Shannon 51 Center Cockpit

The Hull
The Shannon 51 utilizes the proven hull of the Shannon 47/52 to regularly produce 200 mile days offshore. The motion underway is gentle, with a distinct “big boat” feel. Performance to weather and tracking characteristics off the wind are exemplary. For draft, the 51 Center Cockpit is available in either a keel centerboard version drawing 5’8” board up and 9’9” board down, or a fixed draft version drawing 6’6”. The hull is constructed to the highest standards using composite foam core (NO inexpensive balsawood) featuring PVC linear Airex foam, bi-axial laminates, vinylester resins, and Kevlar hybrids.

Custom Interior Layouts

For over a quarter of a century Shannon has set the standard
for custom building an interior to specific owner requirements. Each Shannon 51 Center Cockpit truly reflects the needs and taste of a specific owner. As a yacht gets bigger there are more opportunities to satisfy individual requirements. At Shannon, owners sit down with Walt Schulz to design and

Deck Plans

The Shannon 51 is one of the few center cockpit deck configurations that is suitable for offshore sailing. Most center cockpits look like wedding cakes with multiple layers raising the seat level and limiting the height of the coamings. The center cockpit on the Shannon 51 by contrast is deep and secure, with ergonomically correct seating.

In a severe storm, the Shannon 51 Center Cockpit feels and is safe, even in extreme conditions. The Aegean hardtop option offers a fiberglass shelter with windows and hatches for visibility and ventilation. In addition, a second steering and control station can be added under the hardtop for maximum protection from the elements.

Conclusion

The Shannon 51 in either the Center Cockpit or Aegean hardtop version (shown below) is a true sea boat, unlike the raised deck salon models offered by many companies. If your requirements call for offshore sailing short-handed with optimum privacy for two couples in a boat that is designed and built expressly for you by master New England craftsmen, then the Shannon 51 Center Cockpit deserves your close scrutiny.

Rig Choices

Shannon has been an industry leader in the optimization and evolution of bluewater sailing rigs. Knowledgeable offshore sailors are well aware of the limitations of sloop rigged boats with a single roller furling headsail. Sloops even with inner stays for storm sails lack the versatility necessary for short handed sailing. In-mast main sailing furling devices that seem like a good idea at the dock can become a nightmare in Force 9 storm. The easy to handle and safe rig choices offered for the Shannon 51 Center Cockpit insure that the cruising destinations of husband and wife sailing teams will not be limited by the need to find crew for long passages.

In response to the limitations of high aspect ratio sloops, traditional cutters and double headsail ketches, Walt Schulz has developed the Shannon exclusive Scutter and the Sketch rigs. The new rigs evolved over the years as a result of the increased dependability of roller furling headsail gear and mainsail full batten sail design. The basic concept of using two headsails - a working jib and a light air genoa - placed one behind the other can be found on the newest Maxi yachts. With the Scutter rig, there is a headsail sail ready to go for winds from a zephyr to a full gale. Best of all, the sail changes are all obtained without ever leaving the safety of the cockpit. The second integral part of the Scutter/Sketch sail plan design is the fully battened mainsail. A masthead crane moves the backstays aft to increase the roach of the mainsail. The additional drive of the main allows for smaller headsails, meaning less work winching with no decrease in speed. Also the halyard and reef lines for the fully battened main can be lead aft to an electric winch in the cockpit.

create from scratch the ultimate personal yacht. Preliminary 3D drawings using sophisticated CAD software are prepared, discussed and finalized. Specific areas that need refinement or come into question are mocked up full size in the hull insure owner satisfaction. The whole process is exiting, rewarding and maximizes all opportunities. Since each Shannon is built from the keel up without interior liners the cost for a complete custom layout is included in the base price.

The Shannon 51 Center Cockpit with Aegean hard top option was designed by Walt Schulz for bluewater sailing and living aboard by a husband and wife team. The 51 Center Cockpit offers two totally separate sleeping cabins with en suite heads. A third separate cabin for additional guests plus a spacious main salon, sea-going galley are functional and are perfect for cruising with friends and family in complete luxury with privacy. The high level of satisfaction enjoyed by Shannon owners over the past 30 plus years has established Shannon as the most successful builder of ocean cruising yachts. Like all Shannons built since 1975, the Shannon 51 Center cockpit is offered on a built-to-order “virtually custom” basis with a wide range of owner choices in layout, rig, draft, machinery, etc.