There’s an intangible, but visceral feeling we get when we hear the rumble of the engine and smell the exhaust of a Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera RS or view the way the bow of 1962 Riva Aquarama cuts through the water. It’s almost hard to put into words other than to say it’s magical.  And despite the best efforts of the modern design world, there’s just something about the classics that can’t be replicated or replaced. Some things simply can’t be improved upon.   And in the fast-fashion world we live in, where it seems like half of what we […]

As custom yacht designers, we tend to think of ourselves as the original tight space experts.  Even on the largest of mega yachts, boat designers think in terms of square inches rather than square feet, always looking for ways to optimize, stylize, and improve the functionality of every nook, cranny, and crevice. And what we’ve found is that even when space is limited, luxury and comfort can still be abundant. It turns out the enthusiasm for living and recreating in smaller spaces has carried over to land life as well. The phenomenon comes with many names: ADU, tinyhome, treehouse, and […]

While construction photos never capture the full grandeur of a project, we couldn’t help but share a sneak peek of our design work on a client’s custom condo remodel. After partnering with Lyman-Morse to complete a beautiful refit on a historic 42-ft. motor yacht this year, our client made an unusual request – would we be able to do the same thing to their waterfront condominium in Portsmouth NH? The original focus of our design work was rather small – converting an irregular-shaped room into a library that would evoke the feeling of a public space aboard an early-20th-century steamship or […]

We’re exploring the the latest and greatest in yacht design trends this year.  From folding transoms and “floating beach clubs” to kite-powered mega yachts, we’ll examine the top 5 coolest and most exciting design themes of the year.   1. Wellness and Active Lifestyle The pandemic has created a greater global awareness and focus on our mental and physical wellbeing.  According to Precedence Research, the wellness tourism market size is predicted to surpass $1.6 trillion by 2030. The popularity and demand for health and wellness offerings extends into the yacht design world as well.  More and more yacht designs are built around complimenting a […]

Zemphira’s rebuild at Lyman-Morse continues to move forward at pace for early spring delivery. The mold for the hull replacement part is carved and ready for finishing and the carbon-fiber girders and floors components have been built. The edges of the hull hole have been trimmed and beveled for the lap/scarf joint between the wood/composite hull and the carbon-fiber/foam replacement part.   Mars Metal is beginning the fabrication of the new keel, which will be a steel structural strut cast in place on a lead lower fin and large bulb. This strut will be encased in carbon-fiber sheathing to our design […]

Our spirit of tradition 68 in-build at Betts is moving steadily along. The cockpit has just been taken off the mold and is getting fitted.     The raised bulwarks are being built with internal details for stanchion sockets, pop-up cleats, and Stephens Waring Design custom flush padeyes, which have been machined out of solid stainless steel. Once the cockpit and bulwarks are complete Teak Deck Systems will pattern the deck with joinery details specified by Stephens Waring Design. Teak Decking Systems works with our specifications to create a truly unique teak deck.      Interior joiner work is proceeding […]

Legendary Design Firm Reimagines a Resort on the Water New Floating Hotel Design Delivers Luxury and an Unforgettable Guest Experience   Belfast, ME (Dec 9, 2021)  Today, Stephens Waring Design announced a new design concept, OASys (Ocean Architectural System), created specifically to reimagine shoreline hotels, resorts, and housing. The model falls under the brand of the award-winning boat designer called IMMERST, which will address some of the most pressing coastline development challenges including limited land, habitat preservation, and climate change. “We’ve applied our 40 years of custom yacht design and engineering experience to create a design-planning model built around the […]