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The Mason 43 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators
The Mason 43, a heavy displacement long keeled cruiser, was designed by Al Mason and built in Taiwan by Ta Shing Yacht Building.
The Mason 43 is a sailboat that has captivated many sailing enthusiasts with its exceptional features and performance. Built by Ta Shing Yacht Building in Taiwan, the boat represents a blend of traditional craftsmanship with modern design, resulting in a vessel that's not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional.
Published Specification for the Mason 43
Underwater Profile: Long keel
Hull Material: GRP
Length Overall: 43'10" (13.40 m)
Waterline Length: 31' 3" (9.53 m)
Beam: 12'3" (3.73 m)
Draft: 6' 3" (1.91 m)
Rig Type: Cutter, but also available as a staysail ketch
Displacement: 25,000 lb (11,340 kg)
Designer: Al Mason
Builder: Ta Shing Yacht Building (Taiwan)
Year First Built: 1978
Year Last Built: 1985
Number Built: 180
Design Ratios: The Key Performance Indicators
Let's take a look at the design ratios of the Mason 43 sailboat:
- The Sail Area/Displacement Ratio is a measure of the sailboat's speed potential. For the Mason 43, this ratio is roughly 15.5, indicating that it performs well in light to moderate winds.
- The Ballast/Displacement Ratio is around 40%, highlighting its stability and stiffness. This ratio indicates that the Mason 43 has a good amount of ballast relative to its weight, which helps it stay upright in strong winds.
- The Displacement/Length Ratio is approximately 327, which is relatively high. This suggests that the Mason 43 is a heavy cruiser, designed for long-distance sailing and able to handle rough sea conditions well.
- The Comfort Ratio of the Mason 43 is around 38.2. This ratio is a gauge of the vessel's motion comfort, suggesting that the Mason 43 provides a very comfortable ride, especially in rough waters.
- The Capsize Screening Formula for the Mason 43 is about 1.65, which is below the commonly accepted safe limit of 2.0. This indicates that the Mason 43 is considered a safer boat in terms of stability and resistance to capsize.
Based on these design ratios, it can be predicted that the Mason 43 will perform admirably in a range of conditions. It is a vessel designed for long-distance cruising, offering a good balance of speed and stability, with a comfortable ride in challenging seas.
But just how reliable are these Design Ratios?
Interior Layout
The interior of the Mason 43 sailboat is designed for comfortable long-distance cruising. It typically features two staterooms, providing ample accommodation for a family or several guests.
The forward stateroom usually includes a v-berth, while the aft master stateroom often features a double berth. Both staterooms generally have adequate storage space, with lockers and drawers for personal belongings.
The vessel usually has one or two heads (bathrooms), often with a shower. The heads are typically equipped with a manual or electric marine toilet, a sink, and storage space.
The galley (kitchen) on a Mason 43 is designed for functionality at sea. It typically includes a stove, an oven, a refrigerator, and a double sink. There's usually ample counter space for food preparation and plenty of storage for cookware and provisions.
The main salon is spacious and comfortable, often featuring a dining area with a large table and seating. The salon is typically lined with quality woodwork, adding to the overall charm and warmth of the interior.
While the standard interior layout is the most popular choice, there are also alternatives available. Some Mason 43 models feature a two-cabin layout, with a larger master cabin and a smaller guest cabin.
Exterior Features
The exterior features of the Mason 43 include a full keel design with cutaway forefoot, a spacious cockpit, and a traditional cutter rig. The deck is wide and uncluttered, providing ample space for crew movement.
The rigging of the Mason 43 is sturdy and designed for easy handling. It features a roller furling jib, a staysail, and a full-batten mainsail. The rigging system is designed to handle a variety of wind conditions, making the Mason 43 a versatile sailing vessel.
The Mason 43's hull design is one of its standout features. Its solid fiberglass construction and full keel design provide excellent stability and seakeeping abilities. The hull shape also contributes to the boat's comfortable motion at sea.
The Rig & Sailplan
The Mason 43 typically sports a cutter rig, which is a versatile and efficient sail plan favored by many long-distance cruisers. This sail plan includes a mainsail, a staysail (a smaller sail set between the mast and the bow), and a headsail (jib). The arrangement of these sails provides a good balance of power and flexibility, allowing the Mason 43 to perform well under various wind conditions.
The cutter rig's versatility comes from the ability to use different combinations of sails. For example, in lighter winds, all three sails can be used for maximum power. In stronger winds, the headsail can be furled, and the boat can be sailed on the staysail and mainsail, which is a more balanced and manageable setup.
Some Mason 43s were also produced as staysail ketches like the one in the pic at the top of this page, which reduces the area of individual sails and provides even more flexibility.
In a Nutshell
The Mason 43 is a cruising sailboat known for its solid construction, exceptional design, and excellent handling at sea. It's a full-keel, cutter-rigged vessel that was first introduced in the late 1970s.
Designed by naval architect Al Mason, the Mason 43 is built for long-distance cruising and offers a combination of comfort and performance. It's often recognized for its seaworthiness and ability to handle a variety of weather conditions, making it a popular choice among serious sailors and cruisers.
The interior of the Mason 43 typically features two staterooms, a full galley, and a spacious main salon, providing comfortable living quarters for extended voyages. The woodwork inside is often praised for its quality and craftsmanship.
Under sail, the Mason 43 is known for its stability and smooth motion. The full keel design contributes to its tracking ability and overall performance under various sailing conditions.
Overall, the Mason 43 is a classic, well-respected cruising sailboat that offers a blend of comfort, performance, and seaworthiness.
I wrote this article using GPT-4, OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model, as a research assistant to develop source material. I wrote the final draft in its entirety and believe it to be accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Dick McClary, creator and owner of sailboat-cruising.com
Other sailboats in the Mason range include:
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- Sailboat Guide
Mason 43 is a 43 ′ 9 ″ / 13.4 m monohull sailboat designed by Alvin Mason and built by Ta Shing Yacht Building Ltd. between 1978 and 1985.
Rig and Sails
Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.
The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.
Classic hull speed formula:
Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL
Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL
Sail Area / Displacement Ratio
A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.
SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3
- SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
- D : Displacement in pounds.
Ballast / Displacement Ratio
A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.
Ballast / Displacement * 100
Displacement / Length Ratio
A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.
D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³
- D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
- LWL: Waterline length in feet
Comfort Ratio
This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.
Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )
- D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
- LOA: Length overall in feet
- Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet
Capsize Screening Formula
This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.
CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)
Mason design S-105. Also available as a ketch. SA ketch rig: 916 sq.ft./85.1 m2.
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Review of Mason 43
Basic specs..
The hull is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season.
The boat is equipped with 9 berths.
The Mason 43 has been built with different keel alternatives.
Unknown keel type
The boat can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 1.85 - 1.95 meter (6.07 - 6.37 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.
The Mason 43 is equipped with a long keel. A full keel provide a better directional stability than a similar boat with a fin keel; on the other hand, better directional stability means also that the boat is more difficult to handle in a harbour with less space.
Mason 43 can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 1.91 - 2.01 meter (6.27 - 6.57 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.
The boat is typically equipped with an inboard Perkins 4.108 diesel engine at 50 hp (37 kW).
Sailing characteristics
This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.
What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?
The capsize screening value for Mason 43 is 1.58, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.
The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Mason 43 is about 329 kg/cm, alternatively 1847 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 329 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1847 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.
Sailing statistics
This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.
What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?
What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?
Maintenance
Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale
If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.
| Usage | Length | Diameter | ||
| Mainsail halyard | 36.6 m | (120.0 feet) | 14 mm | (0.55 inch) |
| Jib/genoa halyard | 36.6 m | (120.0 feet) | 14 mm | (0.55 inch) |
| Spinnaker halyard | 36.6 m | (120.0 feet) | 14 mm | (0.55 inch) |
| Jib sheet | 13.4 m | (43.9 feet) | 16 mm | (5/8 inch) |
| Genoa sheet | 13.4 m | (43.9 feet) | 16 mm | (5/8 inch) |
| Mainsheet | 33.5 m | (109.7 feet) | 16 mm | (5/8 inch) |
| Spinnaker sheet | 29.4 m | (96.6 feet) | 16 mm | (5/8 inch) |
| Cunningham | 5.6 m | (18.5 feet) | 14 mm | (0.55 inch) |
| Kickingstrap | 11.3 m | (37.0 feet) | 14 mm | (0.55 inch) |
| Clew-outhaul | 11.3 m | (37.0 feet) | 14 mm | (0.55 inch) |
This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.
Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.
We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Mason 43 it would be a great help.
If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.
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Looking at a ''86 Mason 43''Cutter. I sail out of S.Cal and mostly coastal cruise. I am looking to move up from my Catalina 30 and in order to stay in my budget I am considering an older "bluewater" boat vs. a newer "coastal cruiser" (Catalina,Beneteau,Hunter). However I hate to buy something that might turn into a maintinance money pit.
They''re ALL money pits......sail anyway. You''re lucky to have a Mason 43 within your reach.
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IMAGES
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COMMENTS
Images: 7. Re: Sailing Experiences on Mason 43/44. Just in the process of finishing an around the Atlantic tour in the 2nd to the last Mason 44 built. Ran from Lake Superior to Halifax May/June of 2011, then Halifax to Ireland. Went up the west side of Ireland then to Scotland. Wintered the boat in Ardfern, Scotland.
43/44Mason43/44Owners say this powerful, Taiwan built world cruiser carries Hinckley quality. t half the price.T he Mason 43 was introduced in 1978 by Pacific Asian Enterprises (PAE), a California based "developer" of Ta. wan-built yachts. The Mason 44 which uses the same hull but a different deck mold, appeared in 1985, and is still in.
The attraction of the Mason 43 for today's offshore sailor is the ability to buy a handsome blue water boat of high quality construction for less than $120,000, safe in the knowledge that little further depreciation will occur. ... Boat Reviews. Perry Design Review: Mason 64. Bob Perry. August 25, 2000. Boat Reviews. 2023 Tiara 43 LE Cruiser ...
rig as the how-contend for short-handed is in weather. side, not sail-windward cutter. Mason 43 specifications: LOA 43'8"; LWL 31'3"; Beam 12'4"; Draft 6'3"; Sail Area (cutter) 899 sq. ft., (ketch) 916 sq. ft.; Displacement 23, 860; Ballast 9,400 lbs. The hull layup for the Mason line of boats is massive by modern, light ...
is space. Access. t1 it isworkable, arid the engine's location maxi iniz,e~ cabin volume while allowing the prop shaft to be aligned parallel with the y,raterline for,best e. ficiency. The Mason 43 is powered by 899 square feel of sail divided between the three sails of the double-spreader c. tte.
Boat: 1988 Hans Christian 33. Posts: 727. Re: Mason 43. I had a Mason 44, which is the same hull with a redesigned cockpit, companionway and interior. Build quality was very good and she was quite comfortable. Sailed well, but she has a 15' boom and a very large mainsail. They are initially tender, so you need to reef at 15kts.
It takes into consideration "reported" sail area, displacement and length at waterline. The higher the number the faster speed prediction for the boat. A cat with a number 0.6 is likely to sail 6kts in 10kts wind, a cat with a number of 0.7 is likely to sail at 7kts in 10kts wind. KSP = (Lwl*SA÷D)^0.5*0.5
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA. Boat: 31' Cape George Cutter. Posts: 3,312. Re: Sailing Experiences on Mason 43/44. Friends of mine have had to swallow the hook for health reasons and their Mason is for sale, currently in Turkey. I can provide contacts for anyone interested. Greg.
The Mason 43 is a cruising sailboat known for its solid construction, exceptional design, and excellent handling at sea. It's a full-keel, cutter-rigged vessel that was first introduced in the late 1970s. Designed by naval architect Al Mason, the Mason 43 is built for long-distance cruising and offers a combination of comfort and performance.
Mason 43 is a 43′ 9″ / 13.4 m monohull sailboat designed by Alvin Mason and built by Ta Shing Yacht Building Ltd. between 1978 and 1985. Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts. ... Mason 43. 1978 — 1985
S. SailNet Archive Discussion starter. 87689 posts · Joined 1999. #1 · May 28, 2007. Howdy folks. Im looking at a Mason 43. It has just been re-decked with F/G, and has a new motor. Anyone have any opinions on Masons?. I went aboard this one linked and it was very clean with only some minor cosmetic issues.
Specifications and Review of Mason 43 based on the boat's specifications and artificial intelligense. YachtDatabase.com ... The SA/D for Mason 43 with ISO 8666 reference sail is 15.3, with a 135% genua the SA/D is 18.1. Low High 12% 0 50 100.
C. chuck711. 120 posts · Joined 2002. #2 · Jun 3, 2005. There was 3 or 4 Mason 43´s that was lost in Ivan in Grenada last year. The owner told me it was a great sailing yacht. Most boats sail much better and faster than one motors. If I remember he (the salvager)was asking. $175,000 after he repaired the hull.
Mason 54 Review. Mason Sailboats The Robb Report April 1989 - "Building the Best Sailboat" Mason 33 MASON 33 Review Mason 43 Mason 43 in Nautical Quarterly Cruising World Mason 43 Review by Joe Minick Inside The Mason 43- BWS Review Romancing the Stone Yachting Review of the Mason 43 Ketch Mason 44 Cruising World Review of M44….
This Mason 43' is the ideal choice for sailors seeking a proven, seaworthy vessel with classic charm. Don't miss the opportunity to own a yacht that has earned its reputation as one of the finest ocean-going sailboats ever built. ... Used Boat Review: Hobie 33. Paul Grimes. March 25, 2010. Boat Reviews. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 Review ...
18-01-2006, 17:25. # 4. Fritz. Registered User. Join Date: Sep 2005. Posts: 42. Mason 43 Tender. When the Mason 44 replaced the Mason 43, I was told by one of the three partners at PAE (the importer) that one improvement in the 44 was to stiffen the boat. Evidently, the 43 was considered by PAE to be too tender.
Find Mason 43 boats for sale in your area & across the world on YachtWorld. Offering the best selection of Mason boats to choose from.
Sail; Lifestyle; Reviews; Toggle Navigation. United States (English) Danmark - Dansk. Deutschland - Deutsch. Australia - English. United Kingdom - English. España - Español. ... This Mason 43' is the ideal choice for sailors seeking a proven, seaworthy vessel with classic charm. Don't miss the opportunity to own a yacht that has earned ...
Boat Review Forum. SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, ... Looking at a ''86 Mason 43''Cutter. I sail out of S.Cal and mostly coastal cruise. I am looking to move up from my Catalina 30 and in order to ...
The 43 has the best aft cabin made in the day and the worst cockpit, the 44 has a lesser aft cabin, but the best secure feeling cockpit. They made a shallow draft 5'7"; but most you find will have a 6' 5" draft. The hull is rock solid the rest of the boat will depend on what the PO has done to it.
Boats.com. Mason 44 and Mason 43 Sailboat Reviews from leading sources.