We might not know who the next 007 is going to be just yet, but we're pretty sure we've found the next Bond boat Spirit Yachts', new Spirit P50 Sport
Spirit Yachts may not have attended the Southampton Show this year but we couldn’t let this issue pass without covering the launch of its new P50 Sport.
Unveiled at an invitation-only event at St Katherine Docks in late September, we popped along for a closer look.
As with all Spirit Yachts, the P50 is stop-and-stare beautiful but whereas most previous models have been classically pretty, retro designs, this one is a little edgier, blending traditional materials with more modern trends.
It’s a full walkaround boat, for starters, with deep bulwarks and wide side decks that make it very safe and easy to move around without resorting to stainless steel bow rails. It also uses IPS drives for simple joystick berthing and a Seakeeper stabiliser for roll-free anchoring.
But it’s the styling that differentiates the P50 not just from its own forebears but almost every other boat out there.
Mahogany veneers, teak decks and custom fittings make this look and feel like the Rolls-Royce of boats
The vertical bow is bang on trend and similar to previous Spirit motor yachts, but the way the sheerline drops in a continuous arc from the tall stem to the low cut-off stern is as new as it is elegant.
The topsides are just as pretty, gradually evolving from a subtly flared bow to a rounded tumblehome stern. Contrasting with these complex curves is an aggressively angular wheelhouse featuring triple flat screens with flush-fit glass not unlike the latest Wally Tenders.
Even the hard top pillars are unusual, sprouting Pershing-style from the bulwarks so they encompass the side decks as well as the cockpit. The result is a fusion of modern and retro design cues brought together in a beautifully proportioned package.
Helms don’t get much better looking than the Spirit P50’s
But it’s the build process and detailing that really separates the P50 from mere ‘production’ boats. The hull is assembled from the ground up using mahogany ring frames, douglas fir strip planking and double diagonal mahogany veneers before being epoxy sheathed for extra strength and easier maintenance.
Not only is this a more elegant and sustainable solution than moulded GRP, it’s also lighter, tipping the scales at around 12 tonnes – roughly 5 tonnes less than a typical composite 50-footer.
Being custom-built, the deck layout can be configured to suit but this one has a fixed bathing platform (hydraulic is an option) backing onto a big stern locker and a horseshoe-shaped dinette.
The wooden hull structure is on show in the owner’s cabin
Ahead of that is a comprehensively equipped bar/outdoor galley with bespoke stools that fold and swivel so they can tuck out of the way, followed by four multi-adjustable helm seats fully protected by that wraparound screen.
The hard top deserves a mention too for being moulded from carbon fibre and fitted with a glazed mahogany ‘fanlight’ that weighs as much as all the rest of it!
The layout below deck is a little less convincing. This first example features an unusual, and admittedly very lovely, shared day heads/shower room in the centre of the main saloon that pushes the seating and galley into opposite corners and only leaves space for a single large owner’s cabin forward. Alternative layouts to consider include two- and possibly even three-cabin designs.
The lower saloon seating wraps around the central day heads
Here, as everywhere, the detailing is off-the-charts and includes exposed areas of the hull where you can see the craftsmanship, a figured sycamore inlay on the central bulkhead inspired by the owner’s Frank Lloyd Wright sculpture, and bespoke bedside table lamps with built-in controls for everything from the air-conditioning to the sound system.
This level of finish and exclusivity certainly doesn’t come cheap but provided it can back up that Rolls-Royce look and quality with an equally accomplished helming experience, it should have no trouble finding a select group of buyers in search of the ultimate Med/Caribbean weekender.
And for those who do their boating a bit further North, there’s a Coupé version set to follow.
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