March / April 2021

Aboard: OUTLIER

A Spirit of Tradition sloop

Billy Black

OUTLIER, a 55’ cold-molded custom yacht, is a new Spirit of Tradition sloop that challenges preconceived notions of the class—and of tradition.

The Spirit of Tradition class continues to spark debate in classic yachting circles. Some say such boats don’t belong with classic yachts. They have no pedigree. On the other hand, they’re no good racing against contemporary yachts.

Defining the Spirit of Tradition class is no easy task. To be considered a Spirit of Tradition design today, a yacht must have a classic aesthetic but modern performance. It must be beautiful and fast.

Designers and owners of this breed of sleek craft must regularly defend both their traditional and modern design decisions. One thing most agree on, however, is that Spirit of Tradition boats certainly look spectacular.

In 2018, Harvey Jones, a classic-yacht lover, decided to shake up the Spirit of Tradition world with a new yacht called OUTLIER, a bold and powerful race boat designed by the Spanish firm Botin Partners. She has elements of the Botin-designed carbon-fiber TP-52s: a massive transom and a perfectly engineered and sculptural bowsprit.