Just Launched - Barra

Boat Name:	Barra
Model:	Morris 48
Designer:	Chuck Paine
Builder:	Morris Yachts
Launch Site:	Northeast Harbor, Maine

Particulars: The owner of this boat had referred a friend to Morris yachts, then, after seeing his friend’s Ocean 48 built at the yard, decided to have his own version constructed. He worked closely with engineers from Morris and from Hall Spars to customize Barra’s rig and keel to his own specifications. The mast is 9 feet taller than the standard for an Ocean 48, and the keel is 8 feet deep instead of 6.5 feet. The deck was customized for racing while the interior, trimmed out in Herreshoff-style cherry with white bulkheads, is set up for comfortable living. There’s a three-cabin layout: v-berth forward, port side aft guest cabin, and starboard crew cabin quarter berth, to accommodate the family for long periods at sea. A deep freezer under the main salon settee in addition to the standard fridge/freezer combo in the galley will help with the provisioning for long-distance sailing. The owner planned to inaugurate the boat by sailing in the Newport-Bermuda Race as one of more than 220 boats divided among five classes that take in the race that starts in Newport Harbor on June 20. Later, the owner, captain, and a crew that will include various members of his family – his wife and three adult children – will sail Barra cross the Atlantic and to Ireland and Scotland. One planned stop will be the beautiful Isle of Barra, for which the boat is named, in Scotland’s Western Isles. Participation in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) is also planned. Starting in late November, this year’s ARC fleet of some 20 sailboats will head west across the Atlantic for a landfall in St. Lucia. The 2,600-mile rally takes roughly three weeks.

Builder contact: Morris Yachts PO Box 395, Grandville Road, Bass Harbor, Maine 04653 Phone: 207-244-5509; Fax: 207-244-5866 www.morrisyachts.com