Lyman Morse 82

Ferris drew on his experience and knowledge to deliver the nautical look, relying more on skill than on technology. Inlays were hand-cut by Heritage Inlay Design in England. Ferris insists that the human hand produces a better product than laser cutting. Testaments to his theory are rope-style inlays accenting the tabletops and a beautifully sculpted compass rose in the galley bulkhead. The headboards are distinguished with a single carved-wood shell. Ferris based the design on one used by 18th-century New England furniture builder John Goddard and modified it. Maintaining the ambiance, hand-carved pierced-mahogany fretwork trims the overhead at the air-conditioning vents. Ferris said, "I made six design sketches and they picked one they liked." (Click image to enlarge)

The husband praised the builder’s insistence on creating mock-ups of each area before going forward with any construction. "It really paid off in the wheelhouse," he said. In the mock-up, the flush floor proved itself too low to provide safe sight lines forward. The sole at the helm and observer seats was raised 10 inches, functionally separating it from the salon proper and providing the necessary viewing angles. Knowing the benefits of attention to detail, the husband insisted that all the valves be tagged, identifying their purpose. The two Northern Lights generators are mounted on racks above the machinery in the engine room. They are accessed through cabinet doors in the cockpit without having to raise the engine access hatches in the cockpit sole.

Convenience of boarding was important, so gates were built into the stainless steel rails amidships, port and starboard. Integral stairways molded into either side of the cockpit are convenient without impeding cockpit traffic. Standoffs on the boarding ladder adjust to fit the curve in the hull so the ladder can be used at any location.

A 19-foot beam provides a spacious three-cabin interior with enough separation to afford privacy. The VIP is forward with a queen-size berth mounted athwartships. "I like it this way; it’s more comfortable when she’s rolling," the husband said. Aft, the master suite’s layout allows a centerline walk-around bed. Starboard amidships is the bi-level twin guest cabin.

The owners’ short list of boat names was two pages long, but the couple decided on Wombat in honor of the cute, furry animal they encountered in Australia during their world cruise. "It’s not something you’d keep as a pet," the husband said, but they liked wombat the marsupial and they love Wombat the yacht.

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