James Bond yacht builder Spirit Yachts has received an order for its Spirit 111, a 34m sailing yacht. Built for an overseas client, the sloop-rigged superyacht is set to be the largest build from Spirit Yachts to date and sees the yard’s first partnership Rhoades Young. The Lymington-based yacht design agency is in charge of the interiors.

Spirit 111 has been designed by Sean McMillan, Spirit Yachts CEO and head designer. The owner has appointed superyacht project manager Jens Cornelsen, of Cornelsen & Partner, to liaise with Spirit Yachts throughout the project.

Sean McMillan comments: “We are delighted to be working with Rhoades Young on Spirit Yachts’ first collaboration with an external design agency. By maximising our combined expertise, we have created an aesthetically beautiful, lightweight yacht that will be easy to handle with minimal crew. The end result will be one of the largest, single-masted modern classic wooden yachts ever built in the UK.”

Planned to launch in summer 2019, the Spirit 111 will begin construction this April at Spirit Yachts’ waterside headquarters in Suffolk, UK.

Established in 1993, Spirit Yachts has created nearly seventy wooden sail and power yachts ranging from 11m to 30m-plus (37ft-100ft-plus), most of which are pure bespoke projects. The Suffolk-based yard built the 16.7m 007 yacht featured in the James Bond film Casino Royale.

Eco-friendly superyacht

Commissioned for an experienced yachtsman, who plans to attend the superyacht regattas in the Mediterranean, the Spirit 111 will be set up for both cruising and racing with carbon spars, hydraulic winches and an extensive sail wardrobe.

Innovative features include an electric drive system, supported by four lithium battery banks, which will power the yacht for modest distances or when manoeuvring.

Under sail, the system will automatically regenerate the batteries, and with careful consumption the yacht will operate solely under battery power. For longer distance propulsion, the owner has the option of two back-up generators.

The builder says green credentials have been considered throughout the yacht’s systems; the air conditioning, galley equipment, generators and water heaters will be set up to consume the lowest amount of power possible.