Southern Wind 105: High-performance cruiser combines sport with family holidays
Martin Hager
· 22.09.2023
If you look at the sail pictures of the new performance cruiser model, you can literally feel the agility with which the Farr design, which displaces just over 69 tonnes, absorbs the crisp Cape Doctor gusts in Table Mountain Bay. "The rudder pressure is impressively light, even in high winds and at the cross," says Marco Alberti, who manages the South African shipyard's business and was present during the test runs against the backdrop of Table Mountain. "Thanks to the twin rudder system, the SW 105 can be steered with two fingers, and when tacking and jibing, the 34-metre sloop feels like a sporty planing dinghy," enthuses Alberti.
The SW 105, just like the SW 96 and the SW-RP 90 launched just last year, belongs to the latest generation of Southern Wind yachts. Light, fast, robust and equally suitable for regattas and travelling the world with the family, a balancing act that naturally also poses major challenges for the yacht designers. "Our aim was to design a typical cruiser-racer for the shipyard with explicit racing genes, without neglecting comfort on board and the aesthetics of the exterior lines," explains the head of Farr Yacht Design, Jim Schmicker. The US yacht designers have been working closely with the shipyard founded by Willy Persico for many years and are very familiar with the existing yacht lines.
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The result is impressive and blends harmoniously into the existing Southern Wind portfolio. The Farr designers gave the 34.59 metre long SW 105 wide and planing stern lines and an open transom. At the owner's request, they garnished the design package with a hydraulic telescopic keel and a twin rudder system. "The decision was made in favour of a telescopic keel for flexible draught and maximum upwind performance and stability without having to sacrifice saloon space," says Schmicker.
The Southern Wind is making fast progress on the space sheet
"The wide stern creates a lot of interior volume, which results in more deck space, both of which are plus points for fast cruising yachts." This also benefits the crew, as in addition to the three large crew compartments in the stern, a 4.20 metre tender and a three-metre jet ski are parked in the lazarette. The shipyard equips the permanently installed bowsprit with an integrated anchor arm and fittings for an 856-square-metre gennaker and a furled Code Zero. After all, you also want to be able to make fast progress on the square sheet.
The shipyard once again placed the styling of the exterior and interior in the hands of Nauta Design. "We quickly realised that we were dealing with an experienced yachtsman who had very precise ideas about his yacht down to the smallest detail," explains Massimo Gino, who runs the Milan design studio together with Mario Pedol.
The deck of the Southern Wind has no steps
One of the biggest design challenges of the project was the deck, which had to do without steps from the stem to the transom. "One level," was the order. "We realised a stepless deck without raising the freeboard and reducing the room height below deck," says Massimo Gino. Comfort was not to suffer as a result.
From the guest cockpit, a large glazed and electrically controlled companionway hatch leads into the heart of the 35-metre sloop; as on most sailing yachts in this size segment, the central living area is the elevated saloon in the flat deckhouse. Other objectives included an interior with the widest possible corridors and doors. An airy interior with the ergonomics of a large house. Wide and comfortable seating and lounge areas were therefore also part of the unalterable specifications. Windows in the deckhouse and hull provide a bright ambience. The clearly structured and proven layout of the timeless furniture creates an immediate feel-good effect. There is a dining table for eight people on the port side. The U-shaped sofa area opposite with extra-deep seating serves as a cosy meeting lounge.
Just a few steps in front is a studio that can be transformed into an on-board cinema if required. The integrated entertainment system, controlled by an AMX controller, leaves little to be desired in terms of entertainment. On the port side and directly behind the TV wall is the VIP cabin, where the children sleep close to their parents. The studio area with adjoining suite serves as a seamless separation between the saloon and the owner's area in the bow. "This layout variant has proven its worth," explains Marco Alberti. "It allows us to maximise the separation of the crew from the VIP and owner's cabins."
Compatibility of two worlds
The SW 105, just like the SW 96 and the new SW-RP 90 The new yacht is the latest generation of Southern Wind yachts. Light, fast, robust and equally suitable for regattas and travelling the world with the family, a balancing act that naturally also poses major challenges for the yacht designers. "Our aim was to design a typical cruiser-racer for the shipyard with explicit racing genes, without neglecting comfort on board and the aesthetics of the exterior lines," explains the head of Farr Yacht Design, Jim Schmicker. The US yacht designers have been working closely with the shipyard founded by Willy Persico for many years and are very familiar with the existing yacht lines.
The result is impressive and blends harmoniously into the existing Southern Wind portfolio. The Farr designers gave the 34.59 metre long SW 105 wide and planing stern lines and an open transom. At the owner's request, they garnished the design package with a hydraulic telescopic keel and a twin rudder system. "The decision was made in favour of a telescopic keel for flexible draught and maximum upwind performance and stability without having to sacrifice saloon space," says Schmicker.
Spacious tender garage
A few steps aft of the saloon lead to the guest area, which consists of two double cabins facing each other. Behind this is the crew area for a crew of up to six. Here, too, the yacht builders from Cape Town did not dare to experiment in consultation with the owner. In the centre of the crew quarters and right next to the galley is the compact mess area, where five people can sit on a bench and three stools. Behind the mess and directly in front of the companionway to the working cockpit with twin rudders, the captain studies the course on the sat nav monitor. The tender and toy selection, which is large for this length of yacht, is stored under the working cockpit. The crew launches them into the water using a modern launching system.
Together with Nauta Design, the Farr designers invested a great deal of time in the technical optimisation of the deck layout. The genoa sheets were elaborately laid below deck and run freely again at the height of the winches in the working cockpit. A capstan winch takes up the mainsheet, as is usual with formats of this size. This makes it wonderfully easy to trim the mainsail at the touch of a button. Four powerful electric Harken winches are available in the working cockpit for handling staysail, genoa and gennaker sheets, even with a small crew.
The food arrives by lift
The Southern Wind 105 complements its sporty guise with maximum cruising comfort. This is particularly evident in the guest cockpit. Up to ten guests can comfortably spread out around two tables for an al-fresco dinner, with cool drinks stored in refrigerators in the immediate vicinity.
And the snacks? A dumbwaiter lift transports them directly from the galley to the sunbathers travelling with them, who loll on the sunbathing lawns with large cushions in front of the aft companionway. The Performance-Slup completed the 7000-nautical-mile transfer voyage to the Mediterranean, which is customary for yachts from South Africa, with flying colours, so that nothing stands in the way of a sporty, relaxed summer in the Mediterranean.
After the almost four-week crossing, Captain Loic Fabre was deeply impressed by the sailing performance of his new workplace. "Near Gibraltar, we were hit by a low-pressure area with six-metre-high waves and wind speeds of around 50 knots. We sailed on a square sheet with two reefs in the main plus staysail and literally surfed the waves. At one point our log showed 32 knots! It was an amazing feeling!"
Technical data of the SW 105
- Length over everything:34,59 m
- Waterline length:29,44 m
- Width:7,31 m
- Depth:3,65-5,60 m
- Displacement (empty):69,5 t
- Material:GRP, carbon sandwich
- Rig:Southern Spars
- Sail:North Sails 3Di
- Sail area (on the wind):557 square metres
- Motor:1x Cummins QSB 6.7
- Engine power:1x 227 kW
- Fuel:4.790 l
- Water:3.200 l
- On-board electronics:B&G, Sailor
- Construction:Farr Yacht Design
- Styling:Nauta Design
- Interior design:Nauta Design
- Classification:RINA Charter Class
- Shipyard: Southern Wind, 2017
This article first appeared in BOOTE Exclusiv issue 4/2018 and has been updated for this online version.
