Not many traditional designs are built these days, so it’s nice to see a 50-foot offshore voyaging ketch that is driven aesthetically by what has come before. Much of the inspiration for this yacht comes from venerable designer John Alden. Intended for family sailing, Wings of Grace has high bulwarks and plenty of tankage below. Sporting an elliptical transom, a handsome skylight, and teak decks, Wings was built in cold-molded wood by French & Webb of Belfast, Maine.

The full keel features a contemporary foil shape that produces a low center of gravity. The partially balanced rudder is fully protected by the keel, and its leading edge is exposed to water flow over nearly its entire length. Belowdecks spaces have been configured for a couple and their teenage son but can ultimately accommodate up to seven. A single large head with a separate shower stall is located amidships, opposite a large galley on the port side at the foot of the companionway stairs. The yacht will sail nicely in heavy air under main and jib staysail with the mizzen furled. For the lighter going, auxiliary power is provided by a Yanmar 74-horsepower diesel with a feathering Maxprop propeller.

C.W.Paine & Associates, Box 763, Camden, ME, 04843; tel. 207-236-2166; www.chuckpaine.com

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