As much as shipyards enjoy repeat business, they often reap rewards with new clients. Such is the case with Vitters Shipyard and the owner of Sarissa. The 42.6-meter (138-foot) sloop represents some significant achievements for Vitters and the yacht-building industry by extension.
First, Sarissa is the largest carbon fiber sloop the yard has ever built. She’s also the largest such constructed in the country, and among the largest in the world. (Side note: Though her hull was manufactured in England, at Green Marine, the firm became a Vitters subsidiary during construction.) To put her size into further perspective, her mast rises 51 meters (167 feet), and her beam is 8.6 meters (28 feet).
Tripp Design was charged with naval architecture. The design brief called for strict weight control, for better racing performance. Nomex coring largely addresses this, as does composite rigging.
The size and composition of Sarissa aren’t the only things making her different. Her styling and interior layout are also quite unusual. The owner requested spaces to emphasize family time with two young children. To keep them safe tripping on deck, less gear than usual could be featured. Tripp Design therefore created an arch over the cockpit to hold the main sheet. (Take a close look at the illustration above, and you’ll spy it.) Another safety element of sorts for the kids: the aft cockpit. It can transform into a pool if the family’s far-flung adventures, from the Med to the South Pacific, include shark-infested waters. When simply used as a cockpit, it can be a private retreat for the owner, as it’s directly accessible from the master stateroom.
Inside, Rhodes Young Design created a family-friendly layout. Curved hallways and circular foyers eliminate sharp edges. The kids’ nanny gets a cabin in proximity to theirs aft below decks, sharing a head with them. While there’s another guest stateroom back here, the office forward and near the dining area can serve double duty, too. Speaking of the dining area, it’s open to the galley, which no doubt will delight friends and relatives alike when the chef is at work.
Rhodes Young Design also combines multiple decor items for modern appeal. Black walnut paneling is accented by cherry and oak. Carbon fiber, leather, glass, and stainless steel are also used as accents.
Sarissa, whose name is that of spear used in ancient Greek warfare, will enjoy a maiden cruise in the Med later this summer.
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