In its 27 years in business, Spirit Yachts has delivered numerous yachts, both power and sail, for clients who each had specific ideas for how to enjoy the water. The owner of Geist, however, presented an entirely new challenge.
Certainly, the custom nature of the project was not a concern. In fact, many previous Spirit deliveries were entirely custom-designed and -built, including a Spirit 54 for the 2005 movie Casino Royale. One of the tests that Geist presented was her length. At 111 feet (33.9 meters), the sailing superyacht was far larger than any other delivery thus far. Geist makes history for Spirit Yachts by being not only its biggest boat, but also the largest single-masted wooden yacht from a British builder.
Yet another new challenge was the owner’s desire to dramatically reduce his carbon footprint. Rather than rely on traditional diesels for maneuvering in and out of harbors, for example, the yacht uses electric propulsion. It draws on four lithium battery banks. Those same battery banks, interestingly, will let Geist leisurely cruise along coasts on short trips. Additionally, when the yacht is under sail, the prop shaft for the electric drive system still turns, recharging the batteries. “When the yacht crosses the Atlantic, as long as there is adequate wind, she will not need to consume any fossil fuels,” explains Nigel Stuart, Spirit Yachts’ managing director.
Equally impressive, the owner plans to operate the yacht primarily by himself and a smaller-than-usual number of crew.
Geist will see delivery before the end of the summer. She will then head off on personal voyages as well as race in some regattas.
Spirit Yachts spirityachts.com
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