Classic Boat – July 2019

ANNA

LOA

65ft 6in

(19.9m)

BEAM

16ft 10in

(5.1m)

DRAUGHT

7ft 6in (2.3m)

DISPLACEMENT

27 tonnes

Cl/wise from top left:

A true daysailer, the

only cabin is in the

forepeak; Overlapping

racing jib is replaced

by smaller self-

tacking jib when

cruising; 65ft affords

generous dining in

the raised saloon;

Anna in profile

ANNA

narrow beams. We have been trying to expand the

horizons of what traditions you can use and Anna

definitely reflects that.”

Stephens looked at the huskier cruising yachts of the

past for the boat’s generous beam of 17 feet but allowed

for a narrow waterline. Besides the advances in

composites technology, he says velocity prediction

programs and computer modelling of the hull is where

performance, a DNA requirement of a spirit of tradition

yacht, and style, are merged.

“How technology enters into the hull shape is in 3-D

modelling,” says Stephens. “We look at them in a

qualitative way, to see it in a way Olin Stephens wasn’t

able to in 1950.”

ONE YEAR ON

Anna spent 2018 cleaning up on the race course. More

importantly, she gave tremendous pleasure to the owners

while the boat and crew rested and day-sailed in the

cool, deep coves of Nova Scotia. For 28 of 30 days, the

owners went for a spin or moved to the next harbour

near the working and colourful port of Lunenberg. It

was September and the owner says, “It was beautiful.

There are no lobster pots at this time of year and the

boat is really designed to be comfortable.”

With an in-boom roller furling main and furling jib,

Anna is easily sailed by two crew. Though the powered

chromed winches in the cockpit fit with the fantastic

joinery work surrounding them, they are precisely placed

for all sail-handling. Even trimming sails is comfortable.

For 2019, there will be more of the same day-sailing,

short ocean deliveries, and some racing for Anna.

Whether sitting peacefully at anchor in the Canadian

Maritimes or cutting around a course in southern New

England, there’s something about this yacht that just

works. Her breed is new in the cosmic scheme of

yachting, and she is showing an eye-pleasing progression,

all the way down to the lifelike gold leaf feather that

hangs from the end of her cove stripe.

When pressed about rules of thumb in yacht design,

maybe some areas where Anna is a departure, Stephens

identifies the virtues and flexibility that the spirit of

tradition envelope affords. “Lots of aspects that are

created as rules of thumb are considered essential to the

design, otherwise you destroy that design,” he says.

“That’s not the case. In the 1980s there was lots of

discussion about what makes a perfect sheer. If you use a

true planar sheer (where you lay the model upside down

on a flat surface and the sheer touches all the way

around), you’re guaranteed to have a pretty good

looking sheer. But you’re also sure it will not be a

spectacular sheer. With a boat as lovely as Anna, we

don’t want a pretty good sheer, we want a spectacular

sheer.”