SPIRIT YACHTS
Spirit 50CR
As well as building the hotly-
anticipated Spirit 111 – the largest
wooden, single-masted yacht to be
built in Britain since the J Class
Shamrock V in 1930 – the Lowestoft
builder has bene busy with a number
of other projects, sail and power. The
next one to hit the water, in time for
the Southampton Boat Show this
13-22 September, will be the latest
50CR. CR stands for cruiser racer,
with the lack of deckhouse giving
these yachts a very sleek, elegant
appearance. Build, as always, is in
strip plank and rig as (nearly) always,
is bermudan sloop, as befits a
spirit-of-tradition yacht harking back
to the 1930s. Mast and boom are
carbon and the standing rigging is of
the ‘rod’ sort in nitronic stainless
steel. The OneSails sail wardrobe
comprises main, jib and asymmetric.
The helm is a 42in mahogany and
stainless steel wheel, and power is
from a 39hp Yanmar engine (this is a
light, and easily-driven hull shape).
Lithium batteries and high-output
alternator ensures the minimum of
engine hours.
Managing director Nigel Stuart
said: “With accommodation for five
guests across three cabins and two
heads, the Spirit 50CR offers
practicality for couples and families,
while showcasing all the quality,
beauty and performance inherent in
all Spirit yachts.” The forward cabin
has an ensuite heads with shower and
loo. The heart of the boat is an
open-plan galley, dining for six and a
settee on the starboard side. Light
comes from five overhead hatches.
Aft of the galley on the starboard side
is a chart table, with a large single
berth behind. The port aft cabin
houses a double berth, with separate
heads with loo and shower.
The new 50CR will be the first ever
Spirit yacht to be built with a deck of
laid lignia rather than teak. Nigel
Stuart said: “Teak is now considered a
high-risk timber and while we are
using up our current supply, we are
not prepared to risk using
unsustainable wood. Having done
extensive research into different
LOA
49ft 1in (15m)
BEAM
11ft 8in (3.5m)
DISP
8.2 tonnes
DRAUGHT
6ft 9in (2m)
ENGINE
39hp 3JH5E Yanmar
FUEL
270 litres
WATER
400 litresoptions, we have found lignia to be
the best alternative to teak.” Lignia is
a softwood, and member of the
Douglas fir family, that is grown in
Wales in FSC certified forests. Once
harvested, the wood is dried out
before the air voids in the timber are
injected with a water-based
strengthening resin. The wood is then
cured under specific temperature and
pressure conditions so all the water
evaporates to deliver a hard wood as
the finished product. “Aesthetically,
lignia looks as warm, natural and
smooth as teak, is more durable, and
comes with a 60-year rot guarantee.
Crucially, it is a sustainable material
that is very low maintenance.”See spirityachts.com or visit the boat
at the Southampton Boat Show