The Shannon 43's cockpit has seats long enough to stretch out and lie down on, and the space between the seats is close enough that even short people can brace themselves when the boat is heeled. Cockpit seats that are too short for sleeping preclude a rest in the cockpit, whether for an afternoon nap when anchored or while underway at night. The 43's cockpit also was designed for easy movement getting from behind the wheel to go forward. The primary winches, instruments, and engine panel are positioned for access and visibility from the helm, so that when sailing it is not necessary to constantly move to see instruments or tend sails. The cockpit of the 43 is a secure and dry place - it is deep enough to keep you comfortably surrounded by high coamings that keep water out. Because it is critical that the cockpit drain quickly, especially when filled by breaking waves in storm conditions, there are a total of eleven scuppers in the cockpit, four 1 1/2" and seven 3/4". Another example of Shannon's emphasis on offshore safety is the custom liferaft storage well below the cockpit sole. Stored in the cockpit well, the liferaft is secure from theft, protected from waves, and located close at hand where it can be reached safely and quickly. In the extreme conditions of having to abandon ship, the crew does not have to leave the security of the cockpit for the foredeck to get to the liferaft, or go below to drag it on deck. Another safety feature of the cockpit design is that it permits the use of a full length emergency tiller installed directly onto the rudder post in front of the pedestal that can be used while comfortably seated. Often emergency tillers are too short and located in such awkward locations that they are very difficult to use for more than a few hours.
The cockpit on the Shannon 43 has two deep sail lockers and a shallow storage pan under the cockpit seats to port and starboard. Even though roller furled jibs make it a misnomer to call these sail lockers, these storage areas are rapidly filled by fenders, inflatables, lines, etc. By removing the sail locker partitions, access to the back of the engine, stuffing box, rudder quadrant, and other machinery is achieved easily.
Bow Platform
The bow platform or bowsprit on the Shannon 43 serves many functions. It extends the sail plan horizontally allowing for a double headsail rig. The bow platform allows for carrying two oversized anchors (of different designs) each with a separate anchor rode and its own deck pipe into the divided chain locker in the bow. Unlike other boats, where it may be necessary to get another anchor out of a cockpit locker at 3 AM when the boat starts dragging during a line squall, the 43 has another anchor ready that can be set quickly and safely. The Shannon 43 can carry either nylon line or chain anchor rodes, depending on the owner's choice, and will also accommodate virtually any type windlass.
The wide side decks, opening hatches, and bow platform are a few of the safety and comfort features of the Shannon 43
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The deck configuration of the Shannon 43 successfully reflects that the reality that: 1. eighty per cent of time awake on board is spent in the cockpit; and 2. safety while underway is of paramount importance. Special attention has been paid to designing the most comfortable and safest deck plan possible. Sailing a boat at times requires leaving the cockpit and going forward to tend sails or handle docklines and anchors. The non-skid areas in the deck are an exclusive Shannon feature. Shannon's non-skid has a custom molded-in raised diamond pattern that provides excellent traction and prevents "hydroplaning" on wet decks. This non-skid is simple to clean, and the diamond pattern can be repaired easily if the gelcoat is ever damaged
Sidedecks
The sidedecks on the Shannon 43 offer ample space from the trunk cabin outboard to the teak toe rail, double lifelines, and 30" tall stainless steel stanchions. Mast stays and genoa tracks are positioned outboard at the toe rail. This is a significant safety difference between the 43 and the typical combination racer/cruiser. Going forward at night or in bad weather on a boat with shrouds and genoa tracks right in the middle of the sidedeck can be difficult or even hazardous. The one or two degrees improvement in windward performance that inboard shrouds and tracks may provide does not warrant this liability, except for the daysailer or diehard racer. Accepting the premise that safety should be foremost, the Shannon 43's sidedecks allow an unobstructed passage from the cockpit to the bow.
Cockpit Design
Along with seaworthiness, performance and safety, another important concern in boat design is comfort. A substantial amount of drafting time was expended and three full size prototypes were developed to create the optimum cockpit layout for the Shannon 43. Unfortunately many boat builders (and many boat buyers) only focus on interior space and layouts below. Consequently they have ignored the critical design and space issues of the cockpit. A small cockpit does not provide necessary room and comfort. The angle of the seat back and the width of the seat become critical considerations after a few hours sailing.
The bow platform is secured by bolts through the deck and a solid rod bobstay. The stainless steel bobstay fitting is bolted to the hull just above the waterline. It is so strong that a mooring pennant can be shackled through a special fitting so the entire boat can swing off the bobstay fitting, without any concern about chafing. This is particularly important if moored in storm conditions. Beyond rig and ground tackle considerations, the bow platform provides an ideal vantage point for spotting coral heads or bottom changes when exploring unfamiliar waters.
Ventilation, portlights, & deck hatches
Proper ventilation is very important both when underway or at anchor, especially in warmer climates such as the Caribbean. There is generally some wind in an anchorage, but a boat must be able to open up and take full advantage of the breeze. On the Shannon 43 there are four 4" vents with baffled dorade boxes, twelve opening portlights (every port on a Shannon is an opening port), and
five deck hatches.
