Sparkman & Stephens 44

Sirocco was built by Taylor Brothers Shipwrights at Battery Point in Hobart in 1939. She is planked in full length Huon Pine on hardwood frames with laminated floors and ribs, copper nailed and roved in the traditional manner. She was one of the first yachts designed by Sparkman and Stephens ever to be built outside of the United States. She features a long keel with keel hung rudder and is tiller-steered. She has raced offshore in her earlier life including successful completion of three Sydney-Hobart races.

In recent years she underwent an extensive refit by professional shipwrights in Melbourne. Her decks have been fully replaced and almost all her deck equipment has been renewed. The upgrade includes a Harken headsail furler, self tailing winches, rope clutches and sheeting systems with upgraded sail handling systems making her a much easier yacht to sail and needing fewer crew than was previously necessary. A new Whale Spars mast with swept back spreaders, alloy boom, stainless steel wire standing rigging and Doyle sails were fitted late in 2021. Her sails have had little use since new and the Asymmetric spinnaker has never even been out of the bag.

She has a suite of Brookes and Gatehouse electronics including a Vulcan 9" multi function display with GPS and Plotter plus two Garmin displays on the mast. Her electrics, wiring and lighting were all renewed with switch panels and a Victron power management system with Inverter. Her plumbing, through hull fittings, hoses and related systems have all been renewed. To maintain her traditional appeal below decks, the new switch panels and electronics are concealed behind a timber panel.

Sirocco has a well equipped galley with a fridge, a brand new 2025 gas stove and oven that has never been lit, a sink with pressure hot and cold water and a fully enclosed toilet in a forward compartment. She has good headroom throughout and plenty of light and ventilation below by way of the classic overhead butterfly hatch.

The yacht is powered by a Volvo Penta D2 40 HP 4 cylinder diesel engine with centre-line shaft and a three-bladed feathering propeller. The engine has just 44 hours running time.

All the hard work has been done and with so much of her equipment renewed, all that remains is to enjoy sailing this beautiful Sparkman and Stephens classic yacht.