In a military-style operation, the latest multi-million pound luxury yacht from James Bond boat builder Spirit Yachts was carefully winched from its Ipswich boat shed this afternoon.

Ipswich Star: Sean McMillan, founder and chief designer of Spirit Yachts Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNSean McMillan, founder and chief designer of Spirit Yachts Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The eco-friendly Spirit 111 - the largest single masted yacht built in the UK since the 1930s - is an impressive sight even without its rigging and mast.

It filled the boat shed, and getting it out through the 17ft high doors today was a long, slow and careful process, inch by inch and centimetre by centimetre.

Many months of the team's skills and talent have been invested into this unique sailing craft, which has electric as well as sail power, and charges its batteries from its propeller turning.

Today's official reveal marked the final stage of a two-and-a-half year project at the busy Ipswich shipbuilders.

Ipswich Star: Spirit Yachts manouevre a huge yacht outside on to the marina Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNSpirit Yachts manouevre a huge yacht outside on to the marina Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

It has been custom designed and built for its European customer for sailing and for racing, with a top speed approaching 27 knots.

The Spirit 111 is a sleek 34 metres long and will be 42 metres high to the top of the mast.

When fully rigged, it will have to wait for low tide in order to sail under the Orwell Bridge and out for sea trials.

It is a massive craft, dwarfing other large yachts in the Haven Marina nearby.

Ipswich Star: Spirit Yachts manouevre a huge yacht outside on to the marina Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNSpirit Yachts manouevre a huge yacht outside on to the marina Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The growing Ipswich boat builder found international prominence when James Bond sailed into Venice on a Spirit yacht in Casino Royale.

Now, Ipswich-built yachts are sailing around the world.

Founder Sean McMillan said this afternoon: "This is a very proud moment again. It is always a very exciting day.

"This is a fantastic project. Everything we do is unique.

Ipswich Star: Spirit Yachts manouevre a huge yacht outside on to the marina Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNSpirit Yachts manouevre a huge yacht outside on to the marina Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

"We are selling all over the world. We have boats in Australia and America and Canada, the Mediterranean and Scandinavia.

"It is too easy to criticise people who create this sort of thing, we are celebrating it.

"We are making something really beautiful."

High value projects like this created work for many skilled people in the business, he said.

Ipswich Star: Spirit Yachts' new superyacht Spirit 111 safely moved outside its Ipswich boat shed. Picture: NEIL PERRYSpirit Yachts' new superyacht Spirit 111 safely moved outside its Ipswich boat shed. Picture: NEIL PERRY (Image: Archant)

The yacht, which will be individually named by its owner, has a Douglas fir hull, with other woods including mahogany, American walnut, sipo and sapele woods and a teak deck.

Inside, there will be a luxury interior.

There are final finishes and rigging to be done, ready for it to be lowered into the water during October.

The Spirit 111 is the number 65 boat building project at Spirit in Ipswich.

Two more Spirit craft are in the marina and being completed, and in the sheds, number 72 is already in construction.