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The Spirit-of-Tradition Skipper: James Murphy.

Posted on January 28, 2019 and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

With Anna recently nominated by Classic Boat as one of the top Spirit-of-Tradition vessels globally, in 2018, we began to wonder, of all our designs, why her. So we figured, we should get in touch with the professional seaman who, along with wife-engineer Amy, is in charge of sailing this lovely boat: Captain James Murphy. Jim is unique among professional private captains. He has decades of experience in skippering modern-classic sailing boats both in Maine and the Caribbean. He has always preferred working in smaller, unique vessels like Anna, where he can share his passion for classic boats with their […]

Anna Shortlisted In Classic Boat Awards 2019: Online Voting Starts Now.

Posted on January 28, 2019 and filed under Spirit of Tradition

Jan. 24, 2019: Belfast, ME: Global yacht design and marine engineering firm Stephens Waring Yacht Design announced that its luxury daysailer Anna has been nominated as a finalist in the Spirit of Tradition category, in the Classic Boat Awards 2019. Handcrafted by Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding in Thomaston, ME, Anna was shortlisted with 8 other finalists, after a rigorous selection process that sought to include all the custom boats built globally in 2018. Finalists were peer-reviewed by a team lead by Rob Peake, editor of London, England-based Classic Boat magazine. “Congratulations on your nomination for the awards,” said Jack Shannon, Head of […]

What Does It Mean to Design a true “Spirit-of-Tradition” Yacht?

Posted on December 11, 2018 and filed under Design, Racing, Spirit of Tradition

“What is Spirit-of-Tradition design?” When it comes to designing great boats, we’ve been asking ourselves questions like this for 25 years. Operating in any design idiom, it’s important to recognize a flow of ideas comes from somewhere. A “somewhere” that may be inspired by some historical precedent or a springboard off a unique lineage of elements or forms. Spirit-Of-Tradition design is like any other vernacular: Strong themes and elements merge into a cohesive piece of naval architecture; forming a vernacular where one can identify those integral cues from traditional and classic lineage and recognize how that interpretation is intrinsic within […]

The DNA of the SoT: Comparative Analysis Of Various Modern-Classic Designs.

Posted on December 11, 2018 and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

What we love about working with the design themes found in Spirit-of-Tradition boats, is the genetics involved. True of any architectural style, one is not allowed to simply pull from thin air when finessing the Spirit-of-Tradition. Features like bow profiles and entries, sheer lines, and transom shapes are all beholden to a kind of vintage/classic DNA. Working in the Spirit-of-Tradition genre demands defining characteristics for each design, and treating them as a kind of naval amino acid. The art to it is organizing these base design proteins into a well-balanced vessel that sifts out the noise from other idioms and […]

Design Brief: The Botin 55.

Posted on December 11, 2018 and filed under Design

It’s been an active Spirit-of-Tradition yacht building season here in Maine, with many builders launching many interesting boats. There’s a pair of modern-classic yacht tenders, just launched at Hodgdon’s in Boothbay Harbor, that look like they’ve somehow motored in from Venice’s Grand Canal. And then over at Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, there’s Sindbad, a classic Norwegian Trawler getting a 21st-century refit. But what’s piqued the most interest in some sailing circles, is a controversial new 55-footer, currently coming together at Brooklin Boat Yard, in Brooklin Maine. This daysailer/racer is designed by Botin Partners, who work out of a sea town […]

Marine Engineering 201: Composite Construction for Dummies.

Posted on October 19, 2018 and filed under Marine Engineering

The news is finally out: We’re getting into the construction nitty-gritty on our custom 57-foot Spirit of Tradition powerboat, a collaboration with our friends over at C.W. Hood Yachts. And yet again, we are reminded when it comes to boats, what’s going on inside is as important as what’s going outside. On its outer surface, this 57 Express-Classic design is what the world expects a near-60-foot custom powerboat to be: A luxury vessel filled with all the amenities, range and speed to offer the flexibility and power to steam for distant horizons; yet offering enough comforts to rest elegantly at […]

The Ultimate Spirit-of-Tradition Day Racer: Summer 2019 Edition.

Posted on October 19, 2018 and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

Ah, fall. Cold breezes, falling leaves and the prospect of Halloween ghosts and goblins. What better time to look ahead to the Summer of 2019. And our latest thinking for an enthusiastic client, on the perfect mid-sized, Spirit-of-Tradition sailing sloop. That is, a doodle we began years ago branded as the Signature 38. It’s been about a decade since we sketched up this classy speedster. But we found, after dusting off the drawings this past month, that there’s something about this sleek, swift alternative to mid-thirty-foot dayboats that endures. Probably that’s because when we sat down to draw her, it […]

A Fresh Design! Announcing a 57-foot All-Custom, Composite Express-Cruiser for C.W. Hood Yachts.

Posted on October 19, 2018 and filed under Construction, Design, Marine Engineering, Spirit of Tradition

BELFAST, MAINE: Stephens Waring Yacht Design reveals an exciting new design for a 57-foot Express-Classic, with C.W. Hood Yachts, of Marblehead, Mass. Construction of major components for this custom motor yacht will begin this fall at Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding, in Thomaston, Maine. The vessel is expected to be finished at C.W. Hood’s construction facility in Marblehead, MA. for a 2020 delivery. “This client originally came to us with a 26-foot repower and refit project,” says Chris Hood, founder C.W. Hood Yachts. “Inspired by the style and performance of our earlier designs, the conversation turned to a larger custom yacht. With a […]