Few scenes in Casino Royale are as quiet as this one. Daniel Craig’s Bond and Vesper Lynd slip into Venice under sail, with no gadget and nothing to prove. The Spirit 54 yacht behind it is a real boat, built by Spirit Yachts in Suffolk, and we would count it among the most graceful vehicles in the films.
In the film
In Casino Royale (2006), Bond and Eva Green’s Vesper Lynd travel from Montenegro to Venice by yacht, with Vesper at the helm for the arrival. Spirit Yachts says the boat was built in Suffolk, shipped to the Bahamas, and sailed to Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands for filming. It was then shipped to Croatia and sailed on to Venice. See the full Casino Royale film page for the rest of the story.
The details of the Spirit 54 yacht
Handcrafted in Suffolk. The maker describes the yacht as handcrafted by its own team of boat-builders. For a buyer that matters more than any figure on a spec sheet: this is a boat made by the yard that designed it.
Fifty-four feet. BOAT International describes the layout as comfortable, with two double cabins, and notes that the Spirit 54 has won trophies in Spirit and Classic regattas. It is a yacht that can be raced as well as admired.
A rig made for canals. In Venice, the maker says, the rig was taken in and out ten times to fit under canal bridges. It also says the yacht was the first sailing yacht to go up the Grand Canal in 300 years. That is the maker’s claim, and we have not verified it independently.
Owning it now
This is not an impulse purchase, and we would not pretend otherwise. The Spirit 54 does not appear in the current Spirit Yachts range, which lists models such as the C44, P50 and SY111, so a Spirit 54 today most likely means a second-hand boat, and the button on this page searches eBay for the model. For the maker’s own view, see its 007 yacht page. If you want the same hand-built character in a current design, ask the yard what it is building, or look at the Spirit 46 that Bond sails in No Time To Die.
We would look for a boat with documented ownership and a full survey. Whatever you choose, sail it with the same light touch Bond shows here: sails up, a small crew, nobody dressed for the occasion.
Specifications
| Model | Spirit 54 |
|---|---|
| Maker | Spirit Yachts, Suffolk, England |
| Length | 54ft |
| Accommodation | Two double cabins (per BOAT International) |
| Build | Handcrafted by the maker’s boat-builders |
| Price | Not published by the maker |
The maker’s account of the film boat is on Spirit Yachts’ own 007 page.
Questions
Is this the yacht from Casino Royale?
It is the same model. Spirit Yachts confirms a Spirit 54 was chosen for the Venice sequence. Sources disagree on the boat’s own name: the maker says Spirit, BOAT International says Soufrière.
Can you still buy a Spirit 54?
Not new, as the current range does not list the model. Second-hand examples have come to market, so the practical route is a broker or an enquiry to Spirit Yachts.
Which Spirit yacht is in No Time To Die?
A Spirit 46, seen during Bond’s retirement in Jamaica, according to the maker. It is a different design from the Spirit 54.
Did a sailing yacht really go up the Grand Canal?
According to Spirit Yachts, yes, and the rig was taken in and out ten times to clear the bridges. We treat the 300-year claim as the maker’s own.
More boats and cars from the films are in our vehicles collection, and every film is listed under Films.
