Morris Yachts Grinning Over Beauty of Cheshire Cat

A merry crowd gathered for the launching of Morris Yachts’ latest Ocean Series 48, Cheshire Cat. LAURIE SCHREIBER PHOTO

Its Official! Mike and Cathy Thieneman Christen Cheshire Cat

Quite a crowd of admirers were wowed last week by the beauty of Cheshire Cat, the latest Morris Yachts Ocean Series 48.

“I want to show the world this boat,” said proud owner Mike Thieneman.
Mr. Thieneman said he selected the yard after looking at the work of numerous yards in the U.S. and abroad. It took only one visit to Morris, he said, to know his choice was made.

The interior, a contrast to the yard’s usual Herreshoff approach, abounded with gleaming woodwork. The living is elegant thanks to gorgeous workmanship, with plenty of softly edged furnishings and curved arches, in mahogany and pear wood mirror-bright with numerous coats of hand-rubbed varnish and set off by the teak and pear sole in a satin finish, all lit by plenty of glazing fore, side and above. The skills of the Morris crew could be seen in features such as the valances built by carpenter Allen Beaman, who grappled with a complicated set of compound angles to create the finely joined detail.
The elegant is met every inch of the way by the practical, in keeping with Mr. Thieneman’s plans to sail around the world.

“The boat speaks for itself,” he said.

The name of the boat also has something to say. Mr. Thieneman said that, over the years, he gave each of his four daughters Alice in Wonderland, a book they all loved.
“This is a girl who fell asleep and had this dream, and it took her to magical and mythical places all around the world,” he said.

Mr. Thieneman joked that the project’s movers and shakers were much like some of the Alice characters: project manager John DiPretoro as the wise caterpillar waxing eloquent; Mr. Beaman and Paul Lamoureux, two of the carpenters, as Tweedledum and Tweedledee; Tuesdi Woodworth as the Queen of Hearts; broker Wythe Ingebritson, sometimes hard to catch on the phone, as the disappearing White Rabbit; and the yard’s founder and owner, Tom Morris, as the Mad Hatter.

PHOTO AT LOWER RIGHT: Owners Mike and Cathy Thieneman, left, characterized Morris Yachts movers and shakers as Alice in Wonderland figures, in keeping with the yacht’ name, Cheshire Cat. Firm owner Tom Morris, kneeling, was the Mad Hatter; behind him, Paul Lamoureux as Tweedledee, Tuesdi Woodworth as the Queen of Hearts, and Allen Beaman as Tweedledum; and top, broker Wythe Ingebritson as the White Rabbit, and project manager John DiPretoro as the Caterpillar.
LAURIE SCHREIBER PHOTO

Designed by Chuck Paine, the first of the high-performance cruising 48s was launched in 2001. The design is intended as a fast yet extremely durable long-distance cruising yacht which is also suitable for competition in point-to-point long-distance classic races.
Mr. Thieneman praised Mr. Morris and company president Cuyler Morris for creating a place where passion and inspiration can flourish.

“Alice did have this dream and that’s what we had, and it will create more dreams for us as we sail around the world,” Mr. Thieneman told the Morris crew. “What does that say about you? You are the dream-makers. You make things happen. You’re not just boatbuilders. You’re artisans who put heart and soul into this.”