THE DRAWING BOARD – July 2013

When designers at Morris Yachts envisioned who would be enjoying their new M46 yacht, the active coastal family came to mind. A family who sometimes likes to race, sometimes cruise—sometimes to just hang out at anchor or take a short afternoon sail. The yacht was designed to be just as easily sailed by a couple as to be enjoyed with friends and children on board.

Morris Yachts, in collaboration with design firm Sparkman and Stephens, took a disciplined approach to the design of the M46, the next generation of Morris’s M-Series. The M46 introduces a new hull design that features more waterline and tumblehome to improve sailing performance. This new hull design also carries about 25 percent more cabin volume than other boats in its class. The result is a beautifully styled classic boat that draws inspiration from a romantic era in sailing but also includes many innovations in modern naval architecture.

The layout includes two separate cabins, each with an en suite bath and a generous salon and galley for social time. In addition to the familiar features of the M-Series line—like the easy sail-handling system—the boat features a large cockpit that provides ample room for spending time on deck, a fold-down transom that allows for easy boarding access, and a dramatic hatch system, flush-mounted on the teak deck, that provides natural light throughout the cabin. A specially designed iSUP (inflatable stand-up paddle board) by C4 Waterman is made to integrate with this boat: it has its own storage locker, and the board itself has many of the attributes found in the iSUPs that lifeguards use, making it stable, durable, and easy to use.

The designers’ biggest challenge was getting so much into the boat, especially the cabin. “We wanted a hull that would sail really well, which typically means narrower and lighter,” says Morris CEO Doug Metchick. “But we didn’t want to give up on all the amenities we know today’s buyer wants. So the challenge was really finding creative ways to get everything we demanded into the hull form and have it still look beautiful.”

Builder & Product Development: Morris Yachts
Naval Architect: Sparkman & Stephens
Interior Design: Kate Gable, Gable Design Group
Production Date: Fall 2013

MORRIS YACHTS:
morrisyachts.com, 207-244-5509