Classic Boat — January 2018

CLASSIC BOAT JANUARY 2018 91

CRAFTSMANSHIP

OTHER PROJECTS

Top: an engine going into the P70. Above: the nearly-finished

Deckhouse 63 – the elliptical cockpit and curved deckhouse

are inspired by traditional Dutch boats

Left: the first layer of planking on the 111. Top: the 111’s internal

steel cage. Above: measuring for a drinks cabinet

sailing (upwind for racing, downwind for cruising) and
accommodation. We look inside a nearly finished Deckhouse 63, the
first Spirit bermudan yawl, which features another first in its fold-
down transom swim platform.
She’ll be followed, when she moves out shortly, by a Deckhouse
65, the first ring frame of which is in build on the floor. Both boats are
destined for British waters, where their cosy deckhouses will serve
them well. The 65 will, like the 111, be battery powered.
Spirit is a unique boatbuilder. It is, for a start, by far the biggest
Spirit of Tradition builder in the world, with 86 yachts built to date,
including the 20 built by McMillan Yachts. For the potential customer,
it’s a pleasingly simple company to understand: you go to Spirit,
which is now all based under one roof (the Hong Kong office didn’t
work out) and speak to Sean and Nigel, who will design you the boat
you want, then build it. Having all skills in-house is clearly a big draw.
And there’s one hero of this story that Sean is the first to
acknowledge, and that is wood. That the biggest SoT builder in the
world builds in modern wood construction goes some way towards
vindicating what many have known for some time, that it is the best
all-round yacht construction material. It works out lighter than
carbon, is far more inert and fixable than aluminium or even steel, and
is stronger, stiffer and lighter than glass. That’s before you count in
the other benefits: sound and heat insulation, character and kudos.
A project that was floated a few years ago, for a Spirit-built
wooden J-Class, had to be abandoned, but the 111 in build now, and a
previous 100-footer (30.5m), Gaia, show that Spirit is ready for
anything, and there are talks on now for a Spirit 130. It will sail rings
around a J, while offering far more accommodation, and if there’s one
dream build that Sean would like to do – this is it.