Top Boat

Sparkman & Stephens has a long history of motorsailer design and engineering; over fifty designed in 82 years, starting in 1933 with the design of this yacht, Tamerlane and culminating with a string of very successful motorsailers including Osprey, Sea Angel, Freedom, Galileo, Astral, Mayslyph and Timoneer. These boats are still very active today, sailing the world over.

Tamerlane was built by George Lawley & Son of Neponset, Massachusetts and launched in 1932.

Here are the plans.


Note the crew quarters are located aft which is somewhat unusual. It does look like a logical arrangement: crew and galley aft separated by the wheelhouse which provides a lot of privacy for owner and guests (and crew).

She is powered by a single Winton 6-cylinder 125 hp gas engine for a cruising speed of 8-9 knots. The concept at this period of time was to design a shallow draft cruising yacht and dispense with the centerboard, using the auxiliary to power her to windward. Things would change rapidly in this type of design.

Heres a construction section.