Stephens Waring Yacht Design

Spirit of Tradition Yachts Designed In Maine

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Blue Heaven: The Water Rx

and filed under Immerst

Blue Heaven We’re stating the obvious when we say that being on the water makes us happy. We design and race spirit-of-tradition yachts and the closest harbor is less than a mile from our office. We live near the water, we work near the water and we design for a life on the water. We know we are not alone – research continues to prove that time spent near the water is good for your mental and physical health. Being near the water is calming, restorative and promotes well-being.  The mildly meditative state that results from our interaction with water has been coined “blue mind” by […]

A photo of sailing yacht Bequia's interior. Ornate woodwork and styling.

A Conversation with Paul Waring – July 2019

and filed under Immerst

This month we sat down with Paul Waring, one of the co-founders of Immerst and its parent company, Stephens Waring Yacht Design, to have a chat. What follows is a conversation on why the Immerst concept is the right idea for the times. Good morning, Paul.  We know that Immerst was launched to fulfill requests from people who wanted to experience on-water living without the hassle of boat ownership. https://stephenswaring.com/immerst/ Have the motivations for building on the water changed since you and Bob (Stephens, SWYD/Immerst co-founder) decided to launch this new company? From the beginning, the vision has always been […]

A photo of Camden Harbor showing green lawn and colorful boats

Where the Mountains Meet the Sea

and filed under Racing, Spirit of Tradition

The Camden Classics Cup, July 25-27, 2019 About 20 miles from our office sits the picturesque town of Camden, Maine. With the Camden Hills to the west and the Penobscot Bay to the east, Camden lives up to its reputation as the “Jewel of Maine.” It is an incredible place to sail and, with full cooperation from Mother Nature, it was the perfect location for the fourth annual Camden Classics Cup.   This newer regatta on the classics circuit has the distinction of being the first classic regatta of the season. As a result, it is a reunion of sorts. […]

Living the Dream: The Superyacht Cup, Palma, 2019

and filed under Racing, Spirit of Tradition

We know you think that the life of a yacht designer is nothing but head-down, nose-to-the-grindstone, bound to the computer screen while we deal with prismatic coefficients and righting arms. All true—but every now and then we get an opportunity that we just can’t pass up. This spring a long-time client who commissioned one of our favorite boats said, “Bob, wouldn’t it be great to get the guys back together for a ten-year reunion of Bequia’s build? And why don’t we do it at the Superyacht Cup, in Palma?” Well, okay, twist my arm.  To understand the excitement of participating […]

Millennials are Rocking the Boat

and filed under Immerst

The Pew Research Center defines Millennials as the generation born between 1981-1996 (ages 38-23, respectively). As one-quarter of the American population, and with a buying power of $1.4 trillion by 2020, they are the primary influencers in society and commerce today. Just as this group has disrupted the housing market by delaying homeownership, they are the driving force of change in the travel industry. https://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article105557.html From tricked-out Airstreams to glamping in yurts, Millennials place a high value on novel, immersive experiences with an adventure-like quality. Authenticity and exclusivity is their definition of luxury. The ultimate driver here is social media. […]

A Pocket Guide to Making a Spirit-of-Tradition Design.

and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

Let’s keep it short and simple, shall we? Here’s a tangible, brief example of a qualified new client that made the trip to coastal Maine, climbed the two steep flights of stairs to our third floor office and spent several months exploring the modern-classic marine idiom with us. The fellow grew up sailing classic one-design boats, but cut his adult marine teeth on modern production boats. Early conversations were all about the basics of what he wanted: Which boats moved him; what applications did he see for his boat; and where would he like to travel. The first boat we […]

What a Spirit-of-Tradition Yacht ISN’T!

and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

One of the things we’ve learned in three-plus decades of designing custom boats, is how unusual each project can become. Custom boats are as individual as the people who own them. Yet, the key to a successful custom boat is all about having the right match to the right design. Often, what makes the custom boat work is realizing not what it is, but what it isn’t. For example, take some of those Spirit-of-Tradition designs; the SoT is not a fit for everyone, nor for every set of dreams and desires. At the heart, an SoT yacht provides state-of-the-art construction, […]

Learning to Speak SoT: A Discussion of Marine Design Vernaculars.

and filed under Construction, Design, Racing, Spirit of Tradition

We’ve been operating in this industry for 30-plus years, and of that time we’ve enjoyed some 20 years in creating Spirit-of-Tradition yachts. This SoT thing is now a thing. And we’re lucky to have been involved on the frontlines since its inception. But, let’s make something distinctly clear about all design: There’s real-world use of boats, like racing in regattas in the U.S., Caribbean, and Europe. And then there is the design of intent and the creation of ideas, brought together by client and architect. These two points headline two different worlds, and the two worlds won’t always communicate in […]

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