1922 – 2014 US Boat Designer Of Vancouver Yachts
Best known as a designer for Sparkman & Stephens, a partner in the firm of Maclear & Harris, designer of the Vancouver series of cruising boats, and a pioneer in the world of multihulls.
In 1942, after being appointed a cadet at the US Merchant Marine Accademy Harris saw wartime service in the Merchant Marine. After the war, with a mate’s certificate, he sailed aboard the Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Society’s big ketch Atlantis. He then moved into a four year apprenticeship Crosby Yacht Building Yard in Oyster Bay, NY. In 1948 he designed and built his first catamaran the (Naramatac).
Sparkman & Stephens 1964 40’ Slope
In 1950 he joined Sparkman & Stephens where he stayed until 1957. Also at this time, he was designing and building early catamaran’s, notably the cold-molded Tiger Cat, which won Yachting Magazine’s \’One Of A Kind\’ regatta in 1959.
Harris worked for Grumman Aircraft, then Robert Derecktor for a short time, before entering into the well known partnership with Frank Maclear. Maclear & Harris specialized in multihull design as well as other projects.
When the partnership ended in 1967, Harris rejoined Sparkman & Stephens for several years before going back into multihulls in the early 70’s.
In 1972 he moved to Vancouver BC and set up a small office at first with Bill Heacock, a graduate of the California Maritime Institute. At this time he drew the VANCOUVER 27, the smallest and first in a series of boats of that name.
Besides his work with multihulls, and commercial naval architecture, Harris is known as the designer of many production monohulls, mostly for Taiwanese Yacht Builders, including a number of the Tayana models.
His two books on multihulls, Modern Sailing Catamarans, 1960, and Racing and Cruising Trimarans, 1970, were recognized as pioneering work in the field.
The best information about his career, as well as other subjects, is contained in his autobiography, \’Tracks on the Water\’.
Hull Type: Long Keel
Rigging Type: Cutter
LOA: 32.00 ft / 9.75 m
LWL: 27.50 ft / 8.38 m
S.A. (reported):
576.00 ft² / 53.51 m²
Beam: 10.58 ft / 3.22 m
Displacement: 14,000.00 lb / 6,350 kg
Ballast: 6,000.00 lb / 2,722 kg
Max Draft: 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Construction: FG
First Built: 1986
Last Built: 1991
# Built: 63
Builder: Ta Yang/Pheon Yachts Ltd.-Northshore Yachts Ltd.
Designer: Robert Harris
Make: Yanmar
Model: 3GM30
Type: Diesel
HP: 24
Fuel: 45 gals / 170
Water: 75 gals / 284 L
Headroom: 6.50 ft / 1.98 m
SA. / Displ.: 15.92
Bal. / Displ.: 42.86
Disp: / Len: 300.53
Comfort Ratio: 32.40
Capsize Screening Formula: 1.76
S#: 1.66
Hull Speed: 7.03 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion: 1,039.60 pounds/inch
The Complete Range of Vancouver Yachts
VANCOUVER 27
The yacht that started it all – the “Ultimate Cruising Yacht”. Has a great reputation for a small blue water cruiser. Produced between 1976 and 1986, 114 built.
VANCOUVER 274
A four-berth version of the Vancouver 27, but with the cabin forward. Produced between 1984 and 1986, 6 built.
VANCOUVER 28
A direct descendent of the V27, the Vancouver 28 incorporates design improvements from the V32. Production started in 1986. 67 yachts built.
VANCOUVER 32 & 32P
A 6-berth cruiser designed by Pheon for blue water sailing. It was developed as a scaled-up version of the V27. In 2000, the yachting press voted the Vancouver 32 as the best bluewater cruising yacht. Produced between 1981 – 1991, 63 yachts built.
Only two were made of the V32P mahogany pilot house in the UK.
VANCOUVER 34 & 34P
Northshore developed a 34 and 34P version with larger cockpits, wheel steering and an inboard rudder. The Vancouver 34 was well-known as a superb offshore cruiser and became a much sought-after boat. The Vancouver 34 came in at number 29 of the Yachting Monthly’s “Best boats of the 20th century”. Production started in 1991 and 127 V34 and 36 V34P were built.
VANCOUVER 36
The V36 was built by Northshore using moulds for the 38-foot boat, with the rear 2 feet boxed in. Production started in 1991 and 12 were built.
VANCOUVER 38 (STEEL) & 38P
Robert Harris designed the Vancouver 38 (Steel) in conjunction with the Pheon yard and became the template for the Pilot House version. The V38 were strong, powerful boats, perfect for long distance cruising. One V38 and twelve V38P were produced since 1996.
VANCOUVER 42
The largest yacht out of the Vancouver stable was the V42. It was built as a collaboration between the Taiwanese Ta Yang boat yard and the well-known design Robert Harris. Production started in 1979, and over 200 have been manufactured. The 42-footer was designed as a practical offshore cruiser, perfect for long offshore adventures, without compromising on quality.
DRAG REDUCING PROPELLERS FOR VANCOUVER YACHTS
Darglow have supplied drag reducing props for many of the models in the Vancouver yacht range. We keep an expanding database of technical information on many of our installations along with feedback from our customers.
I use own a classic pedigree yacht built by the oldest yacht builder Camper & Nicholson. It was Nicholson 32. Long encapsulated keeled slope one masted sailboat.
I wanted a sail boat with larger saloon area and had seen a Vancouver 34 number years before in Portugal 🇵🇹. I bought Stella Polaris a Vancouver 32 from Finnish couple in 2020 and it was moored in Holviken Sweden south of Malmo. When visited her it was the height of the Covid pandemic. She was sitting on the hard standing and she had been well cared for by her owners.
I sailed back to Conwy in North Wales via the Caledonian canal which is from Inverness to Fort William. I thought she had similar sailing qualities to Barada my Nicholson 32. Since owning I’m very pleased with her sea kindly qualities. For boat under 10 Metres in length she sails well and is really comfortable boat. Very quiet down below whilst sailing along. She’s a steady passages maker. Go away where sail boat.
