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The Baba Family By Bob Perry
I think it’s safe to point to the almost overnight success of the Westsail 32 in the early seventies as the origin of the idea that offshore cruising sailboats should be heavy double enders. Of course, the Westsail was a William Atkin design from the Fifties based on the even earlier boats of Colin Archer. But through this lineage a style of boat was born that was basically Scandinavian in character, with a long “full” keel and a cutter rig. One of my very first design jobs on my own was to design a 34’er in this Colin Archer style. That boat was the Hans Christian 34 and that boat morphed into the HC 36, which is known by a variety of names today. Even my Valiant 40 design owes some of its shape to the Scandinavian tradition. After I was screwed out of my royalties for the HC 36, I decided to take my revenge by designing a boat that would compete with the HC 36. The design I produced was the Tayana 37. Over the years Ta Yang produced 600 of the Tayana 37s and today there are more of them sailing the world than any other single design. Revenge is sweet. Bob Berg, a Seattle broker, approached me to design a 30’ double ender in the style of the Colin Archer tradition. The design I produced became the Baba 30. The Taiwanese workers at the Ta Shing
yard in Tainan, Taiwan, had trouble circumnavigation in his Baba 40. That’s pronouncing Bob Berg so they gave Bob about as tough a test as you can put any the Chinese name “Baba” or “Dad” in boat through. You can read about Jeff’s English. Ta Shing did an amazing high- voyage in his book No Turning Back. quality build on the pudgy little Baba 30 In time Ta Shing wanted to update the and a new quality standard was set for Baba line and I produced the Tashiba 31 Taiwan-built sailboats. and Tashiba 36 designs. They are still on After the Baba 30 came the Flying the heavy side with longish “full” keels Dutchman 35. In the office, we always but their hull shapes are refined. These called this design the Baba 35. But due to boats are very good sailing boats and a falling out in Bob’s brokerage, Bob lost much sought after on the used market. the right to use his own nickname Baba. Trends in yacht design come and go. Bob left the Flying Dutchman brokerage The current trend in production boats is and went on his own. I worked with Bob very Euro and about as far away as you to produce the Baba 40, but with the can get from the Baba concept of heavy loss of the rights to the double enders. But I name, this design bedid my best to design came the Panda 40. In good performing time, Ta Shing would boats and the Ta Sing take over marketing LOA: 40’ • Beam: 12’ • Draft (max.): 6’ yard certainly built a rights for the Baba Displacement: 29,000 lbs. very well-construct40 design and they Tankage (Fuel/Fresh/Black): ed and durable boat. changed the name to 80 gals./120 gals./30 gals. The popularity of Tashiba 40. But it’s all Local Broker: Elliott Bay Yacht Sales, this extended family the same boat. There (206) 285-9563 of boats is still very were minor finishing Web: elliottbayyachtsales.com vital today. details changed as the build progressed, but At the time of this writing, there is a 1984 Ta hull, deck, and rig are the same. I think Shing Panda 40 Cinnamon Girl (pictured below) about 100 Baba 40s were built. listed with Elliott Bay Yacht Sales for $175,000. Today it has proven itself a most caIf you’re interested in these unique sailboats, pable offshore cruising boat. My friend contact them at elliottbayyachtsales.com Jeff Hartjoy did a single handed, nonstop
Panda 40 Specs
DECEMBER 2018 || NORTHWEST YACHTING 101