2017 Brooklin Boat Yard Taylor 49 Spirit of Tradition

As mentioned, Blackfish is a development of the Jim Taylor designed DREADNAUGHT.  To suit her owner's desire to lean toward performance, the cabin house was shortened two feet (which meant the interior is a tad smaller, primarily on the starboard side with does not extend under the cockpit).  The cockpit was shifted forward those two feet.  In addition the draft is six inches deeper and the sail plane provides for more horsepower, which works well with the deeper keel.

The hull and deck of BLACKFISH are constructed with the cold molded wood/epoxy technique for which Brooklin Boatyard is justifiably famous. The hull features tongue and groove Alaskan cedar planking each side of diagonal western red cedar veneers, and the deck boasts a handsome and traditional teak overlay. The stem, keelson, and ring frames are of laminated Alaskan cedar. The keel loads are supported and distributed by a grid of laminated keel floors that are capped with unidirectional carbon fiber. Cold molded wood construction not only results in high strength and toughness relative to weight, but it also provides very impressive acoustic and thermal insulation. The interior has been finished in a classic ‘Herreshoff’ style, with off-white painted surfaces trimmed with brightwork highlights that are a Brooklin Boat Yard trademark. 

BLACKFISH’s light-weight construction allows a high ballast/displacement ratio, which combined with an equally light-weight carbon rig, provides ample stability to support a generous sail plan. The boat will be day sailed and cruised with a slightly overlapping jib but often raced with a genoa. Asymmetrical spinnakers and modern, sophisticated deck hardware (including an electric main halyard winch) allow both racing and cruising crews to handle sails with ease and confidence. Her push-button operated electric drive jib-furler and hydraulic backstay adjusting cylinder are both located below decks to keep the deck clear and the look clean.Long sailing length and narrow beam give BLACKFISH a meter boat feel, with low drag and an especially comfortable motion in a seaway. Her low wetted area and large rig reflect her emphasis on rewarding performance in light-to- moderate air New England. Her deep, high aspect ratio appendages feature ample profile area to provide a user friendly ‘groove’ even when down-speed or in sloppy sea conditions. BLACKFISH’s striking combination of classic “Spirit of Tradition” style with contemporary performance sets her apart from (and usually far ahead of!) everything else on the water.

NOTE:  Much of the description above was provided by Brooklin Boat Yard.

The hull shell is cold-molded / wood-epoxy / vacuum-bagged construction. Wooden skins are built up starting with 7/16” thick tongue and grooved Western Larch oriented fore and aft over frame molds, then two (2) layers of 3/16” western red cedar at (+/-) 45 degrees, then 5/16” Alaskan red cedar strip plank laid fore and aft. Hull exterior is finished on the exterior with a layer 1208 fiberglass cloth vacuum-bagged in epoxy over-lapped on centerline by 12”.

The stem is laminated Alaskan cedar formed in two parts an extends from the deck to just below the DWL. Inner stem is 3 1⁄2” thickness and approximately 6” wide. Outer stem is 1 1⁄2” thickness.

Keelson is 2” thick, laminated from two (2) layers of 3/8” Alaskan cedar over the frame molds with two (2) layers of 1⁄4” plywood at 45 degrees and two (2) more layers of 3/8” Alaskan cedar. Keelson width is 6” forward tapering to 8” wide in the way of the mast step and ballast keel aft to engine and 6” from engine aft to transom. Keelson width is locally increased to 24” at engine and 14” at rudder bearing.

Keel floors are formed from laminated stacks of 1⁄2” Alaskan cedar molded approximately 7”, sided to 3 1⁄2” and sawn to fit inside hull skin. Floors are capped with 1/8” thick uni-directional carbon fiber over the full 3 1⁄2” length and thickness of each floor and splayed out onto the inside skin approximately 12” beyond the floor outboard ends.

Mast step is machined aluminum plate slotted for fore and aft adjustment, shaped to clear forward most keel bolt and supported by a horizontal laminated stack of 1⁄2” Alaskan cedar, sided 8” and sawn to match height of floors above the keelson. A stainless-steel tie rod aft of the mast links the step and deck.

Ring frames are laminated of 1⁄4” Alaskan cedar molded 2” and sided 3” at chain plates and ballast keel trailing edge. Sheer clamp is multiple layers of Alaskan cedar laminated and molded to be at 2 3⁄4” and sided at 1 1⁄2”. Transom is three (3) layers of 3/8” plywood fiberglass skin and overlaid with Teak veneer.

Deck beams are molded 2 1⁄4”, sided 1 1⁄2”, laminated from 1⁄4” thickness Alaskan cedar. Deck stringers are molded 1 1⁄2”, sided 1 1⁄4” Alaskan cedar. Deck / house side carlins are 1” Alaskan cedar, nominally 3” wide. Decks are of 3/8” plywood overlaid with 3/8” Teak planking.

House top is two (2) layers of 1⁄4” plywood over laid with fiberglass cloth and painted non-skid exterior surface. House sides are 9mm plywood over laid with 3mm varnished teak veneer.

The allure of BLACKFISH is continued in her modified Herreshoff style interior. Walking down the companionway places you into the gorgeously finished salon, nav area and galley of BLACKFISH, looking forward to the head and v-berth, and port aft for the additional berth. The overheads have all been painted white which is complimented nicely by the varnished cabinetry, joinery, and cabin sides. The cabin sole is a beautiful varnished 1/4 sawn brown oak.

First to starboard you find the galley with a White Oak counter top, SS sink, 2-burner Force 10 stove/oven, refrigerator/freezer and ample storage throughout drawers and cabinets.

To port you have the navigation station, again with a White Oak desk top and chair. This area houses your electrical panel, B&G electronics, VHF, and more. 

Aft of the nav station is the guest berth, an oversized quarter berth suitable for two adults. 

Forward of these areas is the main saloon. Two settees surround a varnished White Oak drop leaf table: one straight settee to starboard and one L-shaped settee to port. There is shelf and locker storage above and below the settees. 

Moving forward, you will find the head area complete with vacu-flush head and SS sink set in varnished White Oak to port and dressing bench to starboard.

Furthest forward in the boat is the vee-berth sleeping cabin, comfortably accommodating two adults, complete with drawer and hanging storage.

The entire interior is bright and well ventilated.  There are four fixed portlights in the  cabin sides, two large overhead hatches (one in the salon, one in the forward cabin), and four medium sized overhead hatches (in the head, passageway, nav station and galley areas). Extensive electrical lighting includes overhead lights, floor level courtesy lights and reading lamps.

BLACKFISH features a phenomenal exterior with many beneficial features for both racing and cruising. Her comfortable and accommodating cockpit was strategically moved forward, perhaps improving its tactical positioning and certainly moving weight toward the center of the boat.  This cockpit has great racing layout, but functions superbly as a comfortable space for more casual cruising.

At the helm you will find a custom Brooklin Boat Yard varnished wood steering wheel complemented by a Ritchie binnacle/compass (note the glass binnacle detailing) as well as an extensive B&G electronics suite including sailing displays, GPS, radar, VHF, AIS, and autopilot. (There are additional B&G sailing displays mounted on the mast below the boom.)

The teak decks are in excellent condition, as are the varnished teak toe rails, cabin sides, cockpit coamings, cabin top-handrails, and companionway.

Forward of the cockpit she comes with a canvas/glass dodger to protect from spray, wind and rain.

The electric jib-furler and hydraulic backstay cylinder have been hidden below-deck to keep the deck surface clean and simple. 

• Stainless steel bow pulpit
• Stainless steel life line stanchions with gate stanchions port and starboard
• Double life lines with opening gates
• Polished stainless steel bow anchor roller
• Polished stainless steel docking cleats bow and stern
• Polished stainless steel dock line chocks bow, stern and max beam
• Polished stainless steel ensign socket
• Varnished teak toe rails and taff rail
• Teak decks
• Varnished teak cabin sides
• Fixed portlights in cabin sides (4ea preside)
• Painted (awlgrip) cabin top finish
• Teak surface on cockpit seating
• Painted (awlgrip) cockpit finish
• Teak cockpit sole
• Varnished teak cockpit coamings with bare teak cap surfaces
• Varnished teak handrails on cabin top
• Varnished teak companionway sliding hatch, drop boards and hatch trim
• Forward sail / anchor locker
• Lewmar foredeck / forward cabin hatch (1ea large)
• Lewmar cabin top / main saloon hatch (1ea)
• Lewmar cabin top hatches for head, passageway, navigations and galley areas (4ea small)
• Aft dedicated life raft locker

• Hall Spars double-spreader, high-modulus, carbon fiber, fractionally rigged mast
• Antal main sail and storm trysail tracks
• Internal hydraulic mast jack
• Hall Spars carbon fiber boom
• Hall Spars carbon fiber spinnaker pole
• Stainless steel rod rigging (shrouds and headstay) with stainless steel turnbuckle adjusters
• 9T Kevlar backstay.
• Hall Rigging running rigging package for all halyards, sheets and other lines
• Polished stainless steel stem iron / tang
• Polished stainless steel chainplates

• Selden electric-powered, roller-furling headstay
• Harken hydraulic control / selector panel and pumps port and starboard
• Harken hydraulic backstay cylinder / adjuster
• Harken hydraulic vang cylinder / adjuster
• Harken mainsheet traveler
• Harken Proforma 46.2 STP primary winches (cockpit coaming) 2ea
• Harken Proforma 40.2 STP mainsheet winches (cockpit coaming) 2ea
• Harken Proforma 40.2 STP sail control & halyard winch (port cabin top) 1ea
• Harken Proforma 40.2 STP 12H LM Electric sail control & halyard winch  (starboard cabin top) 1ea
• Harken blocks
• Harken tracks and cars
• Spinlock rope clutches

• Genoa, Heavy #1, Elvstrom 2021
• Genoa, Light #1, Elvstrom 2021
• AP Runner, Chesapeake Sailmakers 2021
• Mainsail, Doyle 2019
• J2, Doyle 2019
• A2,  Doyle 2019
• Whomper, Doyle 2018
• A1.5, Doyle 2017
• A2, Doyle 2017
• S1, Doyle 2017
• Mainsail Cover
• Awning

• Ritchie compass in custom binnacle
• B&G Zeus2-9 sailing instruments with displays at helm, navigation station  and 20 / 20 mast display
• B&G GPS / chart plotter
• B&G 4G radar
• Custom (removable) carbon fiber radome mast
• B&G VHF radio
• B&G AIS
• B&G Autopilot
• Navionics E-Charts (USA and Canada)
• Blue Tooth / Wi-Fi enabled stereo with interior and cockpit speakers

• Engine Model: Yanmar 4JH57 Diesel / 57 HP
• Drive Model: SD60 Sail Drive with Flex-O-Fold 2-bladed propellor
• Keyless digital control panel
• Single lever throttle transmission control
• 2.23:1 Reduction gear with reverse
• Groco ARG 500 raw water strainer / filter
• Engine Access : Via hinged companionway ladder and removable side  panels
• Engine Installation: Engine installed in sound insulated engine box with flex  mounts and remote air intake.
• Vetus water lock muffler and sound shielded exhaust hose and pipe
• Fuel Capacity: 28 Gallons
• Primary (standard Yanmar) fuel / water separator
• Double Racor fuel water separator

• 12-Volt DC and 110-Volt AC electrical systems
• Separate battery banks for house and engine start
• Starting battery bank consists of one (1) Victron AGM 12-Volt battery located  under aft quarter berth
• Starting battery master switch and voltage display on ship’s electrical panel
• House battery bank consists of two (2) Victron 110AH AGM 12-Volt batteries  wired in parallel located under companionway stairs directly in front of engine
• House bank master switch and voltage display on ship’s electrical panel
• 125 Amp engine alternator
• 110-Volt AC shore power cord
• AC shore power inlet in cockpit wired directly to ProNautica battery charger
• Emergency parallel switch
• Manually operated bilge pump under port (cockpit) helm seat
• Manually operated bilge pump under main cabin sole
• Electric / automatic bilge pump under main cabin sole
• Electric / automatic bilge pump in forward sail locker

• Fresh water capacity: 62 Gallons held in two (2) tanks located under port and  starboard settees
• Hot and cold pressure water supplied to sink basins in galley and head areas
• Galley sink is polished stainless steel set under White Oak counter top
• Polished stainless steel Finspray faucet at galley sink
• Head sink is polished stainless steel set under White Oak counter top
• Hand-held faucet for head sink doubles as showerhead
• Teak grate sole with shower pan under leading to sump pump for overboard  discharge
• Jabsco electric toilet
• Head system plumbed for discharge to holding tank
• Holding tank plumbed for pump-out either shore-side
• Two manual bilge pumps
• Two electric/automatic bilge pumps

• CCI Carbon fiber rudder blade and post assembly
• Jeffa upper and lower rudder bearing
• Jeffa steering hardware
• Emergency tiller
• Custom Brooklin Boat Yard steering wheel

• Topsides Awlgriped with Awlgrip  2000, Super Jet Black
• Boot Stripe Awlgripped with Awlgrip  2000, Snow White
• Cove Stripe done in Gold  Leaf
• Bottom Paint - Vivid Red (tinted with Black)
• Interior Painted with Petit 101, Semigloss White
• Interior varnished with Z-Spar, in Satin 60
• Engine room and anchor locker painted with Awlcraft 2000 in Snow White
• Mast boom and spinnaker pole: Faux wood grain paint with Awlcraft 200 clear over.  The level of detail is notable, including some painted "natural" wood flaws!

PHRF with spinnaker:  47

PHRF non-spinnaker (M&J):  69 

CRF with spinnaker:  42

CRF non-spinnaker (M&J):  62