Review: The Spirit 70 Boat International GHOST | Spirit 70

David Pelly was bewitched by Ghost

This ambitious design from Spirit Yachts combines traditional looks with modern sailing ability, and a luxurious interior. David Pelly was bewitched after spending a day on board.

The popularity of classic yacht racing recognizes that for many people, beauty and grace of line is what they most admire in a sailing yacht and since very few modern designs are pretty, such people are obliged to look towards yachts of the classic era in which beauty and performance were combined. But since there is only a limited supply of ‘genuine’ classic yachts, there is an increasing amount of interest in Spirit of Tradition yachts which may be newly-built versions of classic designs or new designs which pay homage to the qualities of classic ones while using modern materials and systems. This exactly describes the approach of Spirit Yachts whose latest launching, the Spirit 70 Ghost is by far their most spectacular so far.

Encountering Ghost for the first time in a marina full of typical modern production yachts is like coming across a thoroughbred racehorse in a pigsty. The production yachts are, almost without exception, short, fat and ugly and look as if most of their lines had been drawn with a rule. Ghost on the other hand is long, low and curvaceous with not a single straight line to be seen anywhere in her hull. Her teak-laid decks are clear and clean with a low, streamlined coachroof and a shallow cockpit enclosed by a curved coaming but most striking of all are the long, uninhibited overhangs of the bow and stern; on an overall length of 21.9m, a full 6.5m is accounted for by the overhangs. With her tapering white carbon fibre mast soaring into the sky and varnished mahogany brightwork gleaming in the sun, she is a gorgeous-looking yacht.

Her hull is all wooden but nothing like traditional planked construction. Instead, a multi-layer epoxy lamination system has been used to create a monocoque wooden shell of tremendous strength. Spirit Yachts have been using this system for a number of years with their smaller yachts but the construction of Ghost takes this a stage further. The shell is built up from Brazilian cedar ‘speed strips’ 28mmm thick and 65mm wide, epoxy bonded and bronze fastened to the ring frames. Over the cedar, two 5mm veneers of Khaya were laid at 45 degrees to the planking and epoxy veneered. In addition, the hull is sheathed with two layers of 600gsm bi-radical glass cloth and a 200gsm scim above the waterline which is also epoxy bonded. This was faired with Awlgrip epoxy fillers and spray-coated with a two pack Awlgrip paint system in Ghost Grey. This finish should ensure that the hull is every bit as tough and maintenance-free as a GRP hull.

The shell is stiffened by 12 laminated mahagonay ring frames including a massive chain-plate frame which is 130mm moulded and 150mm sided. The stem, stern post, keel, hog and beam shelf are all made from solid or laminated straight –grained Brazilian mahogany. The hull is further stiffened by the internal joinery, all of which is bonded to the hull to form a continuous structure. The deck is made from tow layers of 9mm Bruynzeel marine ply with a further 9mm of teak on top, swept to the line of the bulwark in traditional style. In addition to being tremendously strong, this laminated wooden structure should be totally waterproof and, thanks to the epoxy saturation, should not take up weight after a prolonged period afloat.

Although she may look like a ghostly image of a 1020s Fife or Nicholson design, Ghost is a completely modern sailing machine: narrowchord fin keel terminates in a flattened lead bulb of 11,500kg weight, resulting in a ballast ratio of 45 percent while the rudder is a semi-balanced spade. Above deck, weight is saved by using a carbon fibre mast and boom. The mast is supported by three sets of swept-back speaders which mack running backstays unnecessary and is stayed with discontinuous nitronic rod rigging. The Spectra mainsail is fully battened and drops onto the flat-topped carbon fibre boom between lazyjacks to stow. The working jib is a Solent type with only a small overlap (110 percent) so the electrically-powered Andersen primary winches are hardly needed to sheet it, but an additional pair of Andersen 62ST winches are definitely needed to handle the impressive large spinnaker. A powered roller with under-deck drum furles the jib.

One of the features that make her look so good is that there are no guard rails or pulpit but the builders recognized that these are required by many types of racing and for safety and passage, so she carries a special set of stachions which screw into fittings embedded in the deck. Walking around her wide, unobstructed decks does not feel in the least alarming though it would be obviously be another story in rough weather.

There are effectively two cockpits: a ‘handling’ cockpit aft with the wheel and sail controls and a smaller guest cockpit set into the coachroof with a second companionway down to the saloon. Here, guests can sit securely without being threatened by lines under tension. Achieving a smooth uncluttered deck in a hull of such low freeboard has not been easy. The rib tender, for instance, just fits into a shallow lazeratte below a flush hatch in the aft deck. The designers were determined to avoid having an ugly anchor hanging over the bow and have designed a stainless steel ‘cathead’ system that combines a cradle for the anchor with a chain roller. This lifts up from another flush hatch right forward and then swings round to engage on lugs projecting from the stainless steel bow fitting.

Most classic yachts are fairly ponderous to handle and take a long time to work up speed thanks to their low power: weight ratio. Ghost is quit different because as soon as sail is hoisted and almost before the sheets are trimmed she starts to rush along, even in quite a gentle breeze. The theory behind long ends is that when the yacht heels, the ends are immersed and increase the waterline length and it is fascinating to watch how effective this is on a modern lightweight hull. With about 15 degrees of heel, the quarter wave extends to the end of the counter and the speed picks up to 13 knots or so in a vary smooth, satisfying way. Of course there are draw backs: that long bow may thump through waves when sailing to windward and the counter will almost certainly slap the water noisily when at anchor. Worst of all, the harbourmaster will rub his hands with glee at that overall length that has to be paid for.

Nevertheless, I think that competitors in Spirit of Tradition regattas are in for a long big surprise when Ghost appears on the racecourse. Thanks to the short keel and spade rudder, she tacks like a dingy with very little loss of speed and should be able to wriggle through the fleet with ease. And down wind, with the spinnaker set, she is going to dash along in a very spirited manner. Handicappers, sharpen your pencils!

If Ghost is beautiful on deck, she is spectacular below, with an all mahogany luxury interior that positively glows. The hull is not lined, so in areas where there is no furniture, one can see and touch the inside of the planking. The laminated ring frames make particularly impressive wood sculptures, in addition to holding the hull together. The lockers and cabinets are fronted with raised-and-fielded panels of book-matched mahogany with flame graining and some outlining in black walnut. The overhead panels are finished with a tongue-and-groove pattern and painted eggshell white. All the settees and bunk cushions are covered in a blue-grey fabric while the backrests are buttoned.

From aft, the accommodation consists of a large en suite owner’s cabin with a double berth on the starboard side and settee to port. There is a desk to starboard with a green baize lined interior while to port is the bathroom with washbasin, shower and electrical toilet. Hot water comes from a tank heated by a main engine calorifier or by an electrical immersion heater when plugged into shore power. Both black and grey water runs into holding tanks so that showers and toilets can be used when the yacht is in harbour.

A corridor runs forward towards the saloon, passing a cabin with two single births. The bathroom for this is separate so it can also be used as a day head. The fully-equipped galley on the starboard side is a separate compartment, rather than forming a corridor as is often the case. In addition to the four-burner Force 10 cooker, there are refrigerator and chest freezer, with independent compressors.

The saloon has a dining area to starboard and comfortable seating to port. The saloon table, in Brazilian mahogany outlined with black walnut is particularly special because it unfolds in a clever way so that it exactly fits the space within the U-shaped settee, providing space for up to eight people to dine on comfort. Forward of the saloon there is another guest cabin with a double bunk and shower room so that six guests can be accommodated in comfort and without needing to use the saloon for sleeping. Rightfoward there is a fo’c’s’le with one or two single berths as it is assumed that owner s of this yacht would employ at least one crew member.

Because they wanted above all to build a fabulous sailing yacht, Spirit Yachts have deliberately kept the equipment level within the bounds and there is no air-conditioning fitted at present. On the other hand the mechanical specification consists of an 8kW separate generator fitted in addition to the 185 amp/hour alternator driven by the 100hp Yanmar engine. A 24volt DC system is wired throughout the yacht with a parallel 240V Ac supply from shore power or through an inverter. A full outfit of navigational electronics is fitted, including a Raytheon combined radar and chart-plotter while a flat-screen television and DVD is available in the saloon with a separate sound system on deck.

The Spirit 70 is a very ambitious design that seeks to combine traditional looks with modern sailing ability and comfort – and all made from beautiful mahogany. The company has built her speculatively because they do not believe many owners would commission something quite so purist in concept. On the other hand, once you see the completed Ghosts and experience the thrill of sailing her, it is very difficult indeed not to be completely bewitched. I cannot believe she will remain without an owner for long.

Back to Articles