Fresh on the heels of news about Belfast’s newest boatyard, Front Street Shipyard, comes the exciting announcement that two of Maine’s top yacht designers are moving their office to the town at the head of Penobscot Bay. Bob Stephens and Paul Waring, formerly partners with Steve White over in Brooklin, have moved their offices to 92 Main Street in Belfast. Already famous for their Spirit of Tradition yachts, including the W-class sloops White Wings and Wild Horses, as well as last year’s stunning 90-foot yawl Bequia, the pair are using the move to Belfast as a step toward expanding into production lines for both the American and European markets. “Our working relationship and friendship with Steve remains as solid as ever, but as we move forward with new projects we will now have the freedom to work with other builders and individuals as well,” said Paul Waring.
Stephens and Waring are bringing some seriously loaded design boards with them in to their new digs. The Barrett 42 is a new fast cruiser that builds on the light-displacement, sporty sailing yachts they’ve been designing in recent years; the Concept 42 is a new one-design created in collaboration with Patterson Boatworks in the United Kingdom; and the Rivolta 43 Vintage, due to be launched later this year, is a collaboration with U.S.-based Rivolta Yachts. Closer to home, the 68-foot fast cruiser Isobel, the latest design from Stephens and Waring, is set to launch at Brooklin Boat Yard in June.
For more information on Stephens and Waring, click here to visit their website or call them directly at 207-338-6636.
Photos of Belfast Gains a Pair of Maine’s Top Yacht Designers
