Almostimmediately following the launch of the 34-meter sailing flagship Spirit 111,Spirit Yachtslaunched Spirit P70, a flagshipmotor yacht.
This is the largest motor yacht ever built by Spirit Yachts. The hull material is wood, a favorite of Spirit Yachts.
The 21.7 meter boat is built in sapele, Douglas fir and kayak wood. The wood hull construction technique follows that of the now more traditional fiberglass. Douglas fir boards are laid longitudinally and overlapping on circular frames made of sapele wood. Then, when the glue dries, the boards are laid diagonally and in several layers with three millimeters of kayi veneer panels. These layers are impregnated with epoxy resin. Kaya looks like mahogany, but this wood is more porous so it acts almost like fiberglass. Significantly, the boat turned out to weigh almost half as much as it would have if GRP had been used.
The owner of the P70, an accomplished yachtsman of Canadiandescent living in Great Britain , was purposefully considering a wooden boat to replace his current boat «Fleming» because of its unique spirit and sense of going back to the 1930s. It was also his dream to have her built under him, which is why he had so much influence on the progress of the project.
The most important wish was to have a boat with a decent range, as the owner planned and plans to sail her around the North and Baltic seas. The final result reached was 1,000 nautical miles at cruising 18 knots.
For as long as possible, the owner will not have to think about refueling, thanks to the four fuel tanks with a total capacity of 10,000 liters.
SPIRIT YACHTS Chief Designer Sean McMillan calls the P70 «a modern classic». You can't argue with him, because behind a vintage look hides the newest stuffing.
The P70's technically-savvy owner opted for a Seatorque BOSS™ shaft drive, which differs from a conventional drive in that it's contained in an oil bath to reduce swirl and turbulence. He also included the Sleipner fin stabilization system. The latter, like the air conditioning system, is powered by lithium-ion batteries. She is propelled by a pair of 800 HP MAN i6 engines, allowing her to reach a maximum of 25 knots.
«The launch of the P70 is an important milestone in the history of Spirit Yachts. While our core business continues to be sailing yachts, we have seen a growing demand and response to the owner's individual preferences for custom motoryachts," says Spirit Yachts Managing Director, Nigel Stuart at».
» The «rule of thumb also applies to the organization of interior spaces.
There is no crew accommodation onboard. And in principle, the layout is unconventional.
The saloon with panoramic windows is equipped with a bar and TV.«It is located half a level below the enclosed wheelhouse (the second control station, of open type, is on the flybridge), while the dining and galley areas are aft - another half deck below».
In total, there are three guest cabins, including a master suite, located forward away from the other accommodation areas, just below the saloon.
The boat was built in Ipswich, where she will remain for some time while the interior works are carried out.
