As one of the largest single-masted wooden yachts to be built since the 1930’s, the Spirit 111 was an impressive rollover for the team of British yard Spirit Yachts.
Removed from its ‘strongback’ and brought out of the yard the day before, Spirit Yachts specialist team orchestrated a two day operation with the utmost precision to turn the recently completed hull over. She was lifted and rotated in the air using four cranes on a wet February day, but with wind speeds relatively low.
In the exclusive interview with our team, Sean McMillan said about the Spirit 111: “This will be one of the largest wooden sloops ever built and represents a significant move forward for ecologically sound yacht building. Wooden construction is the only renewable resource method of building and, with an electric drive system and meticulous attention to energy consumption, this yacht will be one of the most environmentally sensitive builds yet seen. It also represents an important move by Spirit Yachts to embrace new drive system technology with two further orders on the books also with electric drive.”
The construction of the Spirit 111’s hull began with the build of laminated wooden ring frames along with a duplex stainless-steel central reinforcement cage. This was placed upside down onto a timber strongback before the centreline structure and beamshelves were fitted. The fore and aft planking was then bonded to the ringframes followed by quadruple-diagonal veneers, which were epoxy-bonded at 45° under vacuum before the hull was finally covered with an epoxy glass sheath.
With the launch set for 2019, the elegant Spirit 111 will feature eco credentials throughout the yacht’s systems from the air conditioning, galley equipment, generators and water heaters to an innovative electric drive system. This yacht will be set up to consume the lowest amount of power possible. The Spirit 111 will also be capable of sailing without a professional crew due to her pioneering deck arrangement.