spirit the creek yacht

Swan Boat Club driver bound over for trial after having 0.18 blood alcohol result

Monroe — A woman who drove her car into a boat club in April, killing two children and injuring 11 others, was bound over for trial Thursday after testimony in her preliminary exam showed she had a blood alcohol level that was twice the legal limit and had told police that she shouldn't be driving.

One of the spectators in the crowded courtroom yelled "yes" when 1st District Court Judge Michael Brown found that prosecutors had provided enough evidence to bind over all charges against Marshella Chidester, 66, of Newport.

Chidester is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing death and four counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing serious injury. She faces up to life in prison if convicted.

The decision came Thursday afternoon after Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy Steven Schmidt testified earlier that Chidester had a blood alcohol level of 0.18. The legal limit in Michigan is 0.08, and the state super drunk definition is 0.17.

Ken Laurain, assistant prosecuting attorney for Monroe County, declined to discuss the judge's decision, while Chidester's attorney, Bill Colovos, said he looked forward to proving her innocence. He said during an earlier arraignment that Chidester drank a single glass of wine and her impairment was caused by seizures.

"When the medical records come out, you'll see about the seizures," Colovos told The Detroit News on Thursday.

After the crash at Swan Boat Club on April 20, Chidester smelled like alcohol and had trouble maintaining her balance, testified Sgt. Michael Bomia, who was the first deputy on the scene. In a field sobriety test, she recited the alphabet correctly but had trouble focusing on the deputy's finger and counting backward from 100, Bomia said.

Chidester, responding to questions from another deputy at the crash site, said she shouldn’t be driving and rated her drunkenness at 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being highly drunk. She said she had been drinking wine 30 minutes before the crash and was on medication for seizures.

"I wouldn't want to drive," she told another deputy, Schmidt, after he asked whether she should be driving.

Chidester told Schmidt that she didn’t remember what happened, according to Thursday's testimony.

“I pulled into the parking lot,” she told Schmidt, according to a video played during the hearing. “I thought I was driving up to the boat club. Evidently, I was driving right into the building.”

“You don’t remember what happened?” Schmidt asked.

“You know what, I have these seizures,” she said.

The crash killed 8-year-old Alanah Phillips and her 4-year-old brother, Zayn Phillips. Their mother, Mariah Dodds, and another sibling were among the injured.

Defense lawyer challenges video

Chidester is a former commodore at the boat club, which is located off Swan Creek near Lake Erie. It’s a membership-based organization that hosts holiday parties and other events, and provides docking space for members who own boats, according to its website.

Colovos argued against showing the video of Chidester, saying prosecutors hadn't directly proved she had been read her Miranda rights. The prosecutor indicated the rights had been given, but Colovos said the prosecution needed to produce the officer who read Chidester her rights before the video of her interview could be introduced. The judge let the video be shown after he was assured the Miranda rights had been administered.

During the Thursday hearing, another video showed Chidester getting into her car moments before the crash. The video, taken from a camera across the street from her home, shows her walking unsteadily from her home to her car.

Chidester quickly backed out of her driveway into the road and, while driving backward, swerved onto the shoulder of the road, according to the video. The camera momentarily loses view of her and then showed her driving frontward in the opposite direction toward the boat club, which is 500 feet from her home.

A neighbor had told police earlier that someone had rammed his car, pushing it into a fence, in the moments before the boat club crash. The video showed the collision, and a deputy testified Thursday that Chidester's car was involved in two crashes, the club and the car.

Dead children's mom testifies

Among the injured people who testified during the hearing Thursday was Dodds, the mother of the two children who died.

Dodds and her children were at a party at the boat club for the 3-year-old child of Dodds' friend, according to a Detroit law firm representing Dodds' family in a lawsuit against Chidester and the tavern where she reportedly was before the crash.

She said the only thing she remembered about the crash were the voices of several relatives. The relatives, who weren’t the two children who died, sounded far away, she said.

Her last memory before the accident was a happy one, Dodds said. She walking back to the table where her children were sitting and eating.

“I was laughing,” Dodds said.

Her next memory was waking up in a hospital room, where she remained for four days, she testified. One of her three children who survived was also hospitalized, she said.

Two months after the wreck, her son still needs more rehabilitation before he regains the ability to walk, Dodds said.

Videos show people screaming

During the hearing at 1st District Court in Monroe, Chidester’s attorney objected to the showing of several of the videos, arguing they weren't relevant. He said he had provided the county prosecutor's office with medical records about her condition.

Other videos played during the hearing showed the aftermath of crash, with people screaming while others scooped up children and fled the scene.

One video from the boat club showed a car traveling at a high rate of speed through the club's parking lot and then veering into the building at around 3 p.m. on April 20.

Another video showed people trying to clear debris and get to people trapped by the car against a wall. A child could be seen being pulled from behind a counter near where the car crashed.

"It was a chaotic scene," Bomia said.

In another scene, people could be seen pulling a woman from the floor, bloodied by the crash.

In a body-worn camera from a Monroe County sheriff's deputy, Chidester is shown sitting in a chair as the deputy arrives at the chaotic scene. Chidester was taken outside to the police car, where she answered questions.

Colovos said earlier that Chidester had blacked out from a seizure behind the wheel and didn’t remember the crash or anything leading up to it.

More: Aunt of siblings killed at party: 'We were supposed to be planning a birthday ... not a funeral'

Chidester suffers from neuropathy and has epileptic-like seizures in her legs, Colovos said earlier. She was hospitalized last fall after being treated for epileptic-type seizures in her legs, he said.

Two Metro Detroit medical experts told The Detroit News in May that the medical condition attributed to the woman may affect one's ability to drive, but the condition is not known for causing a loss of consciousness.

More: Medical experts weigh in on conditions attributed to driver in Swan Boat Club crash

Prosecutors said during an arraignment in April that Chidester drunkenly crashed her SUV into a boat club that was hosting a child's birthday party. They said she has had substance abuse issues. But Colovos said Chidester had no traffic tickets or police record.

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Description

The 54.4m Spirit, built as part of the successful Amels 177 Limited Edition Series, was delivered in 2011 and recently refitted in 2020. Spirit\'s exterior, designed by Tim Heywood Design Ltd, features vast outdoor areas ideal for entertainment. The light, bright interior design by Dôme Project Interiors can accommodate up to 11 guests across 5 cabins (Master suite, 2 VIP cabins, 1 king double cabin, and 1 massage room that can be converted into a 6th cabin, all ensuite) and 14 crew members including the captain.

Maintained to high standards by her captain and crew, Spirit has completed Lloyd\'s 10-year survey, undergone a full repaint of the steel hull and aluminium superstructure, and had servicing of her mechanical/electrical components, including engines, stabilisers, generators, and pumps. The full report is available upon request.

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

ON TEST: Spirit 44e – the sustainable future of sailing?

• Theo Stocker
• November 1, 2020

A wooden boat that blazes a trail for modern technology and sustainability sounds too good to be true. Theo Stocker went to see if the Spirit 44e is as good as promised

Product Overview

Spirit yacht 44cr electric.

• Most sustainable yacht available today
• Sails beautifully
• Stunning looks
• Limited accommodation for length
• Upkeep of wooden boat

Manufacturers:

Price as reviewed:.

Boats have been built out of wood since Noah first put axe to tree, but when it comes to cutting-edge yachts, timber is right back at the top.

Spirit Yachts have been building head-turningly pretty wooden yachts with stiff, lightweight laminated wooden hulls since 1993, including the largest wooden yacht built in the UK since the 1930s in the shape of the Spirit 111 , launched this year.

But away from all the fanfare, the Ipswich-based yard has also just launched Avvento , smaller sister to its 47 and 55 Cruising Range yachts.

Far from being a lesser vessel, however, the Spirit 44 Cruising Range Electric Boat (44e for short) hides advances in sustainable technology under its gleaming topsides that offer a glimpse into the future of boat building.

Unrecyclable fibreglass and sails, toxic antifoul, and fossil-fuel propulsion are replaced by sustainably sourced timber, self-sufficient electric propulsion and zero-carbon emissions.

The proud new owner is Vincent Argiro, a retired technology entrepreneur who lives and sails in British Columbia in Canada.

Explaining his motivation to go for such a radical concept, he said: ‘My first sailboat was also the first of its kind to be built all-electric. I have never owned anything else, nor will I.

‘To me, it is a terrible corruption of the beauty and simplicity of sailing to add internal-combustion propulsion to it.’

She is built, Spirit claims, to last a hundred years and to be largely recyclable when the time does come. In the intervening century, she will burn no hydro-carbons whatsoever with not even a backup generator on board, or, for that matter, any obvious renewable energy sources. I was curious to see how she worked.

THE TEST VERDICT

The Spirit 44e is a fabulously expensive boat given her limited accommodation and shorter than average waterline length, if you are going to judge her by volume.

As managing director Nigel Stuart says: ‘You need to think about her volume relative to her waterline rather than overall length.’ That’s a nice idea, if you have the luxury of not worrying about marina fees.

You can get a lot of boat for this kind of budget, so why would you buy the Spirit 44e? Firstly, she is drop dead gorgeous. From her sleek lines to her dovetail joints, there is no part of the boat that is not a pleasure to look at.

Then, she is utterly engaging to sail. Lightweight, powerful and responsive, helming her will put a smile on your face, while she should cope equally well with the rough stuff. Finally, she is light years ahead of most production yachts in terms of environmental impact.

I would opt for the smaller rig and higher boom, and I’d like narrower cockpit seats. Most owners would opt for a backup diesel generator for peace of mind, though with new battery tech on its way, unlimited range is within reach.

The Spirit 44e goes a very long way to prove that yachts can be built and run in a sustainable way.

Would the Spirit 44e suit you and your crew?

This boat isn’t about mass-market appeal, but who wouldn’t fall in love given half a chance? In reality, for the kind of cruising most sailors really do, weekends and a few weeks here and there, she is luxuriously comfortable for a cruising couple with occasional guests. Liveaboard cruising is more of a stretch, but entirely feasible, while she’ll also do well racing round the cans.

There’s plenty of entertaining space, particularly on deck once you’re in harbour, and if you don’t mind the stares, she turns heads wherever she goes.

Very few boats out there could hold a hydrocarbon-free candle to the Spirit 44e. Even Noah might have been tempted to leave his animals for this boat.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

First look: Spirit 30 – Spirit’s smallest ever yacht

• Rupert Holmes
• November 11, 2021

The all-new Spirit 30 is the smallest yacht ever produced by the well regarded British yard which specialises in modern classic wooden yachts. Rupert Holmes reports

The sleek classic style of all Spirit Yachts is guaranteed to turn heads and the Ispwich-based yard’s smallest new model for many years, the spirit 30 is no exception.

The Spirit 30 follows the well-proven format of a light displacement, modern hull shape below the water allied to a performance rig and sails. It’s a combination that delivers speeds which belie the boat’s modest dimensions.

During the commissioning sail, for example, the Spirit 30 recorded 6.8 knots of boat speed close-hauled and 10 knots off the wind in 18-20 knots of breeze.

Yet this is civilised vessel with a self-tacking furling jib and all sail controls led aft for easy single and short-handed sailing. The first example is an open day sailer with a large cockpit, although there are also plans for a version with a cuddy and basic overnight accommodation.

Auxiliary power is from a Torqeedo Cruise 4.0FP electric pod drive. This offers a 16-mile range at five knots with the standard battery and a maximum speed under power of 6.5 knots.

The wood epoxy composite construction is one of the most sustainable options for building a new boat, requiring far less noxious resins and plastics than conventional fibreglass structures.

Typically three layers of timber are epoxy glued together, creating an extremely stiff, yet very light, monocoque structure. A protective outer layer of glass cloth and epoxy is then applied, which enhances waterproofing and provides impact resistance.

Spirit 30. Photo: Spirit Yachts / Waterline Media

Spirit Yachts has gone a stage further than usual with this boat, using flax fibres and bio resins for the outer layer. The result is what the company says is its most sustainable yacht to date and plans to roll out the same materials to the larger boats in the range.

The Spirit 30 is offered with a choice of fixed or lifting keels and the boat is light enough to be towed on a road trailer. The first example is scheduled to be exhibited at the Dusseldorf boat show in January 2022.

Spirit 30 specifications:

LOA: 9.15m 30ft 0in LWL: 6.5m 21ft 4in Beam: 1.9m 6ft 3in Draught: 1.6m 5ft 3in Displacement: 1,700kg 3,750lb Builder: www.spirityachts.com Base price: £250,000 ex VAT

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On board the award-winning Spirit 111 flagship sailing yacht Geist

BOAT International steps on board Geist , the flagship of British shipyard Spirit Yachts that combines classic beauty and green technology with beguiling grace...

When Spirit Yachts’ flagship grew from 27 to 34 metres overall before she had even left the drawing board, she was already destined for the record books. At this size she would be the largest wooden sloop-rigged yacht to be built in the UK since the famous J Class yacht Shamrock V back in 1930. Given her long, elegant lines and low freeboard, so typical of the J Class , it was an interesting comparison from the off. And there was more to come.

The decision to head from Spirit Yachts’ yard in Ipswich on the east coast of the UK to Gosport in the south for the sea trials, was intended to make it easier to get into open water. But it was also a move that provided another connection with Sir Thomas Lipton’s famous America’s Cup challenger. The Gosport base for the Spirit 111’s sea trials was the famous Camper & Nicholsons yard (now Endeavour Quay), where Shamrock and the three other British J Class yachts had been built in the 1930s.

Unlike the competitive Js, the Spirit 111, named Geist , has been designed for a more relaxed life – a cruiser with the ability to take part in the occasional regatta. And while she’s been built in a traditional material, her wood epoxy composite construction on a steel space frame takes advantage of the very latest materials and techniques.

From her carbon mast with its non-metallic rigging, to her advanced sail- handling systems, her classic looks conceal a very advanced technical specification. For example, a bank of four BMW lithium batteries and a 100kW Torqeedo propulsion system capable of regenerating power once under way lie at the heart of her operational hardware.

Another significant difference is in the intended make-up of her crew. Here, the biggest clue as to how she has been designed to be operated can be found in her layout below decks.  Aside from being beautiful, it offers an owner’s cabin and three guest doubles – far fewer than you might expect of a boat this size. Furthermore, there is no skipper or crew accommodation: this is clearly an owner/driver superyacht.

Wherever you look, the Spirit 111 is a fascinating boat and when you talk to her creators, (“builders” seems so inappropriate for something so artful and innovative) it becomes clear that the project was a voyage of discovery for them at times too.

“In the early stages we built a model and presented it to the owner who said, ‘No, it looks a bit dumpy. Can’t we pull out the bow and stern?’” explains Spirit Yachts’ managing director Nigel Stuart.

“So the boat grew, but not the freeboard – but this was just the start. As you’d expect in the accommodation, the Sipo mahogany walls were drawn to sit vertically but they ended up raked, sweeping around the accommodation with a crease. There are no door handles and American walnut was used around corners in ways you simply wouldn’t expect and many believed couldn’t be done. The saloon table has 64 individually made legs, while the seating that wraps around it took a dedicated team 2,000 working hours to build. ‘Organic’ was a word that was used endlessly throughout the project.”

Designed by Rhoades Young and Spirit Yachts, her interior is extraordinary. “The client had recently visited Antelope Canyon in Arizona and this was the catalyst for the idea of the warm, soft flowing walls creating unique focal points within the room,” says Rhoades Young partner Jonathan Rhoades. Based on a set of linked circles which sweep around in an S-shape, the bulk of the accommodation is set amidships. The saloon, galley and navigation area is one open, circular area, lit from overhead by Spirit’s trademark fan windows in the deck.

From cooker to chart plotter, every item of equipment can be hidden behind slick fitted panels where the grain provides seamless continuity. Combined with vellum panels and an ingenious lighting system that not only switches on and off automatically but also balances itself against the ambient light, the overall appearance is striking.

Devoid of any decoration or soft furnishings, it looks a little stark at first, but this is an interior to savour. Like walking into a gallery at the Tate Modern, when you stop and look you start to get drawn into the light, the lines and the subtle range of colours that sweep through her interior. It’s an intoxicating experience.

It’s difficult to do the accommodation justice in a few words, other than to say that it has to be one of the most extraordinary yacht interiors I’ve ever seen. From the minute the electric motor propels you silently from the dock, through the effortless hoisting of the in-boom furling mainsail and the roller furling headsail, it is clear how much distance there is between the 111 and a J Class. The classic yachts of the 1930s require well in excess of 20 crew to race them – we cruise around the Solent with just five on board, and really only three are necessary to handle the boat.

On the helm she’s a very different boat to a J. She’s amazingly light, direct and beautifully balanced, steering herself upwind with ease. In 12 knots of true breeze we slice uphill at nine knots. Downwind she’s just as silky smooth and while she’s clearly a very large yacht, she’s also a proper sailing boat with all the feel you’d expect of something a third of her size.

I’m privileged to have taken the helm of both Shamrock V and Endeavour and while these were both very special moments, the fact remains that Geist has a much better feel on the wheel. And so she should.

Her fin and bulb keel along with the carbon spade rudder contrast starkly with the less- efficient rudder that was hung off the trailing edge of the keel on a J Class. At 65 tonnes fully laden she’s also less than half the weight of a J Class. While neither of these characteristics are that easy to see, they are good examples of 80 years of progress.

So, while the Spirit 111 was never envisaged as a modern-day J Class or engaging in the type of sailing that the Js became famous for, she does represent a similar approach: using modern materials and techniques to push the boundaries of design and technology, while at the same time delivering elegance that will turn heads, whatever the era.

The wood works

As a boat that glorifies wood – from her hull to her interior design – it was vital that the Spirit 111’s timber was ethically sourced to fit the yacht’s green ethos. For Douglas fir the yard went to Canada, which it knew had robust regulations. “Those forests have been commercially managed for over 100 years,” says Spirit Yachts’ managing director Nigel Stuart. “They plant two trees for one [felled] and they only harvest one per cent of the timber in Canada a year.”

Taking it a step further, the father of the yard’s timber dealer went to the forest to record “exactly where those trees were felled”. Sipo wood was sourced from Forest Stewardship Council-run forests in West Africa and the teak was also responsibly sourced – although since the project began four years ago, the yard’s view on teak in general has changed. 

“There have been certain cases highlighted [within yachting] where teak was bought with the best intentions, but was later found to have actually come from Burma – with all the implications that entails. So that’s why we said that we can’t trust the paperwork.” Instead, the yard now uses Lignia, an alternative from sustainably managed softwood plantations, treated to provide a durable timber that looks and feels just like teak.

But the careful sourcing of wood was only a fraction of the work. The timber is machined into planks before being air-dried for months (a low-energy method). At the yard it is sliced into the required thickness, mostly six millimetres for the interior, revealing the grain’s beautiful flames. “Then we store it on site to let it settle for two or three months,” says Stuart. “It has a tendency to relax when we treat it like this.”

Then the joiners get to work, using only hand tools. “I think we’ve probably got the finest joinery team in the world,” says Stuart. To give an idea of the skill required for this extraordinary interior, he points to the grain on a bathroom wall. It runs all the way from the ceiling, down the wall, undulating over the sink, and down to the floor – perpendicular all the way. This was installed in three separate sections with the grains perfectly matched. That means hundreds of pieces of wood, each referring to each other. Mess up one of the three sections and you start again from scratch.

So fine was the work, they spent eight months making eight doors with flared handholds. They even invented a new method of steam bending walnut wood, which is particularly rigid. The result, however, is one of the most impressive examples of woodwork afloat.

This feature is taken from the October 2020 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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Record flooding inundates northwest Iowa, prompts evacuations, isolates one city

Historic flooding struck parts of Iowa over the weekend, damaging nearly 2,000 properties and prompting evacuations and disaster declarations.

"I can tell you that the devastation is severe and it's widespread," Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said at a news conference Sunday afternoon in Des Moines.

Flooding on Saturday and overnight into Sunday was the result not just of direct rain — some areas measured 15 inches in two days, Reynolds said — but also of overflowing rivers' flooding dry communities downstream, National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Vachalek said.

Precipitation drawn north from the Gulf of Mexico and parked over northwest Iowa and neighboring states was then unleashed in a clash with a cool, low-pressure wave moving from west to east, he said.

An official tally for weather-related deaths over the weekend was not yet available. In Tucson, Arizona, fire officials said a motorist stranded in monsoonal floodwaters was declared dead Saturday when first responders discovered her lifeless body.

In South Dakota, an 87-year-old man driving a utility task vehicle — a golf cart-size conveyance with off-road capability — died when it rolled down an embankment created by a washed-out roadway near Harrisburg on Saturday, the South Dakota Highway Patrol said in a statement.

Areas affected by direct rain or overflowing rivers also included southern Minnesota and southeastern Dakota, according to the National Weather Service.

The weekend rain fell on already saturated ground, making flooding fast and widespread in the northwest corner of Iowa. Reynolds indicated that farmland was hit hard.

There were enough rain and river swelling in the Des Moines, Rock and Little Sioux rivers, among others, to break flood level records at 16 locations in Iowa, Reynolds said.

More than 1,000 Iowans needed shelter overnight, 1,900 properties across the state were damaged, and hundreds of residential properties were destroyed, she said.

Some cities did not have working clean water systems Sunday, and some had sewage system failures, she said. Disaster declarations covered 25 Iowa counties by nightfall Sunday.

Spencer, a city of more than 11,000, was cut off from the rest of the state by floodwater overnight as hundreds were evacuated to two city shelters, Mayor Steve Bomgaars said.

Spencer Fire Chief Jesse Coulson said city first responders, with the mutual-aid help of neighboring departments, made 383 rescues since the first one related to floodwater was reported at 5:15 a.m. Saturday.

One person was missing, Coulson said at a news conference Sunday where Bomgaars also spoke. Coulson indicated the missing could be recovered from a flooded vehicle after waters recede.A nighttime curfew for the city was to return Sunday, Bomgaars said, as authorities were expected to fan out and check on residents cut off by floodwaters after they recede a few feet.

On Friday, city and county officials expected the Little Sioux River to crest at 17.5 feet but said it did so multiple feet higher. The crest level was an estimate, however.

"The electronic gauge that the Iowa Flood Center put in was under water," Clay County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Eric Tigges said at the Spencer news conference. "That makes it difficult for us to get an accurate reading."

He and city officials believe the river crested at 22.1 feet, beating a record set in 1953 by about 2 feet. With that number falling, some roads were passable and residents could get out with careful planning, officials said.

"We're going to recover from this," Bomgaars said.

In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem declared a statewide emergency and said the worst of the flooding would come Monday and Tuesday by river.

The Big Sioux River in South Dakota was expected to crest Sunday night, and state officials closed Interstate 29 in the southeastern part of the state to build a temporary levee across it, they said in a statement.

The threat of severe thunderstorms remained, with the director of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, John Benson, urging residents to stay vigilant.

The Des Moines River at Humboldt, a small city about 105 miles north of Des Moines, was forecast to crest Wednesday at 17 feet, more than a foot higher than its record in 1969, according to the National Weather Service. On Sunday it flowed more than a foot above flood stage, the agency said.The rain and swelling waterways contrasted with persistent heat in much of the rest of the country on the first weekend of summer. Heat alerts covered an estimated 95 million people in the U.S. on Sunday, with near-record high temperatures — 5 to 15 degrees above normal — expected to remain at least through the early part of the week.

As high pressure baked the mid-Atlantic, where record temperatures were expected Sunday and Monday, the Southwest broiled in sometimes triple-digit temperatures, and parts of the Northeast were expected to experience brief rain and thunderstorms alongside high temperatures.

Another cool wave moving in from the West was expected to clash with warm, wet air stationed over the Great Plains and the Midwest, triggering the possibility of more severe thunderstorms, federal forecasters said.

Rain, wind, hail and flooding were possible again beginning Monday night for northern Iowa, as well as for northern Missouri, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, southwest Lower Michigan, northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio, they said.

"It's not going to cease," Benson, the Iowa emergency management director, said of the flooding, thunder and rain. "It's going to blossom."

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

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SPIRIT Yacht – Grand $30M Superyacht

The SPIRIT yacht is a 54.3-meter motor superyacht built in 2011 by Amels , a Dutch shipbuilding company renowned for its high value, quality, and finish.

They operate multiple hull-building and project locations in the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey, and Romania.

She exudes an incredibly adventurous vibe and she doesn’t disappoint because, with her world-class amenities and top-of-the-line specifications, she can transport you to all four corners of the globe in absolute style and comfort.

From sunny Sicily to the Caribbean Islands and icy Alaska, SPIRIT has traveled all around the world since her delivery in 2011.

SPIRIT yacht interior

Nuvolari Lenard designed the SPIRIT yacht interior with additional styling by Christian Liaigre . 

Her interior was created by Dôme Project Interiors , reflecting the unparalleled beauty and serenity that a sea journey offers.

Her design is modern and minimalist, with carefully chosen texture, coloring, and furniture details. 

She boasts an elegant vibe through the abundance of neutral shades of the furniture while also complementing her eclectic style, evident in the deep brown tones of the solid oak and maple panels and floor.  

SPIRIT yacht specifications

The SPIRIT yacht is constructed with a steel hull, aluminum superstructure, a full 9-meter beam, and a gross tonnage of 656 GT.

She benefits from her full-displacement hull that provides increased onboard room while also providing better stability when at anchor. 

The yacht is propelled by twin MTU engines, which allow her to cruise comfortably at 13 knots and achieve a top speed of 15 knots. 

Her 115,000-liter fuel tanks allow her to go up to 5,182 nautical miles from her 115,000-liter fuel tanks.

An innovative stabilization system onboard allows a smoother ride at anchor or underway, providing passengers with unprecedented comfort levels.

SPIRIT yacht exterior

Tim Heywood penned her exterior design as part of the Limited Edition 180 series, which was first introduced in 2011 by Dutch homebuilder Amels.

Heywood is a multi-award-winning yacht designer who has produced some of the finest and largest yachts on the water.

The SPIRIT yacht was recently hauled out in 2020 and was completely repainted in time to spend the summer months in the Mediterranean with charter brokers.

SPIRIT Yacht accommodation

Spirit is especially popular with families because of its child-friendly design and layout. She can accommodate up to 11 guests in 5 cabins plus 13 crew members to ensure guests have a relaxing luxury yacht charter vacation.

Her full-beam master suite is located on the main deck with an emperor-sized bed. The other cabins include king-sized beds, a twin cabin, and an additional Pullman.

Her amenities include a sun deck, sun pads, at-anchor stabilizers, stabilizers underway, jacuzzi, spa, gym, beach club, and inflatable water slide.

She is also equipped with water toys such as kneeboards, windsurfers, paddleboards, Water-skis, wave runners, fishing equipment, and scuba diving equipment, to name a few

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SPIRIT YACHT CHARTER

54.3m  /  178'2   amels   2011 / 2020.

• Previous Yacht

Cabin Configuration

Special Features:

• Worldwide adventurer with exceptional performance
• Sundeck Jacuzzi, bar and grill
• Skylounge serves as cinema room
• Huge master suite with private office and lounge
• Spa treatment room

Superyacht Spirit promises to deliver an outstanding charter vacation

The 54.3m/178'2" 'Spirit' motor yacht built by the Dutch shipyard Amels is available for charter for up to 11 guests in 5 cabins. This yacht features interior styling by Italian designer Nuvolari Lenard.

Built in 2011, Spirit boasts a multitude of decks ideal for relaxation and entertainment indoors or outdoors, ensuring guests will live la dolce vita on the open waters. She is equipped with a spa, underwater lights, beach club and gym.

Guest Accommodation

Families will particularly love Spirit thanks to her child-friendly setup. She offers guest accommodation for up to 11 guests with a layout comprising a master suite, two VIP cabins, one double cabin and one twin cabin. The supremely spacious full beam master suite incorporates its own study and dressing room. There are 7 beds in total, including 4 king, 2 queen, 2 singles and 1 pullman. She is also capable of carrying up to 13 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht charter experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

On your charter, you'll find plenty to keep you busy and entertained, notably a serene luxury spa, for the utmost in relaxation. Head to the beach club and take advantage of indoor-outdoor living and entertaining and you can visit the well-equipped gym so that you can keep up with your fitness routine at sea. Soak up the bubbles in style in the deck jacuzzi.

Whatever your activities on your charter, you'll find some impressive features are seamlessly integrated to help you, notably the underwater lights, adding spectacle and style after dark. With Wi-Fi connectivity you don't have to lose contact with the outside world, unless you want to and guests will experience complete comfort while chartering thanks to air conditioning.

Performance & Range

Built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, she offers greater on-board space and is more stable when at anchor thanks to her full-displacement hull. Powered by twin MTU engines, she comfortably cruises at 13 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 15 knots with a range of up to 4,500 nautical miles from her 109,000 litre fuel tanks. An advanced stabilisation system on board reduces the side-to-side roll of the yacht and promises guests exceptional comfort levels at anchor or when underway.

Equipped with an extensive selection of action-packed water toys Spirit lets you and your guests turn the Mediterranean into your own private playground. Principle among these is a Freestyle Cruiser waterslide bringing a sense of fun that all the family can enjoy. Guests can feel the wind in their hair and jump the waves on one of the two Yamaha VXR WaveRunners. Another excellent feature is a towable toy offering fun and adventure. If that isn't enough Spirit also features waterskis, scuba diving equipment, a seabob, wakeboards, kayaks and much more. Spirit features two tenders, but leading the pack is a 6.75m/22'2" Meyer Open Tender to transport you in style.

Spirit and her crew are available for charter this summer for cruising within the Mediterranean. She is already accepting bookings this winter for cruising in Bermuda and the Caribbean.

With its luxurious interiors, vast array of onboard facilities and a highly-trained and professional crew, a luxury yacht vacation onboard motor yacht Spirit promises to be nothing short of spectacular.

TESTIMONIALS

There are currently no testimonials for Spirit, please provide .

Spirit Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Spirit has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Rendez-vous diving only.

Spirit is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 1 x 6.75m  /  22'2 Meyer Open Tender
• 1 x 6.2m  /  20'4 Pascoe RIB

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

• + shortlist

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

PADI CERTIFIED TRAINING CENTRE

Your family and friends could learn to scuba dive on your charter vacation onboard this luxury charter yacht. Motor Yacht Spirit is a certified PADI Dive Centre yacht so you could obtain your PADI diving card .

APPROVED RYA WATER SPORTS CENTRE

Your family and friends could learn to use the water toys on your charter vacation onboard this luxury charter yacht. Motor Yacht Spirit is a certified RYA Training Centre yacht.

'Spirit' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

€295,000 p/week + expenses Approx $316,000

High Season

€325,000 p/week + expenses Approx $348,000

Cruising Regions

Mediterranean Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Turkey

HOT SPOTS:   Amalfi Coast, Corsica, French Riviera, Mykonos, Sardinia

Winter Season

October - April

$295,000 p/week + expenses

$325,000 p/week + expenses

Bermuda Caribbean Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Saint Martin, St Barts

HOT SPOTS:   Virgin Islands

Charter Spirit

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker , or we can help you.

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker or

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NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Specification

SEASONAL CHARTER RATES

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SPIRIT is an Amels 177 (the design which became the Amels 180), with a custom interior featuring solid oak and maple by Nuvolari Lenard and additional styling by Christian Liaigre. From sun-bathed Sicily, through the fabulous beaches of the Caribbean, to the icebound rocks of Alaska – since delivery in 2011, SPIRIT has travelled the globe in a unique journey.

REALISING THE DREAM

World cruising, once in a lifetime adventures, sailing in style.

Designed for ocean crossings, island hopping, and everything in between, the Spirit 65 is a yacht for making memories. Incorporating all the necessary components and sailing stamina for long distance passages, the Spirit 65 is a proven bluewater cruising yacht that turns heads wherever she goes.

Her exterior showcases the iconic Spirit design hallmarks of clean flush decks, long overhangs, and the elegant fan light windows in her classically styled coachroof. Her large deck areas and spacious cockpit offer plenty of choice when it comes to relaxation and socialising. Down below, the option for a custom interior allows clients to be creative with fabrics, fittings, and finishings to create a real home from home on the water. With accommodation for six and additional pilot berths for overnight passages, the Spirit 65 is set up for family sailing, entertaining, and much more.

Whether you fancy relaxing in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean or exploring Scandiavia, the Spirit 65 can do it all in style and comfort. Where would you take her?

SPIRIT C65 AT A GLANCE

Specification & features.

• L.O.A 64'10" / 19.8m
• L.W.L 46'11" / 14.3m
• Beam 14'1" / 4.3m
• Draft 9' 2" / 2.8m
• Lightship Displacement 16 tonnes
• Ballast Ratio 40%
• Propulsion 2x 30kW electric pod drives
• Upwind Sail Area 150 m2
• Rig Fractional Bermudan Sloop (optional yawl)
• Keel Iron Blade 2180kg – Lead Bulb 4320kg
• RCD Category A (F8 winds 4m waves)
• RCD Max Persons 8

TIMELESS ELEGANCE

Spirit Yachts’ contemporary, elegant design style is world renowned. Subtle variations on 1930s classic yacht design with long overhangs, low profiles and smooth lines, married to contemporary underwater profiles, are synonymous with Spirit’s modern classic performance yachts.

Spirit Yachts are designed to be as beautiful in 100 years as they are today.

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