CLASSIC BOAT MAY 2014 83CRAFTSMANSHIP
more like a work of art than the printout, albeit at A1
size, from a computer-aided design (CAD) programme.
But I’m just surprised to hear that it’s quicker. Bob and
Paul avow this is so: “We use hand drawings in two
ways,” Bob continues. “First it’s a quick way to develop
the ideas of a design process. And secondly we find that
when we are deveoping the construction details we also do
that by hand because it’s quicker. But then we transfer that
to CAD and the drawings we give to a builder will always
be CAD.” I’m quite surprised to hear this because
re-drawing the whole boat must surely take time. But Paul
adds that this is how they mainly work in the beginning
stages – even though the drawing in his desk is number
four in the evolution of a design consultation.
With this faith in the speed of hand drawing it’s not too
surprising that Bob says he was ten when he realised he
wanted to design boats and started drawing properly aged
14 when his parents gave him a draughting set. It was
some time before he was able to make his living from
drawing boats – helping Joel White in his design office
after a couple of years with his son Steve of the Brooklin
Boatyard. “I did that for four years before he died in1997, which was just before we launched the W Class Wild
Horses.” About this time Paul had arrived in Brooklin and
the pair teamed up with Steve White to become Stephens
Waring and White, aiming to design lightweight SoT boats
that were fast and easy to sail but which also looked good
against the backdrop of so many classics in the local waters.
But after a couple of years the partnership ended and
Stephens and Waring carried on as a partnership. Some of
their signature designs were from this time, with boats like
Hoi An, Geranium and Ginger, overleaf, redefining the way
people saw Spirit of Tradition boats. The the recession
struck and they had to endure some lean times: “Sometimes
we would design a boat that never got built.” Three years
ago they moved to the Belfast office and more recently
business has turned up with several projects.
And they are excited about the future of their type of
boat which can take from any classic design or tradition,
from a sandbagger to a sailing barge and apply modern
design parameters and building materials to make it sail
faster. “It doesn’t always have to be long overhangs and a
little spoon bow. There are many traditional designs that
transfer well,” Paul enthuses. Watch this space...Above, left: Bob
(left) and Paul in
their Belfast
design office. Note
the spline weights- still used for
drawing designs
by hand.
Above: Bequia
ketch
ALISON LANGLEYCB323 Stphns_Wrng.indd 83 24/03/2015 18:45