Stephens Waring Yacht Design

Spirit of Tradition Yachts Designed In Maine

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A Few Stairways to Heaven: What makes Anna’s interior go up … and down.

and filed under Construction, Design, Marine Engineering, Spirit of Tradition

In this business, sometimes you spend two full months on a few sets of stairs. About half-way through the design of the 65-foot sloop Anna, currently coming together over at Lyman Morse Boatbuilders, we knew a unique focal point was emerging in this boat: The staircases. Designing any boat is a battle of inches. But with Anna we had to work in a graceful passage from the outer deck to the full interior of this yacht. Two seemingly simple sets of stairs were needed: One with just one riser, that led from the cockpit down to the raised salon. And […]

A Little Runabout with a Big Design Story.

and filed under Design, Models and Robotics

It’s not the first time a big-time boat design came in a small package. Smaller craft, like this 20 foot Spiboot, brought the future back to the 1960’s in Lake Geneva, Switzerland. But we can’t think of a time when a damn-good boat showed up in a really small package. Like 3 feet small.  But that’s what happened last week. We got a very polite note from one Mariusz Szymazek. Who taught himself engineering and design to come up with “Swallow” the 1.2 meter (!) runabout.  This clearly seriously talented maker lives in the UK and designs and makes his […]

On Making a 50-knot Electric Speedboat:

and filed under Boat Nerd Tech, Cross Platform Propulsion

It’s been a long and winding electric road. We first got involved in using batteries to drive a boat on our hybrid Zogo back in 2009. Still — almost ten years later — the electric revolution is still “just over the horizon.” We continue to consult for practical cross-platform propulsion systems in our client’s boats. We have a custom lobster boat coming that will feature just such a system. We’re following the hybrid power wave in European harbors. And we keep tinkering with ideas to see if the calculus of electrons in boats is changing. So we wanted to see […]

Rolling in the Design Luxury of Rolls-Royce.

and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

Who knows how we get invited to shindigs this big and fancy: But … we’re delighted to be among the select few luxury companies to be profiled in Strive for Perfection, a commemorative book celebrating the Rolls-Royce Owners Club’s Annual Meet. That’s right, that Rolls-Royce: The essentially semi-custom luxury automotive brand that has defined the high-end in rolling personal transport since 1906. The owner’s club invited us out to their annual confab for Rolls owners. This year, they are meeting in French Lick, Indiana. We will be among a select group of owners of those iconic Rolls-Royce and Bentley vehicles. […]

Starting Up the Debate on Motor Yachts.

and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

Sailboats are fighting off a hard leeward marketing shore, these days. In any given year, something like ten motor-powered craft are sold for every one sailboat. Powerboats have become such a powerful marketplace force in the boating industry, that many of the world’s best boatbuilders no longer bother with sailboats. The Hinckley Company, which essentially pioneered the high-end production sailing yacht with classics like the Pilot 35 and Bermuda 40, still advertises its lovely Bermuda 50. But that doesn’t mean there’s one ready for a customer to buy. Read the fine print: This boat is a custom-built boat, just like […]

Paul Waring on “Alternative Boating Facts”

and filed under Boat Nerd Tech, Construction, Design

I’m an engineer. I live to reduce things down to basics. I love to break complex components into smaller pieces that make them easier to explain. Last week, we compared the price of different boats by measuring the cost of each pound of those boats. What did that simple price-to-displacement tool teach us? That comparing the price of boats is almost never apples-to-apples. The Bad News On Shopping for Luxury Goods. Comparing custom-made high-end products is tricky. The quality of the build and the cost of the labor are factors. Timeline and schedule also play a role. if you’re looking […]

What’s so flippin’ cool about expedition yachts?

and filed under Design, Spirit of Tradition

It’s so true, we have to say it again: What’s so flipping cool about expedition yachts? Sturdy, serious-looking and able, it seems like everybody loves a yacht that feels like it can circle the globe not once, but time after time. We sure do. And we’re not shy about just waiting for the right person to come through the door and ask us to make one. Here’s why: That Hard Body, Expedition Look. What speaks to us about expedition yachts most, is their ability to take on whatever duties the captain asks them to do.  They’re not dazzle and speed, […]

Isobel Open To The Public in Newport.

and filed under Brokerage, Marine Engineering, Spirit of Tradition

One of our favorite boats is about to get the red-carpet treatment in one of our favorite locations for boats: On Wednesday June 7th, the lovely 75-foot sloop  will be open to the public at the ridiculously-perfect Sail Newport yacht facility, just across the bay from America’s yachting mecca: Newport, RI. It’s all too perfect to miss. One of us, Bob Stephens, gets to deliver the boat himself from Camden, Maine. And he’ll be on-board, and on hand, to answer all your questions on Wednesday. To keep things organized either give Tripp Estabrook, at Testabrook@lymanmorse.com or (401) 474-4322, a shout […]

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