We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Well respected boat designer, Bill Tripp, picks the Herreshoff designed Westward as his selectionWestward was designed by the great Nathanael Herreshoff and launched in 1910 and at 96ft LWL (135ft LOA) the steel schooner was the largest yacht Herreshoff had built so far.
\nSkippered by America\u2019s Cup winner Charlie Barr, she showed unbeatable upwind pace thanks to her huge sail area.
\n\u201cThe sails are extremely good and balanced with what was the screaming edge of tech at the time,\u201d explains Bill Tripp.
\n\u201cWestward was a schooner using the limits of materials at the time \u2013 the headsails put so much compression on the foremast, which is why they were schooners. The main mast didn\u2019t have the headsail compression so the aft mast could reach for the sky.
\n\u201cWhen they did the replica Eleonora they cut the bowsprit and mainsail down because they were scared by the thought of controlling all that sail as well as Charlie Barr could\u2026\u201d
\nStats rating Westward
\nTop speed: 19 knots
\nLOA: 135ft\/41.1m
\nLaunched: 1910
\nBerths: 30
\nPrice: $118,000
\nAdrenalin factor: 90%
\nBill Tripp
\nBill Tripp has yacht design in his blood \u2013 his father William H Tripp created many well known US designs. Bill Tripp\u2019s designs include the 86m Aquijo, the largest sailing ketch in the world, the 62ft custom daysailer\/racer Chessie Racing, Wally Yachts Esense and Saudade and design collaborations for Y-Yachts, Baltic Yachts and Solaris.
\nSee the full list of World\u2019s Coolest Yacht nominations.<\/p>\n
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We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Well respected boat designer, Bill Tripp, picks the Herreshoff designed Westward as his selectionWestward was designed by the great Nathanael Herreshoff … <\/p>\n