Hull turned on Spirit 111 flagship sailing yacht project

A milestone has been reached in the construction of the 33.9-metre (111-foot) Spirit 111 sailing yacht project after the hull was turned at Spirit Yachts’ Suffolk headquarters.

Spirit 111 is due for completion in mid-2019 and will be one of the largest single-masted wooden sailing yachts to be built since the J Class era. As the new images released by the British yard show, the hull is now structurally complete and the yard can progress to the interior fit-out stage.

Featuring exterior lines by Spirit Yachts’ head designer Sean McMillan and interior styling by Rhoades Young, the sailing yacht is being built to RINA standards from a wood epoxy composite supported by a stainless steel space frame.

McMillan, who is also Spirit’s CEO, said, “As we head into our landmark 25^th year in business, the rollover of our largest yacht to date was a moment in history for Spirit Yachts, and a spectacular sight at our yard on the edge of the River Orwell.”

Working with an interior design studio for the first time, Spirit 111 will boast a curvaceous interior, with floating beds inside ‘cocoons’ made from steamed tapered timbers. Accommodation will be for up to eight people.

There has been a focus on environmental factors during the project’s development, with the 30-year-old client stating they are keen to spend long periods of time on board without burning too much fuel.

As a result, the sailing yacht will be fitted with a 160kw Torqeedo electric propulsion system supported by four BMW i3 lithium battery banks that can be recharged while cruising under sail power, or topped up by a pair of 25kw back-up generators.

Her estimated top speed under power is 11 knots, but the owner is more interested in sailing performance; a custom carbon rig, Lewmar hydraulic system and an extensive OneSails 4T40 sail wardrobe have been specified.

Spirit Yachts added that the beam will be 6.4 metres, with a maximum draught of 4.05 metres and a fully laden displacement of 65 tonnes, while Jens Cornelsen of Cornelsen & Partner is providing project management services.

When complete, Spirit 111 will be the largest sailing superyacht built by the Ipswich-based yard to date; its previous flagship was the 30.66m (101ft) Gaia, which launched in 2007.

For more information, visit Spirit Yachts.