Sparkman & Stephens - New York 32 45 ft Sloop 2010

In the mid 1930s the New York Yacht Club commissioned Sparkman & Stephens to design a new one-design and twenty of the now historic sailing yachts, known as the NY32 class were built by the boatyard of Henry B. Nevins of City Island, New York - none had been built since, until permission was given for the building of MASQUERADE as a one-time exception by Sparkman & Stephens. The result is considered a valued addition to the class and thus hull number 21 has been assigned – built using a strip planked and epoxy method but with many of the original fittings she is simply breath taking!

Why call a perfect rendition of a timeless design a masquerade? According to owner and builder Pieter van der Aa; because the first twenty yachts built to this design were all constructed traditionally, plank on frame, while - though it is a wooden yacht - MASQUERADE is strip planked and epoxy sheathed; a modern rendition so to speak. The use of these modern materials cannot be readily discerned from the outside and hence the builder’s subtle admission of the ruse through her name. Launched in 2010 following a 6 year building period, this is a truly magnificent wooden yacht. The end result is proof of the time and effort spent - combined with the builder’s obvious feel for the materials used. Olin Stephens, when asked his opinion of MASQUERADE, once said: “There isn’t a lot that can stop her under water.” She is a truly unique yacht.