Invader & Defender
Meet Invader and Defender, a matched pair of 8-Metre classics, both commissioned by Hunt and Betsy Lawrence and built by Wooden Boatworks in Greenport, New York. The 8-Meter class, part of the Olympic sailing roster from 1908 to 1936, is still an active and prestigious international racing class. Invader and Defender are faithful new constructions based on a 1930 design by the renowned Scottish yacht designer William Fife III.
Invader was the first to be built, launched in 2015 as a modern realization of Invader II, one of Fife’s classic 8-Meter designs. The original Invader II spent most of her life at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto before tragically sinking in the Hudson River after a nighttime collision with a tugboat in the 1960s. Recreating a yacht that had been lost for decades was no small feat. Detailed research, original plans, and expert input from naval architect Theo Rye guided the process.
In 2017, the Lawrence's commissioned Defender to serve as a match-racing partner for Invader. Built to the exact same 1930 Fife design, Defender shares identical hull lines, construction methods, and materials. Both yachts feature riveted Alaskan yellow cedar planking, with varnished cherry covering boards, toe rails, and cabin structures that offer a refined visual contrast to the golden cedar. Their interiors reflect Fife’s design ethos—spartan yet elegant, functional yet beautifully crafted.
Invader and Defender are maintained by Wooden Boatworks Inc., the same team responsible for their construction. Their match races evoke a bygone era of yachting, blending competitive sailing with classic design and craftsmanship. These two yachts represent not only a revival of the 8-Meter class but also a deep respect for maritime tradition, offering a rare and refined sailing experience rooted in history.
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Two beautiful Eights: Invader and Defender
Invader II