"Aura" is a two-time winner (1997 and 1999) of the Northwest Wooden Yacht Racing Association series. The trophy is on display at the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle. She won "Best Sailboat" at the 1997 Vancouver Wooden Boat Show. A half-hull model of "Aura" carved by Norm Blanchard is in the upstairs dining room of the Seattle Yacht Club.As far as we know, nine hulls were built on the Blanchard 33 mold. A tenth may have been produced as a yawl. Currently five of these lovely sloops are known to exist today. The whereabouts of one is unknown. The other three are Vagabond, Seawind and Varuna. Two have reportedly been sailed to Hawaii. And one of these was reported as a derelict in a yard in Hilo. The last one, hull number five, is perhaps best known for her travels up and down Puget Sound under the meticulous ownership, and steady hand, of her owner Ward Fay.
Aura was first owned by a well off family who hailed from Arizona. They decided they wanted to go yachting and made arrangements with Norm Blanchard for one of the 33 foot sloops which they named Aira. They owned her for five years, sailing her in the summer, and returning her to Norm Blanchard during the 'off season.' This family then sold Aira to Norm Blanchard (who mortgaged his house for her) with the stipulation that he change her name, which he did. Now named the Aura she was owned and enjoyed by Norm from 1952 to 1977. He then reluctantly sold her.
In the intervening years she has had a series of good owners who have kept her in great condition. She has had new floors, frames and planking around the mast step. She has also had minor changes to her cockpit, with fuel tanks located below her main cabin settees.
| Waterline length |
24'
|
|
Length on deck
|
33' 3"
|
| Length overall |
36'
|
| Beam |
8' 9"
|
| Draft |
5'
|
| Ballast | 4,150 lbs |
| Displacement | 10,300 lbs |
| Working sail area | 500 square feet |
| Engine | Fresh-water cooled Atomic 4 (gas) |
The Blanchard 33, from the Blanchard Boat Co., from designs by William Garden is a new stock one-design auxiliary cruising sloop, the first few of which have proved to be smart and able cruising boats. Requirements were quarters for four, with six feet of headroom, enclosed toilet, coal range in the galley, and a boat that could be built economically in quantity. Stem and ribs are oak; keel and deadwood, fir; planking, red cedar; decks, plywood; trim, Honduras mahogany; and fastenings, Everdur. She has a 4150-lb iron keel.
