Cirrus (22 m), a modern 68-footer with a vintage flavor

Maine-based Stephens Waring Design is celebrating the delivery of a new 68-foot ocean cruiser, custom-designed for an experienced American sailing client. Above the waterline, the lines have a classic design, but underwater, the hull is performance: the Cirrus promises the performance and comfort of a modern boat in vintage guise.

Where the idea of Cirrus was born

Cirrus was born out of a conversation with the owner and designer that took place in 2017; since then her design has changed several times over time, pandering to the client’s wishes. Stephens Waring’s initial idea was to create a Mediterranean-style yacht with wide beams and a low profile, with performance and comfort to be the main features, supported by an all-carbon structure, and from there the design began to take shape.

At that time, a vintage boat sail was organized in front of the owner’s home in Rockport, Maine, and something has changed since then. “After looking at so many classic yachts, the owner started veering toward that aesthetic,” said Bob Stephens, partner at Stephens Waring Design. “Taking the modern layout we had already worked out, we modified it into a much more classic hull shape, and fortunately the client really liked it.” This approach also had some clear functional advantages, such as extra volume in the stern that greatly improved the tender garage under the cockpit.

The lines

Cirrus, with its classic design, harkens back to the golden years of offshore cruising boats of the 1950s and 1960s, when the Cruising Club of America (CCA) lines held sway. This boat is far removed from the fashions of the day, favoring the return of a classic scoop bow and a modest counter-bow with a hint of tumblehome. She has a low deckhouse with a hard top that protects half the cockpit from sun and weather; the single-bladed rudder is controlled by a large central wheel, a symbol of the classic line the designers intended. The live-work has a modern concept, with underwater appendages designed to make the boat fast and safe even in rough seas. Explains Stephens, “We fine-tuned the displacement-to-length ratio to offer high performance with comfort at sea, and the hull lines include a higher deadrise than many modern boats to reduce bow-wave hits. The bulb keel is deep and moderately narrow, with minimal wetted surface area; the very wide blade rudder also aids the skipper during upwind gusts.” The same design thinking was applied to modernize the rig, which includes a carbon fiber mast, ECthree stays and laminated sails to maximize power, among other things. Backward spreaders eliminate the need for movable backstays, allowing Cirrus to sail with a smaller crew.

The construction of Cirrus

Jim Betts was responsible for building the hull in Anacortes, Washington, with a carbon hull and deck and vacuum infused for maximum stiffness-to-weight ratio. This allowed Stephens Waring to add weight as low as possible to achieve an extremely high level of comfort due to the very low center of gravity.

Below deck

Below decks are notable features that include an air conditioner, a wine cellar for 20 bottles of wine, and a pop-up TV. The galley has a large refrigerator with an upright freezer, as well as a second separate freezer to keep supplies fresh for longer crossings. Accommodations include two large double cabins in the aft that convert to doubles and the forward master cabin on the port side; this arrangement allows for plenty of extra space to the owner’s area, creating an area where a sofa, ample closet space for clothes and a bathroom with a separate shower are arranged. Both guest cabins also have private bathrooms. But the beating heart of life aboard is the midship dining salon: a solid teak table seats eight people with a 360-degree view of the sea through the hull windows. A row of portholes and floor-to-ceiling windows offers views of the sails and floods the salon with natural light. “The accommodations on Cirrus are very welcoming,” said Bob Stephens. “Working on a palette of warm teak and white panels with dark wenge dunnage, we created a real sense of timeless luxury. I envisioned the living room as an open space, with a very well-equipped kitchen and chart table all connected to the same shared space. One of my favorite features is the line of central hatches in the deckhouse roof that provides continuous light to the center of the salon.”

Federico Lanfranchi

Data Sheet – Cirrus 68

Length f.t.: 20.88 m

Maximum beam: 5.43 m

Draft: 2.77 m

Displacement: 22 t

Sail Sup.: 188 sq. m.

Engine: Yanmar 110 hp

stephenswaring.com