Stephens Waring Yacht Design

Spirit of Tradition Yachts Designed In Maine

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 […]

Maine racing provides a fantastic test bed for varied hull shapes

and filed under Boat Nerd Tech, Design, Racing, Spirit of Tradition

Racing in Maine’s varied mid-summer weather and tides rewards a variety of boat types and hull shapes. Why do certain designs work better than others in specific conditions? Read on. The classic racing season in Maine is short and sweet. Until a few years ago, classic and Spirit of Tradition boats had to pack it all into three days, Thursday through Saturday of the first weekend in August—the Castine Classic, a race from Castine to Camden, the Camden-Brooklin “feeder” race, and the venerable Eggemoggin Reach Regatta. A few years ago, the Camden Classics Cup joined the party with two more […]

Pressure Testing Zingara on the Race Course?

and filed under Construction, Design, Marine Engineering, Racing, Spirit of Tradition, SWD News & Stories

  What the Maine sailing season lacks in length it makes up for in fantastic experiences. Whether cruising or racing, the icy waters, semi-reliable sea breezes, exotic thunderstorms, and sure, even the fog, create an otherworldly environment for those lucky enough to spend time amid the unlimited islands, rivers, and thoroughfares stretching along the Maine coast. Arguably the best time for sailing in Maine is the end of July through mid-September and if you’re up for a bit of sport, two key events are the Camden Classics Cup (July 29-31, www.camdenclassicscup.com) and the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta (Aug. 7, www.erregatta.com). There […]

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