Crafted with a singular focus to design an excellent all-around sailing experience, 39-ft Wisp prioritizes comfort and ease of operation with a timeless aesthetic. Her size is a calculated choice, ensuring standing headroom in both the galley and head. She also sets the stage for a remarkable daysailing adventure or overnight escape. While packing plenty of performance under sail, Wisp effortlessly transforms into a luxury weekender, featuring saloon seating for four and a queen-size forward berth.
Sailing Excellence:
Wisp promises outstanding sailing performance, characterized by moderate draft and generous sail area; ease of sailing is thoughtfully designed, handling lines lead directly to the cockpit to ensure seamless management. Wisp is equipped with a Solent rig that supports a working jib and large multi-purpose reacher each on permanent furlers – this vessel is optimized to shift gears with ease. The push-button sailing operations add next-level convenience when sailing from her homeport on western Long Island Sound where winds are light and seas choppy with boat traffic.
Innovative Systems:
Mainsheet trim is handled by an under-deck system featuring a reverse-purchase 1:3 hydraulic cylinder that’s driven by automatic two-speed operation – this should enhance efficiency in jibes and command fine-tuning under load. All winches on the boat are electric – push a button to motivate the jib and reacher sheets and for hoisting the roller-furling mainsail, a sailing platform with a gentlemanly modern touch. The swing-out anchor launcher with gas-spring assist combines streamlined aesthetics with cost-effective, easy manual deployment.
Spirit of Tradition
The design style of S/V Wisp follows in a long lineage of Stephens Waring SoT yachts, combining classic appearance with modern construction and sail-handling – an emphasis on ergonomics and functionality. The gracefully balanced hull illustrates historical precedent found in many yachts built 75 years ago – the moderately shaped overhangs politely recall the design of last-century cruiser-racers. Above deck, the sweeping coaming encloses a plush upholstered cockpit where duties are comfortably divided into sailing (aft) and lounging (forward). A helmsperson can easily manage all sailing controls without leaving the wheel, while guests may enjoy the seating around a drop-leaf table that conceals wine cooler and glasses storage. Aboard Wisp, we find a cohesive assembly of design elements – superstructure and sailing hull mingle among mid-century themes in a daysailer where standing headroom and creature comforts are found at the top of the design brief.
In designing Wisp we used some tricks to assure a speedy and efficient build. The foam-cored plywood deck not only enhances structural integrity and allows routing conduits for recessed lighting, but also accelerates construction efficiency as it’s built separately from the hull, assembled with the cabin trunk and molded fiberglass cockpit, and all dropped in place late in the game, accommodating a short build window for a boat of this complexity, and getting the owners sailing within not much more than a year of first concept drawings.
Construction Excellence at Artisan Boatworks:
Currently under construction at Artisan Boatworks in Rockport, ME, Wisp is scheduled to make her debut in July 2024. Artisan Boatworks is known for crafting exquisite smaller daysailers such as the Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 15’s and 18’s. Wisp represents the largest and most complex boat the boatyard has undertaken to date, promising a perfect blend of tradition and innovation.
Vessel Particulars:
- LOA: 12.04 meters (39’ 6”)
- LWL: 9.21 meters (30’ 3”)
- Beam: 3.36 meters (11’ 0”)
- Draft: 1.83 meters (6’ 0”)
- Displacement: 6600 kg (14,500 lb)
- Sail Area:
- Mainsail: 43.1 sq. m. (464 sq ft)
- 100% Foretriangle: 28.4 sq. m. (306 sq ft)
- Total: 71.5 sq. m. (769 sq ft)
- Power: Yanmar 3JH40 40 hp
- Fuel: 118 liters diesel (31 gallons)
- Water: 380 liters (100 gallons)
