deck. The hull to deck joint is through bolted on 4" centers and bonded with polyurethane adhesive sealant. There is a massive sub floor framing structure utilizing bi-directional E-Glass reinforcements for hull stiffness and added strength. The exterior is tropics friendly, with no exterior teak to maintain. The cockpit seats have nice high coamings for great back support and are 7'6" long, making them wonderful for cockpit sleeping. Foot braces are molded into the cockpit sole for the helm and crew.
Some preconceived notions about conventional sloops or cutters may need to be discarded in order to understand how the Saga 43's Variable Geometry rig works. It's not a cutter or a sloop in the usual sense and the techniques for sailing it are a tad different than what you may be used to. The rig is proportioned so that an overlapping head sail is never required. The inner head sail is used when sailing close-hulled, even in light air. As it is self-tending, tacking simply requires a turn of the wheel, no crew required. Off the wind, the reaching genoa is deployed to both add sail area and shift the center of pressure forward to maintain an extra light helm pressure on all points of sail. At deeper angles downwind an asymmetrical spinnaker can be flown from the bowsprit. Furthermore, the Saga 43 will remain well balanced and easily steered even when pressed hard on a tight reach, unlike conventionally rigged boats. Mainsail hoisting and reefing chores are easily taken care of inside the safety of the cockpit with a push of the button on the two speed self-tailing electric winch.
The Saga 43 is no slouch on the water- in fact she has an impressive sail area/displacement ratio of 20.01.
Northern Star's diesel has been run using full synthetic oil since 600 hours and has the added filtration of the Amsoil bypass system. Consequently, the wear should be drastically less than had it been run on standard oil. That, coupled with the fuel polishing system, has helped ensure Northern Star's engine will run as long and efficiently as possible. The new fuel tanks will not corrode and fail as the originals do and have a larger capacity. The engine was recently inspected (10/19) and is receiving what service the mechanic felt necessary ('19 notations below)
Owner’s personal effects and any items not specified in this listing