Mirage Yachts

Mirage Yachts Limited was a Canadian sailboat manufacturer founded in February 1972 by Dick and Irene Steffen. The company began in Pointe Claire, Quebec, a Montreal suburb and an important Canadian sailing centre. The Steffens already operated a dealership selling C&C Yachts, but noticed that C&C did not offer a small keelboat below the C&C 27. Dick Steffen, an active competitive sailor, believed there was a market for a smaller, race-capable design. He persuaded C&C to create a 24-foot concept, but when C&C chose not to manufacture it, he purchased the design and established Mirage Yachts to build it. The resulting Mirage 24 became the foundation of the business. Initially produced in a rented second-floor facility, it sold strongly enough for the company to expand its workforce and develop a broader product range. The Mirage 24 also gained visibility through its performance in Midget Ocean Racing Club competition. Its racing success helped establish Mirage as more than a small production boatbuilder and contributed to its rivalry with C&C, which later introduced the similar C&C 25. The Mirage 24 continued to perform competitively for many years after its launch. Mirage expanded both its facilities and its portfolio during the 1970s and 1980s. Production moved from Pointe Claire to a larger plant in Vaudreuil, Quebec. The factory grew from approximately 12,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet and later to 35,000 square feet, with a separate facility in nearby Dorion for spars. The company commissioned designs from several prominent naval architects, including Peter Schmidt, Robert Perry, Bruce Kirby, Philippe Harlé, and H. Morton. Its boats covered several market segments, from compact racing keelboats to larger family cruisers. The Perry-designed Mirage 33 and Mirage 30 helped broaden the brand's reputation as a builder of both competitive racing yachts and practical cruising boats. Mirage also pursued direct competition with successful one-design racing classes. Bruce Kirby designed the Kirby 25 as a competitor to the J/24, followed by the Kirby 30 and the developed Mirage 30 SX as counterparts to the J/30. These projects reflected Mirage's emphasis on sailing performance and class-racing credentials. The company's later years were more difficult. During the mid-1980s, a favourable exchange rate and strong European competition allowed French sailboat manufacturers to capture a significant share of the North American market. Sales of the Perry-designed Mirage 30 did not meet expectations. Mirage responded by commissioning Philippe Harlé to design a replacement for the Mirage 27. Introduced in spring 1986, the Mirage 29 became a rapid commercial success: roughly 50 orders were placed before the first boat was delivered, and just under 300 were ultimately built. Harlé also designed the related Mirage 275. The Mirage 39, designed by H. Morton, was the last new model introduced by the company in 1989. That year, with sales reportedly performing well enough for the owners to see an opportunity to exit, the Steffens sold Mirage Yachts to a local Montreal investor. The purchaser soon became insolvent, and Mirage Yachts ceased operations in 1989. The brand is therefore defunct, although its sailboats remain part of the used-boat and sailing-community market and are documented through owner, class, and historical resources.

Mirage Yachts originated in the Montreal-area sailing community in Quebec. Before creating the company, Dick and Irene Steffen operated a dealership for C&C Yachts in Pointe Claire. The dealership performed well, but the C&C range lacked a smaller keelboat below the C&C 27. Dick Steffen, who raced competitively, identified an opportunity for a 24-foot boat that could combine manageable size with credible racing performance. C&C designed a suitable concept at Steffen's request, but decided not to proceed with production. Steffen acquired the design and founded Mirage Yachts in February 1972. The new business initially operated from the second floor of a rented building in Pointe Claire, a location associated with Canadian sailing and boatbuilding. The first major model, the Mirage 24, sold well and gave the company the scale to employ approximately 15 people. Its results in Midget Ocean Racing Club events were an important part of its early reputation. A Mirage 24 continued to win in the production-boat division of MORC national competition many years after the model's introduction. The Mirage 24's success also brought it into competition with C&C. C&C subsequently produced the C&C 25, a similar-sized boat, but the Mirage 24 generally remained competitive and often performed better in racing. When C&C declined to design a larger successor for Mirage, the Steffens commissioned other designers. Peter Schmidt designed the Mirage 27 in 1975, and Robert Perry designed the Mirage 26 in 1976. These projects began Mirage's movement beyond its original 24-foot concept. As production expanded, Mirage moved to Vaudreuil, Quebec, where it obtained approximately 12,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The site was later expanded to about 30,000 square feet and then to 35,000 square feet in 1983. Spar production was handled in a separate 5,000-square-foot facility in Dorion. The enlarged operation supported a growing family of boats, including the Mirage 25, Kirby 25, Kirby 30, Mirage 27, Mirage 33, Mirage 35, Mirage 30, and Mirage 30 SX. The company deliberately pursued both cruising and racing markets. Robert Perry's Mirage 33 and Mirage 30 were commercially important and strengthened the brand's image as a builder of winning racing boats as well as family cruisers. In the late 1970s, the J/24 dominated racing keelboat competition, so Steffen commissioned Bruce Kirby, known for designing the Laser dinghy, to create the Kirby 25. The Kirby 30 and later Mirage 30 SX were intended to challenge the J/30 and related performance boats. Market conditions became more challenging in the mid-1980s. A favourable exchange rate helped French manufacturers sell European-designed sailboats in North America, reducing the commercial performance of some Mirage models, particularly the Perry-designed Mirage 30. In 1985, Steffen invited several designers to submit preliminary concepts for a new boat in the Mirage 27 category. Philippe Harlé won the design competition and produced the Mirage 29, introduced in spring 1986. It quickly gained market acceptance, with around 50 orders placed before the first example was delivered. Production ultimately reached just under 300 boats. Harlé subsequently designed the Mirage 275. The product line continued with the Mirage 32 in 1987 and the H. Morton-designed Mirage 39 in 1989. The Mirage 39 was the final model introduced by the company. Also in 1989, the Steffens sold Mirage Yachts to a local Montreal investor. The buyer soon went out of business, and Mirage closed. The company did not continue under a successor corporate structure, making Mirage Yachts a defunct Canadian builder whose surviving boats are now primarily encountered in the second-hand sailing market.

• 1989

  Final model and closure

  [1]Mirage Yachtsen.wikipedia.org

  The Mirage 39 was introduced, the company was sold to a Montreal investor, and Mirage Yachts ceased operations later that year.

• 1986

  Mirage 29 launches

  [1]Mirage Yachtsen.wikipedia.org

  Philippe Harlé's Mirage 29 entered the market and became one of the company's strongest late-period commercial successes.

• 1983

  Quebec production facilities expand

  [1]Mirage Yachtsen.wikipedia.org

  The Vaudreuil manufacturing site reached approximately 35,000 square feet, supported by a separate spar-production facility in Dorion.

• 1976

  Mirage 26 is introduced

  [1]Mirage Yachtsen.wikipedia.org

  Robert Perry designed the Mirage 26, expanding Mirage's use of outside naval architects.

• 1975

  Mirage 27 is designed

  [1]Mirage Yachtsen.wikipedia.org

  Peter Schmidt designed the Mirage 27 as a larger addition to the company's developing sailboat range.

• 1972

  Mirage Yachts is founded

  [1]Mirage Yachtsen.wikipedia.org

  Dick and Irene Steffen established Mirage Yachts in February to build a 24-foot keelboat design acquired from C&C.

A Canadian sailboat builder positioned around competitive performance, racing credibility, and practical cruising capability, with products spanning small keelboats, one-design racers, and larger family cruisers.

• Racing keelboat · 1972

  Mirage 24

  The Mirage 24 was the company's founding model and the design that established its commercial identity. Conceived as a compact keelboat for sailors who wanted both manageable size and racing capability, it sold strongly in the 1970s. Its results in Midget Ocean Racing Club competition gave the young manufacturer valuable visibility, and the model remained competitive in production-boat racing long after its introduction.

• Cruising and racing sailboat · 1975

  Mirage 27

  The first Mirage 27 was designed by Peter Schmidt in 1975 as the company's move into a larger size category. It extended the brand's product range beyond the original Mirage 24 and served as a platform for later development in the same segment. A separate Perry-designed Mirage 27 appeared later in the company's sequence of models.

• Cruising and racing sailboat · 1976

  Mirage 26

  Designed by Robert Perry and introduced in 1976, the Mirage 26 formed part of the company's expansion into boats suitable for both performance sailing and family cruising. Its design represented Mirage's growing reliance on recognised external naval architects as it broadened the range.

• One-design racing keelboat · 1978

  Kirby 25

  The Kirby 25 was commissioned from Bruce Kirby as a competitor to the dominant J/24 in the late-1970s racing-keelboat market. The project reflected Mirage's strategy of using respected designers and targeting established one-design racing classes. It was followed by the larger Kirby 30 and related Mirage 30 SX.

• Performance cruising sailboat · 1982

  Mirage 33

  A substantial Robert Perry-designed model, the Mirage 33 helped establish the company as a builder of both competitive yachts and family cruisers. It was among the Perry-designed boats that sold well and broadened Mirage's reputation beyond small racing keelboats.

• Racing and cruising sailboat · 1983

  Mirage 30

  The Robert Perry-designed Mirage 30 was developed for the performance and cruising market. Although it contributed to Mirage's design-led product identity, sales did not meet expectations in the mid-1980s as French sailboats gained share in North America through favourable exchange-rate conditions and strong European competition.

• Racing keelboat · 1985

  Mirage 30 SX

  The Mirage 30 SX was a developed version of the Kirby 30 program. It was positioned within Mirage's effort to contest the performance market associated with the J/30 and other successful one-design or racer-cruiser classes.

• Cruising and racing sailboat · 1986

  Mirage 29

  Designed by Philippe Harlé, the Mirage 29 replaced the earlier Mirage 27 in the range. Introduced in spring 1986, it achieved rapid early acceptance, with approximately 50 boats sold before the first example was delivered. Production eventually reached just under 300 units, making it one of Mirage's most successful later models.

• Cruising sailboat · 1986

  Mirage 275

  The Mirage 275 was another Philippe Harlé design that followed the successful Mirage 29. It continued the company's effort to offer modern, European-influenced design solutions in the compact cruising-sailboat segment.

• Cruising sailboat · 1989

  Mirage 39

  Designed by H. Morton, the Mirage 39 was the largest and final model introduced by Mirage Yachts. It represented the company's continued move into larger cruising boats shortly before the business ended operations.

• 1989

  Sell the company to a Montreal investorM&A

  Background

  The Steffens concluded that the company's position and sales created an opportunity to sell the business.

  Action taken

  Mirage Yachts was transferred to a local Montreal investor.

  Aftermath

  The investor soon went out of business, and Mirage Yachts closed during 1989.

  Source

• 1985

  Commission a replacement for the Mirage 27Generation change

  Background

  Mirage sought a newer design for the Mirage 27 category while facing stronger competition from European sailboat builders in North America.

  Action taken

  The company solicited preliminary designs and selected Philippe Harlé's proposal, which became the Mirage 29.

  Aftermath

  The Mirage 29 launched in 1986, attracted around 50 pre-delivery sales, and ultimately had just under 300 boats built.

  Source

• 1972

  Build the abandoned C&C 24 concept independentlyStrategy

  Background

  C&C had designed a 24-foot keelboat at Dick Steffen's request but decided not to manufacture it. Steffen believed the design addressed an unmet need below C&C's 27-foot model.

  Action taken

  The Steffens acquired the design and founded Mirage Yachts to put it into production as the Mirage 24.

  Aftermath

  The Mirage 24 sold well and became the foundation of the company.

  • C&C Yachts — C&C later introduced the similar C&C 25, creating direct competition in the compact keelboat segment.

  Source

1. 1Mirage Yachtsen.wikipedia.org