1990 MASON 44 - Cutter Rigged Sloop
Hull No. 41; HIN No. PAI44141F090
US Documentation Number: 968200
Hailing Port: Olympia, WA
Desingner: Al Mason
Built by Pacific Asian Enterprises, Ta Shing Yard, Taiwan
Length Overall (LOA): 43' 11"
Length on Waterline (LWL): 31' 9"
Beam: 12' 4"; Draft: 6' 5"
Design Displacement: 27,400 lbs
Ballast: 9,400 lbs. (encapsulated lead).
Full Keel, Cutaway Forefoot; Keel Hung Rudder
Constructed of molded fiberglass; Superstructure - fiberglass with end grain balsa core; Decks - teak over fiberglass with end grain balsa core.
Three cabin layout: double berth aft; main salon with galley to port and nav staion to starboard; head with separate shower stall; v-berth forward. Click for Layout.
Sails and sail-handling: In-mast roller furling main; roller furing 120 genoa; staysail (hanked-on); asymetric cruising spinnaker; storm staysail; storm trysail; riding sail. Carbon fiber whisker pole; preventers and Gybe-Easy boom brake.
Engine: 55 h.p. Yanmar turbo-charged diesel (4JH-TE); Propeller: 18 inch, three blade feathering Max Prop on 1 1/4" stainless steel shaft and PYI drippless shaft seal.
Fuel: 170 gals in two tanks; Water: 140 gals in five tanks - 22 gal/hr watermaker.
Electrical: Four battery house bank (AGM - 980 amp hrs); Two starting batteries - engine and genset (AGM); Entec West 4200 kilowatt diesel generator; 3000 watt Trace inverter/charger; ProMariner ProNautic 1240 C3 charger; Charles isolation transformer and surge suppressor; LED cabin and navigation lights; solar panels.
Navigation: Garmin 4212 radar/chartplotter/GPS with AIS at nav station; Garmin 4208 radar/chartplotter/GPS with AIS at helm; two handheld Garmin GPS units.
Communication: Standard Horizon GX2100 25 watt fixed mount VHF with dual channel AIS, DSC and RAM in cockpit; ICOM M-802 SSB with PACTOR; two Standard Horizon hand-held VHF radios - HS850X (with GPS and DSC) and HS150X.
Anchors: Primary - ROCNA 40 kg (88 lbs); secondary bower - Fortress FX55; stern anchor Fortress FX37; storm - Luke (Fisherman) 80 lbs. Rode: Primary - 300' of 3/8" HT (G4) chain spliced to 200' of 1" three strand nylon; secondary bower - 100' of 3/8" HT (G4) chain shackled to 500' of 3/4" 8-braid nylon ("Brait"); stern - 30' of 5/16" HT (G4) chain shackled to 240' of 5/8" Brait.
Autopilots: Monitor Windvane; B&G below decks autopilot.
Dinghy: AB hypolon Ulra Light 9 aluminum RIB with 8 hp Tohatsu outboard; two inflatable kayaks.
Survival: Avon 6-person lift raft (in vallise); Kannad 406 EPIRB with GPS; ACR PLB (EPIRB) with GPS.
For additional details on equipment aboard and upgrades we have made to prepare Bright Angel for ocean voyaging, click here.
CHOOSING THE NAME BRIGHT ANGEL
By Linda Hargreaves
I never look at a boat without wondering what the inspiration was for the name. I have even thought it would be fun to write a book telling the stories behind the names because without exception there is always a story.
Naming a boat is a very personal process. Once you decide “this is our boat” the bond begins. So the name is very important as it will separate her from all others and provide a unique identity. The name often creates an instant impression, perhaps even more so than the appearance. It is common in the boating community to associate boat owners with their boat’s name. Bob and I often struggle to remember the names of individuals we’ve just met, but we rarely forget a boat’s name or some striking feature of the boat.
Bright Angel was a name we chose to honor my mother, Bernice Logan. She was truly an “imagineer” who loved to dream of traveling the world. She had a deep interest in people and places. It was not unusual for her to spread a map on the dining room table and take a “mind trip” to far off countries and oceans. Her Atlas was always close at hand and had a number of dog-eared pages and a well worn cover. She also loved the wonders of the U.S. with the Grand Canyon on the top of her “must see” list. As a native Washingtonian no one appreciated the beauty of the Northwest more than my mother. She never failed to express her awe for the majestic beauty of Mount Rainer and the serenity of the San Juan Islands.
The opportunity for my mother to actually travel to places she had dreamed of did not materialize until she was 60 years old. For the first time in her life she was actually going to fly. Next stop Australia! At long last she was truly a world traveler. Her next trip was to Europe, then a cruise to Alaska. And then she discovered white water rafting! Needless to say she was always the “senior” member of the group.
Sadly, at age 72, my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. And for whatever reason she had still not been to the Grand Canyon. Having been there myself I knew she just had to see it. Knowing her time was very short I booked the trip. As predicted, she was amazed and awed beyond words at the wonder of that sight.
As we were driving to each and every lookout we passed Bright Angel Lodge. I should mention here that my mother also had a great love of words. She loved how certain words flowed when spoken, how they looked when written, and we would sometimes just talk about what words we liked and why. As we passed the Lodge she said: “Bright Angel is such a beautiful name. I wish I had something I could name Bright Angel.” It was just one month later that she passed away.
We bought our first boat two years after my mother passed away, an Ericson 29. When the subject came up as to what to name our new boat, I immediately knew it should be Bright Angel. I don’t think Bob even uttered one possible alternative before agreeing. My mother would have loved sailing, and to experience the San Juan Islands from the water would have been an experience beyond belief for her.
We sold our Ericson to a wonderful couple from Oregon, who in turn sold it to a resident of Poulsbo. They each chose to keep the name Bright Angel and so it is fitting that there will be one Bright Angel sailing Northwest waters and one cruising the world. I have no doubt my mother would have been the first to sign on as crew for this grand adventure we are about to embark upon. Her curiosity about far off places, her love of the mountains and water, and her sense of wonder for it all is my most coveted inheritance. Whether it was genetic s or just environment, I believe my mother was the guiding force that influenced our decision to experience the world from the water powered by two beautiful white wings. Although my mother never realized it, she was and is a Bright Angel.