July 29, 2006
East Boothbay, Maine. Hodgdon Yachts Inc. is announcing the launch of its 406th vessel, Windcrest, on July 29, 2006 in East Boothbay, Maine. Windcrest, a 98' ketch, was designed by the Fontaine Design Group (FDG) of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Hodgdon Yachts developed the interior, mechanical and electrical designs, with interior design input provided by Bunny Williams Design Inc. of New York, and global design support from the owner's representative, Jon Barrett of Newport, Rhode Island.

The owner's design brief called for a sailing yacht designed for extended coastwise cruising. Ted Fontaine of FDG responded with a large-volume hull, easily driven by a powerful carbon fiber ketch rig or an auxiliary 300 hp engine. Windcrest's dark blue hull supports the loads of two carbon fiber masts while cradling a luxurious interior.

Accommodations include two crew cabins, crew's mess, two guest cabins with ensuite heads, galley, laundry, and owner's cabin with two ensuite heads. A generous salon has dining for six and a wraparound settee. The pilothouse holds the navigation area along with bar and a second settee and dining table.

The interior joinery work is an elegant traditional stile and rail cherry panel with applied moulding. The furniture panels are a flame (crotch) veneer and bulkhead panels are flat-sawn cherry. The sole is walnut, finished in high gloss varnish; the sole in the galley and passageway to the crew's quarters is cork with walnut borders. The overhead and selected upper panels are painted in off-white.

The cabinetry and finished soles hide the extensive mechanical and electrical technologies that control today's yachts: generators produce electrical and hydraulic power for everything from sails to entertainment systems to climate control; hydraulic systems provide total sail control with the touch of a button, including headsail and in-boom furling; and communication systems link Windcrest to satellites for uninterrupted entertainment, email and phone virtually anywhere in the world. Throughout the vessel, a sophisticated computer network monitors every system, with information displayed on up to nine monitors.

Windcrest is built to the highest standards of yacht construction and classification by the American Bureau of Shipping, and represents the latest achievement for the 190-year-old Maine shipbuilder. The Hodgdon Yachts team is proud to have built this vessel for a knowledgeable yachting family who have enjoyed the process of realizing their dream yacht become a reality.