LOA: 26.82 m (88.0')
Beam: 6.02 m (19.7')
Draft: 4.0 m (13.2’) / 2.4 m (7.9’)
Sail Area: 335 m2 (3,608 f2)
Concept: Tripp Design
Interior: Tripp Design
Builder: Derecktor Shipyard / Green Marine
Hull: Carbon
Launch: 1998


Our client's brief was for a state of the art modern cruising yacht. We were asked to create a boat that would reduce to a minimum the compromise between sailing performance and comfort, to carry a family and crew safely around the world. While cruising all corners of the world, she was to contain the most modern sailing characteristics and accoutrements available, for comfort and enjoyment whether on deck sailing or below at a far off port of call.

The intent that this be first a 'sailing' yacht dictated the balance of two important factors to maximize performance, speed and ease the sail handling. A strong, light construction system utilizing advanced materials and techniques was used to keep the displacement to a minimum. In addition to her modern hull shape, features such as a carbon fiber rig, retractable spinnaker pole, water ballast and hydraulically lifting keel are incorporated into the design. These features allow for high stability giving greater sailing comfort. The retracting keel allows access to shallow waters without sacrificing the sailing characteristics.

The hull shape was developed naturally from our IMS designs. These designs have long waterlines, high stability and low pitching moments. All of these have been incorporated, as they are desirable features. The long waterline coupled to a relative narrow hull also helps reduce pitching. The long narrow hull helps reduce pitching and increases speed. The high stability comes partly from the hull shape and partly from the large bulb keel and water ballast.

The layout on deck incorporates a working cockpit aft with twin wheels, winches and all sail controls. This allows all sailing activities to be located in this area keeping the rest of the deck free. The mainsheet is sheeted to an arch that allows free movement underneath, and structure for a sailing awning. The central cockpit interacts with the pilothouse, and has protected seating for eight to ten guests around the table. The pilothouse offers full shelter from the elements yet also offers full visibility for the navigator and the adjacent seating area. The pilothouse is low in profile adding to the sleek look of the boat, it is also the focal point of the boat being the main passageway to below decks. The raised pilothouse creates space underneath a full engine room, with main engine, generator and all systems enclosed. The pilothouse extends over the salon to draw the area into the upper areas of the boat. Forward of the pilothouse are the galley, salon, crew and guest cabins. Aft are the Owners cabin, recreation room/guest cabin, office and laundry room. The recreation room is easily converted into a bunk room for kids.

The carbon boom is contoured to catch and contain the fully battened main when it is dropped or reefed. The boom is wide but tapered in width and depth, and it has a trough but is flat enough to walk on. The sail cover is in two halves that attach to the boom edges so that when the sail is lowered between the lazy jacks it falls into the trough and the sail cover easily zips over the sail. The foretriangle has twin headstays mounted one behind the other. The forward stay has a 130% genoa on a furler that is used for reaching, passage making, and upwind to 15 knots true. The after stay, two feet back, has a 95% jib for efficient upwind sailing that is safer and easier to tack and may be carried well up the breeze range.

Shaman has sailed over 150,000 nm, from South America to the Arctic and Alaska to New Zealand. She can easily alternate between comfortable home and seaworthy speedster.