The brand name alone inspires respect: Spirit Yachts in Ipswich, England, builds the finest retro classics, exclusively by hand and entirely from wood. And has been doing so for more than 25 years. The shipyard's exclusive portfolio includes a range of beautiful custom-built boats from 37 to over 100 feet in length.
In the spring of 2016, the manufacturer led by shipyard boss and founder Sean McMillen expanded the programme with a series of more touring-oriented boats, which Spirit also intends to offer in series as part of a semi-custom production. The first of these is the Spirit 47CR, which has now been presented to the public for the first time at the trade fair in Southampton. The 47CR has also already been nominated by the expert jury for the 2017 European Yacht of the Year award. The new ship from Spirit Yachts was only completed shortly before the Southampton show. The shipyard has sent YACHT online exclusive photos of the first trial run. Here are the pictures in the gallery:
With the new boat, Sean McMillen (he designs all his yachts himself) remains true to the shipyard line. This means a slim, classic plan with long overhangs and a negative yacht stern, plus a sporty, split underwater plan with a slim and deep L-keel and a free-standing rudder. The boat is also fitted with a carbon fibre rig (mast and boom) and rod shrouds, as is standard for Spirit.
The elegantly finished interior has a classic layout with two or three cabins and two heads. Naturally, the interior is also made entirely of wood; Spirit Yachts does not use plastic in any form. So much noble exclusivity naturally comes at a price. The shipyard's initial announcement: around 690,000 euros (excl. VAT).
Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology
