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Yachting Monthly

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ON TEST: Spirit 44e – the sustainable future of sailing?

• Theo Stocker
• November 1, 2020

A wooden boat that blazes a trail for modern technology and sustainability sounds too good to be true. Theo Stocker went to see if the Spirit 44e is as good as promised

Product Overview

Spirit yacht 44cr electric.

• Most sustainable yacht available today
• Sails beautifully
• Stunning looks
• Limited accommodation for length
• Upkeep of wooden boat

Manufacturers:

Price as reviewed:.

Boats have been built out of wood since Noah first put axe to tree, but when it comes to cutting-edge yachts, timber is right back at the top.

Spirit Yachts have been building head-turningly pretty wooden yachts with stiff, lightweight laminated wooden hulls since 1993, including the largest wooden yacht built in the UK since the 1930s in the shape of the Spirit 111 , launched this year.

But away from all the fanfare, the Ipswich-based yard has also just launched Avvento , smaller sister to its 47 and 55 Cruising Range yachts.

Far from being a lesser vessel, however, the Spirit 44 Cruising Range Electric Boat (44e for short) hides advances in sustainable technology under its gleaming topsides that offer a glimpse into the future of boat building.

Unrecyclable fibreglass and sails, toxic antifoul, and fossil-fuel propulsion are replaced by sustainably sourced timber, self-sufficient electric propulsion and zero-carbon emissions.

The proud new owner is Vincent Argiro, a retired technology entrepreneur who lives and sails in British Columbia in Canada.

Explaining his motivation to go for such a radical concept, he said: ‘My first sailboat was also the first of its kind to be built all-electric. I have never owned anything else, nor will I.

‘To me, it is a terrible corruption of the beauty and simplicity of sailing to add internal-combustion propulsion to it.’

She is built, Spirit claims, to last a hundred years and to be largely recyclable when the time does come. In the intervening century, she will burn no hydro-carbons whatsoever with not even a backup generator on board, or, for that matter, any obvious renewable energy sources. I was curious to see how she worked.

THE TEST VERDICT

The Spirit 44e is a fabulously expensive boat given her limited accommodation and shorter than average waterline length, if you are going to judge her by volume.

As managing director Nigel Stuart says: ‘You need to think about her volume relative to her waterline rather than overall length.’ That’s a nice idea, if you have the luxury of not worrying about marina fees.

You can get a lot of boat for this kind of budget, so why would you buy the Spirit 44e? Firstly, she is drop dead gorgeous. From her sleek lines to her dovetail joints, there is no part of the boat that is not a pleasure to look at.

Then, she is utterly engaging to sail. Lightweight, powerful and responsive, helming her will put a smile on your face, while she should cope equally well with the rough stuff. Finally, she is light years ahead of most production yachts in terms of environmental impact.

I would opt for the smaller rig and higher boom, and I’d like narrower cockpit seats. Most owners would opt for a backup diesel generator for peace of mind, though with new battery tech on its way, unlimited range is within reach.

The Spirit 44e goes a very long way to prove that yachts can be built and run in a sustainable way.

Would the Spirit 44e suit you and your crew?

This boat isn’t about mass-market appeal, but who wouldn’t fall in love given half a chance? In reality, for the kind of cruising most sailors really do, weekends and a few weeks here and there, she is luxuriously comfortable for a cruising couple with occasional guests. Liveaboard cruising is more of a stretch, but entirely feasible, while she’ll also do well racing round the cans.

There’s plenty of entertaining space, particularly on deck once you’re in harbour, and if you don’t mind the stares, she turns heads wherever she goes.

Very few boats out there could hold a hydrocarbon-free candle to the Spirit 44e. Even Noah might have been tempted to leave his animals for this boat.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Spirit 72DH review: latest modern classic stunner

• Toby Hodges
• November 2, 2023

A multipurpose design, a dual purpose yacht. Toby Hodges sails Spirit Yachts’ latest stunner, the Spirit 72DH and finds a new benchmark in modern classic quality

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

Clear the headland three miles south of Guernsey’s St Peter Port and the depth and conditions can change abruptly, as you transition from sailing around tidal banks into the English Channel proper and realise there’s suddenly nothing between you and 2,000 miles of North Atlantic swell. This became quickly apparent as we headed out on a reach, the Spirit 72DH Gwenyfar II in full stride at double figures, and I noted the rapidity with which the waves were building.

These soon became 3-4m ocean rollers, as thick as they were tall but with a goodly period between each crest. The Spirit took it effortlessly, the motion kind enough to become quite addictive. Heeled over at full waterline, her spoon bow cut through the swell and speed remained steady. When we then tacked and had the swell on our quarters she remained well behaved, just more sporty, the lightweight side of her modern spirit of tradition build coming into play.

It was a performance as graceful and intoxicating as her bewitching looks.

While it was the performance and handling which really transformed this yacht in my eyes, it’s no doubt the aesthetic attributes that will put the majority under a Spirit’s spell. A Spirit’s looks have long been their talking point – you don’t twice get to be a Bond yacht based merely on practical merits. The Ipswich yard has since found a sweet spot in this larger size range, in particular this Spirit 72DH design, for which it is currently building its third hull. While it still allows for plenty of flexibility with interiors, having the design and engineering in place creates a known base, a yacht which the yard knows it can reproduce to the highest standards.

The Spirit 72DH is also designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of experience and sailing preferences, with systems and layout options that allow for a paid hand. The deck layout is deliberately uncluttered, while intuitive push-button hydraulics and a tidy winch layout help make it manageable with a small number of crew.

The first example, Spirit of Anima , launched a year ago, is used for Med family cruising and charter and has a bright, modern interior with separate crew cabin. This second is more classic Spirit in style inside and lets the craftsmanship reign. It’s a dual-purpose boat, designed to be competitive with a full race rig and sails, yet be capable of both comfortable local cruising and an Atlantic circuit. And the third is a cross between the two layouts but reportedly with a starkly different interior finish.

The 72DH at full pace, upwind. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

All in the eye

Despite their different visions, the proud owners of both the first two Spirit 72DHs have talked of how their yachts share an inherent ability to relax them when on board.

In fact, as we made our way down to St Peter Port, it quickly became clear the owner of Gwenyfar II is infatuated with his yacht, despite having owned a Spirit before (a Spirit 63DH). He’d already moved the boat out to a neighbouring anchorage that morning, perhaps because we may have struggled with the depth over the marina sill. But maybe, I wondered, because first impressions and the ability to see a yacht’s lines really count, particularly when the sheer – the line it all started with for this owner – is so important.

I have rarely met someone so passionate about his yacht. We sat together in the whisky drinking armchairs in the saloon, as he pointed out the details and features, the fixtures and finishes, even the movement, smell and noise which brings this timber creation to life. It appeals to all the senses.

In particular, he wanted the finish to be kept minimal to expose and highlight the woodwork artistry. The hull’s sipo ringframes and yellow cedar planking are displayed wherever possible. So this yacht is very much in line with the original Spirit ethos, with an oyster white hull, gleaming mahogany brightwork and this uncluttered architectural interior. Or is it? While the majority of Spirit owners have raced as well as cruised over the yard’s past 30 years, Gwenyfar II ’s owner wanted to turn the dial up on the yacht’s competitive ability.

Under spinnaker the Spirit 72DH proved engaging to sail at a variety of angles and sea conditions. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

Five years ago his Spirit 63DH stole the show at its Southampton debut, a yawl which was commissioned purely for cruising. Having owned a handful of thoroughbred cruising yachts until that point, he the got the taste for racing. The first Gwenyfar (meaning ‘white spirit’ in Welsh) was not set up for that nor easily modified, so a longer, comparatively lighter and faster Spirit beckoned.

‘ GII ’, as she became affectionately dubbed, needed to be a dual purpose boat. “She is built around the capacity to race, look good and go fast, and then transform to cruising,” the owner explains.

The rig is pivotal to achieving this. The high modulus carbon Hall Spars mast is super clean, with just one VHF antenna and the mast wand permitted, and sports a Park Avenue boom and EC Six carbon rigging. And then there are the sails – stacks of them – all built by OneSails. She carries a set of white heavy duty radial cut HydraNet sails for cruising (which we sailed with) or a full wardrobe of black 4T Forte composite race sails. In the words of skipper Simon Hughes, “we were allowed to go to town with the rig and sails”.

A carbon spinnaker pole helps allow for a range of symmetric spinnakers, plus there’s a remotely controlled high speed padeye for a Code 0. A removable inner forestay rigs to a padeye on the forward watertight bulkhead, and provides the option for a soft hanked staysail to help reduce the sailplan centrally in the most efficient manner. “The staysail makes a big difference,” says the owner, adding: “We had a storm jib up for 10 days on our return trip across the north Atlantic on GI.” Another neat feature is the extra track which extends into the mainsail track to allow a storm trysail to be rigged.

Hughes helped skipper the previous 63DH, particularly on long passages, and was instrumental in the commission of the Spirit 72DH with regards to the rig, systems and electronics. He also helped put together a friendly race crew, some of whom joined us for our sail.

Signature styling: low, curved deckhouse with integrated fan windows on top helps provide light and space inside. Douglas fir decks and gleaming brightwork make for an elegant deck. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

With full main set and genoa unfurled in 15-19 knots north-westerly we set out at pace in the flat water between Guernsey and Herm. Reaching off to the south we were soon into that impressive ocean swell, making 9.5-10 knots at 110º to the apparent wind, with waves heading across our starboard bows.

Pleasure sailing the Spirit 72DH

There were nine of us in the cockpit and I wondered why so many were aboard. But it was during that first leg as we hit open water and I caught their collective expressions of unmasked joy that it dawned on me – they were coming out for the sheer pleasure of sailing this yacht (granted, it also gave us the option of flying a spinnaker).

This deep cockpit provides security. The Spirit has the length and shape to handle those conditions with ease and carries her way through the waves, putting you at ease. I imagine it would have felt distinctly different out there on a smaller, flightier yacht with modern full bow sections.

While the Spirit 72DH’s cockpit benches are really wide and may be better suited for sun lounging than sitting comfortably, the vertical coamings allow you to sit up high and from here or the helm there is good visibility forward over the low deckhouse.

To be as rewarding to sail in both directions is rare. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

As we tacked to reach off back towards Sark, I appreciated the ability to control the main easily from the wheel. The speedo, which had varied between 8.5-9.5 knots depending on the tide when fetching, rose to double figures when broad reaching and hit 11.5 knots with wave assistance.

The Spirit 72DH boasts good balance and communication. While I’ve enjoyed sailing many Spirits on the breeze, it’s rare to find a design that’s as rewarding to sail in both directions. The large mahogany wheel, sunken into a well in the cockpit sole, is directly linked to the carbon blade and stock via chain and wire. I preferred to sit to windward at heel, straddling the wheel with a foot braced on the pedestal, as it’s a bit of a stretch to see the telltales from within the cockpit to leeward.

The aft winches are dedicated to the mainsheet, the central winches for the spinnaker and the forward ones for the jib or guys, with the latter kept manual to avoid over tensioning. The hydraulic Cunningham, vang, backstay and outhaul are all controlled on a pushbutton panel by the mainsheet trimmer/winch or on a remote control. A hydraulic cylinder under the cockpit bench moves the traveller, and the helmsman can easily reach the controls for this and the mainsheet winch. The central winches also have foot switches so the kite trimmer can stand and trim. Halyards, meanwhile, all exit at the mast base on to two powered winches each side on GII, including a high speed three-speed model.

We plugged in the masthead spinnaker in the Little Russel channel and squared the pole back so the big white kite could pull us along at graceful 9 knots (up to 11 knots SOG) in 16 knots, running at 160°apparent. It felt like a timeless classic yacht scene, yet it was also clear to see how such a sail could be handy when racing in these notoriously tidal waters, as it allows you to run so much deeper. But it does need many hands to get it up and down!

The wheel is crafted from sipo, as is the binnacle, which has instruments flush mounted. Note the traveller track and mainsheet controls each side, plus the displays set into the deckhouse windows. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

We dropped the kite through the companionway as it started to get lumpy in the larger swell, with Hughes proving an expert influence, calmly directing proceedings.

Decks are kept particularly clean with the aid of removable padeyes. In its continued search for a teak replacement, Spirit has tried Lignia decks and is currently using Douglas fir, traditionally favoured for its straight grain, which looked like a commendable alternative on GII.

The guardrails are also removable for classic style racing. Handrails had yet to be fitted on the coachroof but were due to be added before the Southampton Boat Show debut. Even so, the side decks are narrow by the deckhouse and have a camber to them which makes it a little unnerving moving forward.

A retractable bow thruster is offset to port and uses a neat 48V pancake motor Lewmar adapted to fit the boat’s sail locker. The starboard side of this locker is large enough for the trysail, staysail and spinnaker. Meanwhile, two lazarette lockers under the aft decks form the bulk of the deck stowage. There’s enough space for a couple of spinnakers on one side and a F-Rib tender to the other, while both feature useful outboard trays for spare lines.

Huge, deeply fiddled central work surface of the galley forms a social heart. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

Tranquil experience

The fun of sailing this yacht is arguably matched by the pleasure of just being aboard. Whether gathering for drinks in the cockpit, socialising around the galley or soaking up the peace in the saloon, it is a boat you are happy to linger on. ‘Tranquil and simple’ was the brief for the interior. Gwenyfar II is designed to be at anchor in this part of the world. The owner has no interest in Med sailing – he might do a Baltic and Caribbean season, but otherwise it’s for local cruising and racing.

Other than the aesthetics, it’s the layout, particularly in the deckhouse, and the attention to detail that stand out. Typically a deckhouse may accommodate a pilot berth or raised navstation. Here it forms the social heart of the boat, a galley area around which people can congregate as they would in a modern home, and still provides a proper chart table with views.

The signature fan windows built into the deckhouse pour natural light over the galley, the traditional butterfly deck hatch does the same for the saloon, adding ventilation at anchor too. And the lighting, including indirect and subtle uplighting, helps celebrate the planking.

Obviously there are compensations that need to be made with a classic shape with long overhangs. So they haven’t tried to pack in the accommodation; instead, the three cabins are inviting and well appointed. The question for prospective owners concerns how much they want to sail with a paid hand and whether to accommodate them in these cabins or in a separate crew cabin and thereby lose some valuable deck stowage.

A practical chart table to starboard. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

The overhangs also restrict mechanical space. So the engine is contained under the galley unit as its shaft exits the hull in front of the companionway steps. This helps centralise weight, while the layout around this engine bay and the tanks each side of it has been done intelligently. A day tank gravity feeds the engine, while the fuel filter and manifolds are easy to access quickly.

Smart details are numerous, while behind the scenes and in the bilges everything is sealed and finished properly, down to wooden trays below the fuel filters to prevent any diesel drips fouling the locker. A surprising niggle then is the lack of soft closing mechanisms on drawers and lockers.

The items that can be removed, such as crockery and cutlery, have all been designed to lift out easily in one unit. When racing, the companionway doors fold away flush, the galley taps are removable and the whole area is protected by custom covers, allowing the crew to pull spinnakers down through the companionway without fear of damaging the woodwork.

GII has the larger galley option. To stand looking out at a horizon view through the deckhouse windows while making a brew or preparing food is special. Watch our full video to see all the details and features such as the customised knife drawer, the marinised Miele induction cooker and a bespoke tea tray for kettle and mugs which fits neatly into a locker.

Directors’ chairs can join the saloon table to help seat 10, with stowage for them in a locker below the bulkhead cabinet. The two comfortable leather armchairs, separated by a lift-top cabinet for the single malts, are the choice place to sit and admire the structures. Spirit used carbon fibre to help support the highly loaded areas, which helped shave 1,200kg in stainless steel around the ringframes.

The spectacular forward master. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

Another two reading chairs in the forward master cabin offer privacy, and there is also a writing desk with fold out mirror to help it double as a vanity table. The owner points out the marquetry and neat pen stowage built within: “I didn’t ask for it but Spirit takes it upon themselves to go the extra mile.”

At 6ft 3in he has full standing headroom up to a double berth, which can be separated by lee cloths when cohabiting with other crew. Otherwise furniture was deliberately kept to a minimum. No full wardrobes for example, just half height lockers and deep drawers. The ensuite is a good size, with rainfall shower, low wattage towel rail, and a bevel-edged mirror neatly set into the front face of the locker.

The excellent navstation has good visibility of the sails and a nice mix of modern and traditional systems. There is touchscreen control for the C-Zone digital switching plus a manual switch panel for primary systems. GII also has a full B&G H5000 racing system, the 12in Zeus touchscreen for which can double as the house computer.

Power management is based around Victron’s Quatro smart inverter charger, which specialises in distributing power when and where needed, says Hughes, in this case from the 1,000Ah lithium battery bank (below the forward saloon berth). It also helped enable the choice of a more compact genset below the companionway.

The identical aft cabins both have generous ensuites with separate showers. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

GII’s traditional fossil fuel based system seems noticeably at odds with Spirit’s recent launches and drive for renewable power. The yard has recently produced a foiling electric motorboat, the extraordinary 111 Geist with electric drive, and a 65 and 68 with hybrid drives.

“We probably wouldn’t even do a 44 or 52 now with a diesel drive,” says marketing director Helen Porter. However, those doing ocean cruising still tend to choose more traditional power systems.

The ‘row away factor’ of the Spirit 72DH is significant. Photo: Waterline Media/Spirit Yachts

Spiritual world

The Spirit 72DH is the definitive modern classic. It has gorgeous traditional lines mixed with modern materials and appendages to make it relevant, fun and practical today, and crucially the layout and systems to make it repeatable. GII is also used just as the classic gentleman’s cruiser once was, when owners raced with friends or crew who valued the experience of sailing such a yacht, then cruised with family or friends.

The true spirit of this Spirit design is all about how it affects you personally. For me the 72DH shone from behind the wheel at sea. From past experience a Spirit revels in flat water, but going through, across and with an Atlantic swell showed this yacht has special qualities. For Gwenyfar II ’s owner it’s all about how it made him feel.

That’s what the beauty of wood and Spirit’s master craftsmen and women bring: lines you’ll never tire of, joinery that calms you and that added quality that gives the yacht a soul.

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On board the award-winning Spirit 111 flagship sailing yacht Geist

BOAT International steps on board Geist , the flagship of British shipyard Spirit Yachts that combines classic beauty and green technology with beguiling grace...

When Spirit Yachts’ flagship grew from 27 to 34 metres overall before she had even left the drawing board, she was already destined for the record books. At this size she would be the largest wooden sloop-rigged yacht to be built in the UK since the famous J Class yacht Shamrock V back in 1930. Given her long, elegant lines and low freeboard, so typical of the J Class , it was an interesting comparison from the off. And there was more to come.

The decision to head from Spirit Yachts’ yard in Ipswich on the east coast of the UK to Gosport in the south for the sea trials, was intended to make it easier to get into open water. But it was also a move that provided another connection with Sir Thomas Lipton’s famous America’s Cup challenger. The Gosport base for the Spirit 111’s sea trials was the famous Camper & Nicholsons yard (now Endeavour Quay), where Shamrock and the three other British J Class yachts had been built in the 1930s.

Unlike the competitive Js, the Spirit 111, named Geist , has been designed for a more relaxed life – a cruiser with the ability to take part in the occasional regatta. And while she’s been built in a traditional material, her wood epoxy composite construction on a steel space frame takes advantage of the very latest materials and techniques.

From her carbon mast with its non-metallic rigging, to her advanced sail- handling systems, her classic looks conceal a very advanced technical specification. For example, a bank of four BMW lithium batteries and a 100kW Torqeedo propulsion system capable of regenerating power once under way lie at the heart of her operational hardware.

Another significant difference is in the intended make-up of her crew. Here, the biggest clue as to how she has been designed to be operated can be found in her layout below decks.  Aside from being beautiful, it offers an owner’s cabin and three guest doubles – far fewer than you might expect of a boat this size. Furthermore, there is no skipper or crew accommodation: this is clearly an owner/driver superyacht.

Wherever you look, the Spirit 111 is a fascinating boat and when you talk to her creators, (“builders” seems so inappropriate for something so artful and innovative) it becomes clear that the project was a voyage of discovery for them at times too.

“In the early stages we built a model and presented it to the owner who said, ‘No, it looks a bit dumpy. Can’t we pull out the bow and stern?’” explains Spirit Yachts’ managing director Nigel Stuart.

“So the boat grew, but not the freeboard – but this was just the start. As you’d expect in the accommodation, the Sipo mahogany walls were drawn to sit vertically but they ended up raked, sweeping around the accommodation with a crease. There are no door handles and American walnut was used around corners in ways you simply wouldn’t expect and many believed couldn’t be done. The saloon table has 64 individually made legs, while the seating that wraps around it took a dedicated team 2,000 working hours to build. ‘Organic’ was a word that was used endlessly throughout the project.”

Designed by Rhoades Young and Spirit Yachts, her interior is extraordinary. “The client had recently visited Antelope Canyon in Arizona and this was the catalyst for the idea of the warm, soft flowing walls creating unique focal points within the room,” says Rhoades Young partner Jonathan Rhoades. Based on a set of linked circles which sweep around in an S-shape, the bulk of the accommodation is set amidships. The saloon, galley and navigation area is one open, circular area, lit from overhead by Spirit’s trademark fan windows in the deck.

From cooker to chart plotter, every item of equipment can be hidden behind slick fitted panels where the grain provides seamless continuity. Combined with vellum panels and an ingenious lighting system that not only switches on and off automatically but also balances itself against the ambient light, the overall appearance is striking.

Devoid of any decoration or soft furnishings, it looks a little stark at first, but this is an interior to savour. Like walking into a gallery at the Tate Modern, when you stop and look you start to get drawn into the light, the lines and the subtle range of colours that sweep through her interior. It’s an intoxicating experience.

It’s difficult to do the accommodation justice in a few words, other than to say that it has to be one of the most extraordinary yacht interiors I’ve ever seen. From the minute the electric motor propels you silently from the dock, through the effortless hoisting of the in-boom furling mainsail and the roller furling headsail, it is clear how much distance there is between the 111 and a J Class. The classic yachts of the 1930s require well in excess of 20 crew to race them – we cruise around the Solent with just five on board, and really only three are necessary to handle the boat.

On the helm she’s a very different boat to a J. She’s amazingly light, direct and beautifully balanced, steering herself upwind with ease. In 12 knots of true breeze we slice uphill at nine knots. Downwind she’s just as silky smooth and while she’s clearly a very large yacht, she’s also a proper sailing boat with all the feel you’d expect of something a third of her size.

I’m privileged to have taken the helm of both Shamrock V and Endeavour and while these were both very special moments, the fact remains that Geist has a much better feel on the wheel. And so she should.

Her fin and bulb keel along with the carbon spade rudder contrast starkly with the less- efficient rudder that was hung off the trailing edge of the keel on a J Class. At 65 tonnes fully laden she’s also less than half the weight of a J Class. While neither of these characteristics are that easy to see, they are good examples of 80 years of progress.

So, while the Spirit 111 was never envisaged as a modern-day J Class or engaging in the type of sailing that the Js became famous for, she does represent a similar approach: using modern materials and techniques to push the boundaries of design and technology, while at the same time delivering elegance that will turn heads, whatever the era.

The wood works

As a boat that glorifies wood – from her hull to her interior design – it was vital that the Spirit 111’s timber was ethically sourced to fit the yacht’s green ethos. For Douglas fir the yard went to Canada, which it knew had robust regulations. “Those forests have been commercially managed for over 100 years,” says Spirit Yachts’ managing director Nigel Stuart. “They plant two trees for one [felled] and they only harvest one per cent of the timber in Canada a year.”

Taking it a step further, the father of the yard’s timber dealer went to the forest to record “exactly where those trees were felled”. Sipo wood was sourced from Forest Stewardship Council-run forests in West Africa and the teak was also responsibly sourced – although since the project began four years ago, the yard’s view on teak in general has changed. 

“There have been certain cases highlighted [within yachting] where teak was bought with the best intentions, but was later found to have actually come from Burma – with all the implications that entails. So that’s why we said that we can’t trust the paperwork.” Instead, the yard now uses Lignia, an alternative from sustainably managed softwood plantations, treated to provide a durable timber that looks and feels just like teak.

But the careful sourcing of wood was only a fraction of the work. The timber is machined into planks before being air-dried for months (a low-energy method). At the yard it is sliced into the required thickness, mostly six millimetres for the interior, revealing the grain’s beautiful flames. “Then we store it on site to let it settle for two or three months,” says Stuart. “It has a tendency to relax when we treat it like this.”

Then the joiners get to work, using only hand tools. “I think we’ve probably got the finest joinery team in the world,” says Stuart. To give an idea of the skill required for this extraordinary interior, he points to the grain on a bathroom wall. It runs all the way from the ceiling, down the wall, undulating over the sink, and down to the floor – perpendicular all the way. This was installed in three separate sections with the grains perfectly matched. That means hundreds of pieces of wood, each referring to each other. Mess up one of the three sections and you start again from scratch.

So fine was the work, they spent eight months making eight doors with flared handholds. They even invented a new method of steam bending walnut wood, which is particularly rigid. The result, however, is one of the most impressive examples of woodwork afloat.

This feature is taken from the October 2020 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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Spirit’s Elegant New Wooden Sailing Yacht Was Made to Cruise the Mediterranean in Style

Dubbed the spirit 72 deckhouse, the sloop has a classic exterior and a modern interior., rachel cormack.

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Spirit Yachts has once again struck a perfect balance between a classic wooden sailboat and a contemporary yacht.

The British yard’s newest model, dubbed the Spirit 72DH , pairs an elegant mirror-varnished mahogany exterior with a decidedly modern interior. The 72-footer was designed for a European client looking to cruise, race and charter in the Mediterranean.

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As you might have gathered from the DH designation, the yacht is one of Spirit’s Deckhouse designs that are characterized by long overhangs, flush decks and a raised coachroof. What sets it apart, though, is everything down below.

“The 72DH is the first Spirit deckhouse without a ‘mid-level’ seating and navigation area linking the cockpit and the main interior space,” Spirit’s CEO and head of design Sean McMillan said in a statement .

The contemporary interiors.  Mike Jones / Waterline Media

Essentially, the team opened up the interior to create a larger, brighter central entertaining space. In addition, white satin panels and LEDs were installed to meet the owner’s request for a “more modern style.” Of course, there is still a healthy amount of natural timbers to please the purists.

At the center of the yacht, the spacious saloon is fitted with a comfy sofa and an eight-seat Mahogany table that can be lowered to create space for an extra bed. The well-equipped galley is located port side, while the navigation area and chart table can be found starboard.

Elsewhere, there is one crew cabin and three guest cabins with en suites. The owner’s suite is equipped with a king-sized bed, a banquette sofa, a handcrafted dressing table with an integrated jewelry cabinet and a large en suite. To top it off, the cockpit sports a large table, 10 seats and a built-in drink fridge that ensures refreshments are at arm’s reach. Of course, there’s also plenty of storage space for water toys and tenders.

Up top, the 72DH sports a Bermudan sloop rig comprised of a carbon mast and boom from Hall Spars, nitronic rod rigging and electric Lewmar winches. In addition, the sailboat packs a Yanmar engine and Mastervolt alternator that together propel her to a maximum speed of 10 knots or 8 knots while cruising. She also has a small generator that can recharge batteries or power the electric oven and A/C.

Summer in the Mediterranean has never looked better—for one European seafarer, at least.

Click here to see all the photos of the Spirit 72DH.

Mike Jones / Waterline Media

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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Rusmania • Deep into Russia

History of Smolensk

9th century.

As one of the oldest cities in Russia, Smolensk was first mentioned in the Primary Chronicle in 863 , when Askold and Dir passed it on their voyage from Novgorod to Constantinople. The city was the centre of the Krivich tribe and even then was said to be well defended with a large population. In 882 Prince Oleg Veschy conquered the city and incorporated it into Kievan Rus as it was important to control Smolensk due to its position on the river route 'from the Varangians to the Greeks' (i.e. from the Baltic to the Black Sea).

11th Century

Principality of smolensk.

The first prince of Smolensk was Stanislav Vladimirovich who was a younger son of Vladimir the Great and who died before his famous father without leaving any issue. Two more princes of Smolensk followed, Vyacheslav Yaroslavich and Igor Yaroslavich, both sons of Yaroslav the Wise. The Lubech Conference of 1097 secured Smolensk for Vladimir Monomakh who had his sons rule the city on his behalf.

12th Century

Our lady of smolensk icon.

Smolensk Dynasty

In 1127 Rostislav Mstislavich (son of Mstislav the Great and grandson of Vladimir Monomakh) became the originator of the Smolensk dynasty of Ryurikids, also known as the Rostislavichy. Rostislav Mstislavich served as grand prince of Kiev three times during a period of frequent internecine wars for the Kievan throne. Whilst he was in Kiev he left his son Roman to rule in Smolensk. After Rostislav's death the Smolensk throne passed among his sons and grandsons and these men also often became grand princes of Kiev themselves and again left Smolensk for their sons whilst they were in Kiev. Rostislav Mstislavich and his sons Roman and Davyd Rostislavy have left their mark on the city in the form of three churches that have survived to this day: Sts Peters and Paul's Church, St John the Theologian's Church and Archangel Mikhail's Church respectively.

13th Century

Mongol invasion of rus.

During the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Rus in 1237 - 1240 , Smolensk was spared although it nevertheless submitted to the Mongols and started paying tribune. Legend credits the city's salvation to the Our Lady of Smolensk Icon and to the monk Merkuri who prayed before it. The Virgin Mary appeared to him and ordered him to ride out and meet the invaders. During the battle Merkuri was beheaded but the Mongols decided to not march on to Smolensk. Merkuri was later canonised as St Mercurius (Merkuri) of Smolensk. Nevertheless the Golden Horde must have secured its rule over Smolensk as in 1274 Khan Mengu-Timur sent his army through the Smolensk Principality to Lithuania and in 1275 a Mongol census was performed for the Smolensk Principality.

14th Century

Grand principality of smolensk.

In 1309 Prince Aleksandr Glebovich of Smolensk installed his brother Vasili Glebovich as prince of Bryansk after its branch of princes had died out. It is possible that Vasili was married to a princess of Bryansk. This can be seen as an event which led to the prince of Smolensk starting to call himself the grand prince of Smolensk. After Aleksandr's death in 1313 , he was succeeded by his son Ivan Aleksandrovich. In 1334 Ivan's brother Dmitri Aleksandrovich of Bryansk led a Tatar army to besiege Smolensk, but the brothers managed to make peace and Ivan kept his throne until his death in 1359 . Ivan was succeeded by his son Svyatoslav Ivanovich, who at first was an ally of Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania and took part in his campaigns against Moscow. Following Lithuania's lead, Svyatoslav signed a peace treaty with Moscow in 1372 . Such were the new relations with Moscow, that Smolensk troops fought alongside Dmitri Ivanovich (Dmitri Donskoy) in his campaigns against Tver in 1375 (in revenge for which Algirdas raided Smolensk lands) and against the Golden Horde at the Battle of Kulikovo Field in 1380 .

Fall to Lithuania

In 1386 Smolensk troops began besieging the Lithuanian-controlled city of Mstislavl, but they were defeated at the Battle of River Vekhra and Grand Prince Svyatoslav Ivanovich of Smolensk was killed and his eldest son Gleb captured. Another son, Yuri Svyatoslavich, succeeded him in Smolensk, having sworn allegiance to Grand Duke Jogailo of Lithuania. In 1391 Gleb Ivanovich was eventually released from his Lithuanian captivity and in 1392 the people of Smolensk deposed Yuri and invited Gleb to rule them. In 1395 under the pretext of going to war against Tamerlane, Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania brought his army into Smolensk lands. Vytautas welcomed Gleb to his camp and offered to be a mediator between Gleb and his brother Yuri. Afterwards both brothers came to Vytautas with their men and Vytautas had them all arrested and was able to take Smolensk. Vytautas installed Prince Roman Mikhailovich of Bryansk in Smolensk as his viceroy. After the Lithuanians were defeated by the Golden Horde at the Battle of River Vorskla in 1399 (during which Gleb himself participated and fell), Lithuania was sufficiently weakened that Yuri was able to regain Smolensk in 1401 with the help of his father-in-law Prince Oleg Ivanovich of Ryazan. Roman Mikhailovich was killed in the battle.

15th Century

Incorporation into lithuania.

In 1404 with the help of the Polish, Vytautas began besieging Smolensk, hoping to regain the city. However, during a break in the siege, Yuri Svyatoslavich left Smolensk to request help from Grand Prince Vasili I of Moscow, bringing with him as a gift the Our Lady of Smolensk Icon and even promising to leave him Smolensk in his will. In Yuri Svyatoslavich’s absence, the Smolensk boyars decided to open the city gates and welcome Vytautas. Smolensk would remain part of Lithuanian and then Poland-Lithuania for over a century. In 1456 citizens of Smolensk requested the return of the Our Lady of Smolensk Icon from Moscow. Grand Prince Vasili II of Moscow allowed it to be returned seeing it as beneficial for a future union between Moscow and Smolensk.

16th Century

Recapture of smolensk.

In 1514 Grand Prince Vasili III of Moscow marched to Smolensk and laid siege on the city, eventually recapturing it and absorbing it into his territory. To commemorate his victory Vasily III founded Novodevichy Convent in Moscow in 1524 . However the city remained an issue of contention between Russia and Poland-Lithuania. So much in fact that Boris Godunov ordered the building of the Smolensk Kremlin in stone to replace the wooden fortress built under Ivan the Terrible. The Kremlin was constructed between 1595 and 1602 and was so important that workers were brought in from other Russian cities, halting all other construction projects. Work continued through heavy rain, punishing heat, freezing temperatures and even during a famine which struck Russia at that time. Many workers were crippled or even died during the rush to complete the fortification.

17th Century

Siege of smolensk of 1609-1611.

Smolensk did not have to wait long to test its new Kremlin. In 1609 during Russia's Time of Troubles, Sigismund III Vasa of Poland-Lithuania started to  besiege the city. The Siege of Smolensk lasted until 1611 . Mikhail Shein was tasked with the city's defence. During that time Smolensk managed to withstand Polish-Lithuanian bombardment and to repel four attacks. On one occasion Polish-Lithuanian troops managed to breach the Kremlin but were subsequently slaughtered by the Russians. The city even managed to withstand starvation and epidemics and it was only treachery that caused the city to fall, when a Russian traitor informed the Polish-Lithuanians of a weak spot in the Kremlin. Once this part of the Kremlin had been breached, the fifth attack was successful and Russia had once again lost Smolensk.

Smolensk War

Siege of Smolensk of 1654

Russia only managed to recapture Smolensk 20 years later in 1654 during the Russian-Polish War of 1654 – 1667 . Tsar Alexis ordered the siege of the city in June and the Polish garrison inside the city capitulated in August. Russia had finally managed to wrestle control of Smolensk from Poland-Lithuania, this time permanently. In the Truce of Andrusovo, signed in 1667 , Poland-Lithuania gave up all claims to the city and recognised Alexis as tsar.

18th Century

In 1708 Smolensk became the centre of the Smolensk Governorate marking its important status among Russian cities. In 1780 a new coat of arms was adopted for the city depicting a bird of paradise sitting on a cannon against a grey background.

19th Century

Battle of smolensk 1812.

20th Century

Pre-war period.

Katyn Massacre

In 1939 the Soviet Union followed Hitler's leave and invaded Poland. As a result over 25,000 Poles were captured as prisoners of war. It is estimate that as many as 22,000 never returned home. In April and May 1940 , on the orders of Stalin, 4,241 Polish military officers were executed by the NKVD in the forest near Katyn, just outside Smolensk. This was just one of the execution sites of Polish nationals. The mass grave at Katyn, containing in total an estimated 11,000 bodies, was discovered by the Nazis in 1943 and was subsequently used as a propaganda tool. The Soviets denied they were responsible and blamed the execution on the Nazis, a claim which was not openly disputed by the USSR's American and British allies out of fear of harming the unstable alliance. Only in 1990 did the USSR finally admit responsibility.

Second World War

21st Century

Katyn air disaster.

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SPIRIT SY111

REALISING THE DREAM

“Build a work of art”. The brief from the owner of the Spirit 111 Geist had beauty and soul at its heart.

A completely custom project, the design of the yacht began with a collaboration between Spirit Yachts and Rhoades Young. Jonathan Rhoades commented, “The brief was a combination of his love for furniture and organic architecture. The client had recently visited Antelope Canyon in Arizona and this was the catalyst for the idea of the warm soft flowing walls creating unique focal points within the room.”

Spirit Designer Sean McMillan added, “There was to be no straight lines or objects that interrupted the ‘flow’ of the sweeping timber curves. Once the aesthetics were established, the primary design challenge was marrying the beauty of the interior with the operation of the yacht. After Rhoades Young had delivered the initial ‘S’ shaped concept for the interior, it was our task to bring the design to life and ensure it could be accomplished by the build team. The visual side of the brief made the importance of ‘hidden’ technical spaces even more acute given the amount of systems and engineering on such an advanced yacht. The curves of the interior not only had to look seamless, they also had to house the functional elements of the yacht and be accessible. Hidden recesses and sensors became integral for disguising storage and technical spaces (even door handles were replaced with secret hand-activated sensors to ensure the doors remained seamless panels). As well as looking like a “work of art”, the interior of the yacht also had to comply to RINA’s exacting classification requirements. This marriage of practicality, safety and beauty to deliver on the owner’s brief made the project a thrilling challenge.”

Geist’s owner added, “I have owned a Spirit 52 for ten years and during this time I have grown to implicitly trust and respect the team at Spirit Yachts. I knew they would listen to my ideas and I was confident they had the skills to execute the project. The result is Geist: a very special yacht, a dream come true. The aesthetics of the yacht, inside and out, were always of paramount importance. Closely followed by the aim of being as self-sufficient as possible and minimising the impact on the environment. In most larger yachts, space is gained at the cost of detaching yourself from nature. In Geist, I wanted beauty to take precedence over practicality.”

SPIRIT SY111 AT A GLANCE

Specification & features.

• L.O.A 111' 3" / 33.90m
• L.W.L 78' 9" / 24m
• Beam 21' 0" / 6.40m
• Draft 13' 3" / 4.05m
• Lightship Displacement 75.8 tonnes
• Ballast Ratio 45%
• Propulsion 100kW electric shaft drive
• Upwind Sail Area 450 m2
• Rig Fractional Bermudan Sloop
• Keel Iron Blade 8390kg – Lead Bulb 16585kg
• Classification Society RINA (private use – unrestricted navigation)
• RINA Suggested Max Persons 10

TIMELESS ELEGANCE

Spirit Yachts’ contemporary, elegant design style is world renowned. Subtle variations on 1930s classic yacht design with long overhangs, low profiles and smooth lines, married to contemporary underwater profiles, are synonymous with Spirit’s modern classic performance yachts.

Spirit Yachts are designed to be as beautiful in 100 years as they are today.

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