Stephens Waring Yacht Design

Spirit of Tradition Yachts Designed In Maine

The Rising Tide for Floating Communities

and filed under Construction, Design, Immerst, Marine Engineering, Sustainability, SWD News & Stories

By Reed Rowley The concept of the floating metropolis has lived as a science fiction concept ever since French author Jules Verne described them in his novel The Floating City in 1871.  Since then, the idea of the large modern floating municipality has been parked on the scientific and engineering backburner. Today there are more people living in Antarctica than in modern floating communities around the world.  However, with the twin pressures of population density and climate change causing sea levels to rise, serious attention is being refocused on reimagining and reinventing floating communities as a solution to the challenges […]

Light at the End of the Tunnel For Zemphira

and filed under Boat Nerd Tech, Construction, Design, Spirit of Tradition, SWD News & Stories

We’re thrilled to share an update on the progress of Zemphira as work continues at full tilt for her to hit the water again this spring.  Here’s the latest on her work at the Lyman Morse Boatyard. The Latest: The internal carbon reinforcement frame has been installed around the new molded bottom replacement and keel socket, taped in place, and smoothed and painted. The systems are starting to go in: lithium-ion batteries nested into bays in the carbon grid, each side of and aft of the socket, and collapsible fuel-cell-style diesel tanks in specially-designed compartments within the structure. The new […]

5 Principles Building Boats Can Teach Us About Building on Land

and filed under Design, Immerst, Marine Engineering, Sustainability, SWD News & Stories

As a design firm rooted in the marine industry, we often reference the great naval architects and boat builders of the past to draw inspiration. Looking back through the annals of marine history provides not only fascinating insight into the past, it also sparks the imagination to find the next great design innovation. While boatbuilding and marine design may constitute only a small percentage of the larger architecture and design world, it’s increasingly clear that there are many best practices and principles of boatbuilding (both old and new), which can help inspire, innovate, and guide the future of architecture, construction, […]

The Rise of Glamping

and filed under Design, Immerst, Sustainability

Getting off the beaten path Whether it’s newcomers looking for comfortable entry into the outdoor adventure world, or seasoned outdoors people looking to get away from the crowds, a new form of adventure travel and hospitality has emerged to support the burgeoning demand. One of the hottest new trends is glamping. Defined loosely as glamorous camping, glamping combines camping with many of the luxuries and amenities of a premium resort.  This can include gourmet meals, king-size beds, egyptian cotton sheets, and unlimited hot water for showers in the morning. This once obscure segment is expected to reach $5.41 billion by […]

A Call to the Wild

and filed under Design, Immerst, Sustainability

The Call of the Wild It’s no surprise that the global pandemic has changed our habits and behaviors. International travel restrictions and the slow return to large gatherings in public spaces, compounded with a need to escape after months of confinement, have inevitably led people to pursue alternative forms of leisure and recreation.  For many, that outlet has been a call back to the wild. The 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report reveals that last year, 53% of Americans ages 6 and over participated in outdoor recreation at least once, the highest participation rate on record. Remarkably, that’s more than 7.1 […]

Against All Odds Shelter Island Resort Can Expand

and filed under Design, Immerst, Marine Engineering

California dreamin’ is a way of life for millions of Americans who live at the junction of land and sea in Southern California. The dream becomes a little foggy if your dreamscape includes developing Southern California waterfront property. Developable land along this stretch of coastline is scarce at best. And going one step further, on Shelter Island in San Diego Bay, it’s non-existent.  Built upon an unimpressive mudbank formed by the San Diego River, Shelter Island emerged from the shallows as San Diego Bay was dredged for Naval purposes in World War II. Initial elevation? A whopping fourteen feet. In […]

Zemphira returns to the shed

and filed under Boat Nerd Tech, Construction, Design, Marine Engineering, Spirit of Tradition, SWD News & Stories

We are always excited to tell you about our designs: whether in-build, getting refit, or living the life they were designed for. And so it was this spring we started telling you all about the thorough refit one of our favorite boats enjoyed last winter, in which we were deeply involved (Zemphira-(re)fit for a King). But as they do, stranger things happened which changed that story dramatically by creating another project and a new chapter in the life of Zemphira.  Mere hours after leaving the dock in Camden, Maine, on her maiden delivery voyage after the work was done,  the […]

The Complicated Life of the Modern Transom

and filed under Boat Nerd Tech, Construction, Design, Marine Engineering, Spirit of Tradition, SWD News & Stories

Given the variety in styling, operational performance, and construction made possible by current design aesthetics and materials, the modern transom is often one of the more detailed elements of a yacht’s design. On Cirrus, the 68-foot, Spirit of Tradition sailing sloop in-build at James Betts Enterprises (click here for build photos) in Anacortes, Washington, we went for a fairly traditional looking transom to match her sweetly shaped haunches. In Cirrus’s case, however, looks most certainly are deceiving.  With the push of a button, or operations made manually, convertible transom designs are found on all manner of yachts. A transom with […]

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