Review: The Spirit DHs Yachting World Spirit 50DH & 57DH

High Spirits

The addition of a deckhouse to the beautiful hand-crafted Spirit range is a smart move, adding welcome volume to these ‘classic’ designs. Toby Hodges tests two of the new DH range, which bridge modern and traditional

What defines a classic? “There are more and more ‘new’ classics coming out,” designer and MD of Spirit Yachts Sean McMillan concedes. “But what makes Elena a classic, yet Shamrock a Spirit of Tradition? Thankfully, attitudes are changing and Spirits are being accepted for the beautiful creations they are.”

McMillan can take much of the credit for altering preconceptions on that score by bridging the divide between modern and traditional with his custom-designed Spirit yachts. His new Deckhouse range offers more of the space now demanded by clients, but still retains the sweet overhangs.

The Deckhouse (DH) models remain light-displacement, high performance yachts thanks to traditional handmade wooden hulls fused with modern appendages. But the deckhouses offer extra protection and shelter, as well as two sea-going berths, and the extra freeboard allows full standing headroom below.

Reaction has been enthusiastic and orders for the different sizes have already been taken: the 50 and 57 we are testing and 60 and 65 still in build. The 60 is the first Spirit to have varnished topsides. Meanwhile, the owner of the 65 plans to sail solo round the world via Antarctica, so the yacht has been reinforced around the waterline with Kevlar. An 80 and 100 DH have also been drawn.

There were three dark blue hulls at the dock, which made a striking first impression. A Classic 52 was moored alongside the 50 and 57DH and made the DH models look higher and more voluminous on the water than I had expected. The freeboard incorporates a pronounced camber to the flush main deck and prominent tumblehome, which together with a fuller hull, buys interior space with little impact to the classic line.

The deckhouse themselves are beautifully designed and have flowing concave curves, producing a result that Spirit liken to a pagoda.

A date wit the smaller sister

A breeze materialised as we hoisted the main and 110 per cent jib aboard the 50DH, and we skipped downriver at around seven knots. Her shape seems narrow and high, with a distinct tumblehome and pinched wingless transom capping the counter. Beside us, the Classic 52 hoisted a kite, while the 57DH unfurled a gennaker, but we matched them with white sails only. The helm fell ultra-light as we fetched with the ebb at around seven knots in a fluky breeze. Get a puff and these boats heel onto a gunwale, stretch out their waterline and take-off.

But the cockpit was already cramped with just three crew and I found the position behind the wheel a little restrictive – the helmsman has to stand or sit directly behind the wheel as there’s no space either side, and the coaming isn’t comfy enough to sit on.

That said, operating winches form here is a cinch. The helmsman is high relative to the low-profile deckhouse, which gives the yacht a daysailer feel, albeit with a secure, compact cockpit. The mainsheet can lead back to one winch as we had it, or be a German system to winches either side of the helm. The test boats also used powered aft winches; a good option for jib sheets when short-handed.

On most other yachts of this size, the outing would have involved a pedestrian river trip under engine, but even when the wind dropped to around five knots, these lightweight Spirits matched those speeds and with only a Force 3, were doing six knots close-hauled and up to seven pushing the ebb. The light displacement T-keel and Southern Spars carbon rig aboard these boats really play a part on the water in light wind sailing.

A spin with the 57 DH

As I transferred to the 4-tonne heavier 57DH, the breeze rose to a perfect Force 4. I began sailing the larger boat too low at first, but we made good speeds – eight knots at 50° true in 12-15knots. Coming up 5° reduces this half knot, and when I started pointing properly (low to mid-30s), speeds rested in the high sixes.

There were two reasons I wandered. First, it was unnerving to watch depths disappear to under 3m as we approached the river bank – trying to avoid the other Spirits, passing shipping and the bottom held my concentration. But also I found the helm very light, with little feedback to communicate when you were in a groove. In fact, I managed to broach at one point, albeit sedately. A smidgen of weather helm does make itself known once you become better acquainted with her.

The cockpit has space to sit around a table and is more comfortable for helming than the 50 (though I’d still prefer more standing room either side of the wheel, which would also help access). A Meridian control panel on each side of the binnacle manages the vang, outhaul and backstay.

We tried unveiling the Code o – only briefly as the angle was too deep – followed by the asymmetric, with which we clocked an elegant 8.5 knots at 140° true in 16knots. But while they are lightweight boats, reactive and very slippery. Carrying the kite all the way back upriver provided a taste of the heady pleasure that these boats can provide.

Natural beauty

Proper headroom below is key to understanding these Deckhouse models, and the amount of light pouring in helps you appreciate just how skilfully these outstanding interiors are put together.

The deckhouse offers an elegant area, with buttoned seating and a very comfortable chart table that has views all round. And because these seats are trottered on both models, they double as practical passage berths.

I’ve been aboard a few Spirits now and the quality throughout remains something to behold, form the book matched joinery to intricate felt-lined cabinets, from the bare teak soles and white tongue-in-groove deckheads to the Douglas fir planking forward. I would happily spend longer studying the exposed satin-finished mahogany frames than I would any work of modern art. In fact, the long butterfly hatches (made in-house, naturally) are art forms in their own right, as practical as they are enchanting because they extend headroom (vital on the 50DH) while flooding the saloon and galley with light.

Bare teak work surfaces abound in the galley. And the joiner work throughout is so tactile: after a few minutes of nonchalantly stroking it you suddenly realise you might look a bit weird. And that’s without mentioning the urge to keep opening the cupboards to get that lovely sweet aroma of Cedar of Lebanon form the timber.

I also love the way Spirit effortlessly blend modern and traditional – intricate cabit-making hides a flat screen TV or iPod dock, while buttoned leather cushions sit next to a carbon mast base.

The difference

The layout is similar in the 57DH but with more space everywhere. The big difference comes down to headroom. Aboard the 50DH, I was only not watching my head (I’m 5ft10in) when I was standing on the centreline, but on the 57DH, a good 6ft 3in is provided throughout the accommodation.

A double guest cabin to port with an en-suite is a plus. It links to a shower room also used by a Pullman cabin opposite. This is lovely and light with an integrated tall cupboard for hanging towels.

The 57DH had painted white bulkheads as well as deckheads, while the owner’s en-suite cabin forward has a large hatch illuminating the beautiful structure, drawers and intricate dressing table.

Once again the deckhouse berths would be a cracking place to bunk down in inclement weather because they allow you full visibility and a position within spitting distance of sail controls, and there’s a large wet-hanging locker opposite the navstation.

For such a sleek structure, the amount of light these wheelhouses let in and view they offer are very impressive.

Built by hand

After 19 years and 50 boats, Spirit are one of the most experienced volume wooden boat builders in the world. Every boat is hand built, with all design done in-house. A giant printer spits out 1m wide design patterns, which are laid onto the lofting tables, so that frames (typically 6mm laminated veneers) can be built precisely around the drawings.

Starting with a strong back, the ring frames are shaped, before bevels are cut in (typically Brazilian cedar). Douglas fir planking is then run in using a giant tongue-in-groove type process. The first layers of diagonal veneers (Khaya mahogany – very porous to absorb glue) are laid, before the second layer is put at an opposite angle (hence double diagonal).

Sean McMillan swears by this technique: “Traditionally, you had strip planking as one technology and cold-moulding as the other. I was among the first to blend them 30 years ago in a mainstream commercial set-up.”

He adds: “This lay-up is fantastically strong and lighter even than carbon fibre, with a higher tensile strength than steel. Gaia (a Spirit 100) came out at 48 tonnes – where a similar size Wally would weigh around 70.” [Dar Shadow 64 tonnes – Ed]

CONCLUSION

A range that has a fuller look and accommodation more in line with current expectations is a smart move by Spirit. With potential competition in the new Fairlie 55 challenging their conventional flush-deck range, a protected deckhouse alternative with standing room makes sense.

To sail both boats was a treat, but ideally I’d like a bit more glass on the high aspect rudder blade. I know they’re rigged for light airs, but the increased freeboard of the deckhouse range invites offshore sailing and slightly more feedback would aid confidence – it isn’t often I’ve had to resort to reading the numbers to maintain the right angle.

Spirit are stepping into the territory of André Hoek’s Truly Classics, which still get my nod for looks, bit I challenge anyone not to fall for the Spirit’s craftsmanship. The smell, feel and look of the finish is faultless, and you’d simply never tire of looking at the frames, planking and intricate joinery. It’s nice to be able to see where the money’s gone too.

For the handmade quality on offer, the 50 and 57DH are priced competitively, yet offer so much more character than a glass fibre boat. Overhangs mean less volume, so long-term crews, might find stowage a bit scarce throughout. And maintenance is obviously an important factor. But thanks to their method of construction, Spirit yachts are not only distinctly lighter than comparable boats, they may also put to rest any negative preconceptions about the durability of wood.

Toby Hodges Yachting World

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