The View from the Helm

Paul and Chuck aboard Redwing

Paul Tingey (left) was happy to show off his recently finished Redwing in Auckland this February. The quality was beautiful, the ergonomics just as expected, the shape as close to perfect as anyone short of a reincarnated Nat Herreshoff could devise. And (whew) the two keelbolts that hold the keel on didn’t leak a drop. I think everyone who owns a motoryacht should have one of these on his boat deck. And everyone who doesn’t own a motoryacht though these will use a fixed, not removable, keel.

Our newest launch is the aluminum Kanter 48 VELA for a Colorado customer.  She is highly customized to suit her owners who plan world cruising.  She is beautifully balanced so as to be steerable using a simple Hydrovane self steerer.

And here she is where she fits, just, with her keel removed and safely in its deck box, on the boat deck of ADAGIO.

She’s built to the highest yacht standards, which you can see from the photo.

Here’s our REDWING DINGHY, a scaled down Herreshoff 12 1/2 with a removable keel so she fits on the deck of her mothership.

What more can you say?  It’s why folks build beautiful custom yachts.

Here’s ADAGIO with her builders on board, during her sea trials in New Zealand, resting in a quiet cove.

I just realized I promised you a photo of the Lyman-Morse 54 New Morning’s interior, which then slipped my mind.  Here it is.  Its a stunning example of a minimalist style, with the blond wood beautifully set off by the varnished teak cabin soles and soft tan leather.  The unique interior design is the result of a collaboration between owner Fay Mark and interior designer Jane Plachter of Florida.  For this sort of interior to succeed the joinerwork must be absolutely perfect.  Less perfect in this photo is the artwork… the owners have not selected theirs yet so I took the liberty of photoshopping in one of my own humble efforts. Still, with that imperfection, it’s a beautiful space to be in.

Here’s New Morning sailing down the St. George River on May 23rd.  There were dramatic clouds and the occasional rain shower and I had my tired old Aquasport up on a plane to keep up with her.

The Lyman- Morse 54 New Morning was ready for sea trials exactly as scheduled on May 16th.  The wind chose this day to give her a good test, with a cold souwester blowing 25 knots.  But that’s what sea trials are for- trying to break whatever will break while still within reach of the boatyard.  She’s a good strong ship, though, and the worst damage we could do was to explode a sheave in a deck organizer.  Much of the time was spent at a speed of  nine knots, proving the mettle of the hull shape, though we never once that first day had the “right” sail combination up for the wind strength.  Altogether an exciting and successful day.  The boat is stiff, fast, beautiful, and can handle 11 bodies in and around her “inside” and “outside” cockpits with room to spare.