74 CLASSIC BOAT AUGUST 2016MODERN CLASSICS
Spirit of Tradition yachts are a
firm part of the classic world and
of Panerai British Classic Week
WORDS SEAN MCMILLAN
TRADITIONS
MAKING
NEW
I
n the glory days of yachting, spanning the end of the 19th
century and the first few decades of the 20th, design criteria
were far more focused on elegance and efficiency of movement
through the water than is often the case today. Nowadays,
priorities in yacht design have changed and the number of cabins
and bathrooms often takes precedence. Previously, marinas were
unheard of and the need to squeeze the maximum volume into a
given size of berth was inconceivable.
Designers well understood that slim hulls were the most easily
driven through the water and long counters created extra speed by
extending waterline length when the wind allowed. Almost by
default the prevailing look was supremely graceful; hardly
surprising when designers knew they had to work with the sea,
rather than attempt to dominate it.
Two world wars, a Great Depression and an impoverished
Europe put paid to many yachts from that period and the
comparative handful that survived have thankfully been rescued,
restored and re-commissioned; usually with great passion and not
inconsiderable expense. The individuals who gave so much energy
and resources to saving these yachts are to be thanked and our
classic sailing world is greatly enriched by their efforts.
These beautiful classics are, however, a finite resource and, just
as in their heyday, they remain expensive and time consuming to
maintain, requiring large crews and constant attention.
In the 1980s, when the classic revival was gaining momentum,
a few designers (myself included) were inspired by what they were
witnessing and began creating yachts of similar elegance but
married to newer construction methods and advances in
underwater hull design, foils and rigs. The relatively new wood/
epoxy build technique allowed the creation of much lighter-weight
hulls, which often made a nonsense of the 3 WL x 1.4 hull speed
formula! Weight savings resulted in less wear and tear, fewer crewAbove: Spirit 52 Soufrière
racing at last year’s Panerai
British Classic Week