Our Yacht Mercator
At the heart of the MWF Wright of Passage Program is Mercator. A donated 1974 Herreshoff Ketch, in need of repair.
Participants in the Wright of Passage Program are working to restore Mercator to her former glory and will then sail her to Hobart for the 2019 Wooden Boat Festival.
Designer: Herreshoff Builder: Douglas Barron
Year built/launched: 1974 Place built: Sidney Vancouver British Columbia
Current home port: Sydney ARVH no:
Hull type: Monohull Style of boat: Sailing boat
Description of boat: Ketch
Timber - frames: oak Timber - hull: western red cedar Timber - deck: beech on ply
LOA feet: 46 LOA inches: 0
LOD feet: 53 LOD inches: 0
Beam feet: 12 Beam inches: 1
Draught feet: 8 Draught inches: 4
Freeboard feet: 3 Freeboard inches: 0
LOA Metres:
LOD metres:
Beam metres:
Draught metres:
Freeboard metres:
Boat characteristics: bowsprit,boom-past-stern,
History of the ketch – what we know is the owner builder Doug Barron was a salmon fisherman and fishing boat builder in Sidney Vancouver British Columbia. After sailing two voyages across the Pacific (the first to New Zealand and the Second to Hawaii), the boat was sold to Jim Beckman who sailed her from BC to Hong Kong and we understand down to Australia. The third owner of Mercator was Fred Van Steel who later donated her to MWF. Making MWF the 4th owner.
