39-ft S/Y WISP hit the water after a compressed build time of less than a year. Photo credit: Alison Langley
On August 5, our latest design, WISP, was gently lowered into the harbor in Camden, Maine. The 39-footer is the most recent in a string of luxurious daysailer/weekenders we’ve designed over the last couple of decades. She was designed to be beautiful, comfortable, easy-to-sail, and fast—and by the end of that week in August we were able to see how we did on all counts.
While packing plenty of performance under sail, Wisp effortlessly transforms into a luxury weekender, featuring saloon seating for four and a queen-size forward berth. Photo credit: Alison Langley
WISP hit the water after a compressed build time of less than a year, and that last week was key in pulling all the details together. Lots of last-minute details in systems and rigging took place in a well-choreographed rush orchestrated by Alec Brainerd, founder of Artisan Boatworks, as the goal of sea trials loomed Thursday morning. Step the mast, tune the rig, bend on sails, commission the engine, electrics, and hydraulic system…. Details seemed endless, but by midday Thursday we were casting off lines and heading out to see how she sailed.
With crimson cushions and backrests in place, we began to test the luxury of the cockpit even before sails were unrolled—with owners, builder, designer, and reps from sailmaker North Sails, spar—builder Moore Brothers, and Ransom Morse, hydraulics genius, we were testing the capacity of the 13-foot-long cockpit. The cockpit was laid out to provide a generous lounge area forward and sail-handling focus aft at the helm, and easily met the challenge of eight people aboard.
On deck, WISP offers a sophisticated, dual-purpose cockpit: a plush, upholstered area for lounging forward and a dedicated sailing zone aft. Thanks to a design that marries functional ergonomics with classic aesthetics, the helmsperson enjoys easy access to all sailing controls without leaving the wheel. Photo credit: Alison Langley
The day was clear and warm, with a gentle sea breeze building. We tuned the electrically-furling mainsail to mate the mandrel to the winch, then hoisted full main and unrolled the working jib. We’d designed the sial plan to provide really easy handling and plenty of area for lighter breezes, common in her home port in western Long Island Sound, so the six knots true wind was a perfect test bed. Dialing in the sail trim and sheet positions, we quickly found WISP’s groove, and soon were sailing upwind at about 26 degrees apparent and boat speed of 5.9 knots—calling that a win! After trying a couple of tacks we cracked off to a beam reach and unrolled the MPS, and speed jumped to 8 knots in 8 knots true.
These few minutes of sailing would be all her designer would experience, as a tropical depression rolled through the next day, and by the following Monday, she was headed south and west to her owner’s mooring in western Connecticut. But before she shoved off, we were blessed with a gorgeous Saturday afternoon photo-shoot opportunity on the tail-end of the storm, with strong breezes and priceless clouds to form a backdrop to the Camden Hills as master marine photographer Alison Langley plied her craft. Here are a few of the gems she captured—enjoy!
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