The carbon lustre that shines out in front of the Yacht Club de Monaco is considerable. For the first time at this year's trade fair, only sail formats are on display here, neatly lined up according to length. Although unusually short, the superstructure of "Taniwha" is particularly sparkling. It reflects the daylight as if it were hitting a continuous piece of glass. There are only two skylights on the ceiling, each measuring two and a half square metres. The rest is immaculately crafted gloss coat. The moderate width, coupled with the flat-sided hull, which is pleasantly constricted towards the bow and stern, and the almost unobstructed deck are balm for admirers of elegant lines.
Taniwha" belongs to just such a person. More precisely, a couple of owners who took delivery of their first boat with the 35 carbon metres. "They had gained experience on two Baltics from their family and wanted to build full custom. But we were able to convince them that our platform models can be perfectly customised to their style," says Southern Winds PR Manager Umberta Bassino, standing in front of the teak coaming. Together with SWS Sales Manager Andrea Micheli, she presented plans of the SW105, which Farr Yacht Design developed together with Nauta Design in the mid-2010s. Having three units afloat since 2018 would save time and money and minimise the risks usually associated with solitary structures.
Nevertheless, "Taniwha" manages to stand out from the crowd. The complete absence of decorative strips seems unusual for a Southern Wind. Again, the limitation to two hull windows per side is in keeping with the beautiful exterior. By way of comparison, the fifth SW105 currently under construction relies on six side windows each.
Lightweight construction was the top priority for the "Taniwha"
However, this was not a purely aesthetic decision, but was also based on the top point in the specifications: low overall weight. Andrea Micheli explains: "We listed all the weight-saving options for the owner, including the price per kilogramme and our assessment." As a result, whenever there was an opportunity to replace aluminium with titanium, this was done. Railing supports, fittings, the keel head and the automatic anchor system below the waterline are all made of this precious light metal. This saved a total of 300 kilograms.
The lion's share, however, was spent on the laminate structure. The South African shipyard, under Italian management, used a Corecell core as the basis for the hull, which it laminated with prepreg carbon both inside and out. In the dry laying process, cooled epoxy resin is already in the perfect ratio on the fibres and only reacts in the oven. The deck was created using the same process, but on a Nomex core. The standing rigging from Future Fibres (ECsix) and the mast and boom, on which 568 square metres of 3Di sail laminate from North Sails stand on the wind, are also made from carbon fibres. As a result of all the slimming measures, "Taniwha" floats with almost five tonnes less "ballast" than her sister ships.
The fact that the interior was also about lightweight construction only becomes clear when you take a second look at the bathrooms. Of course, these are free of marble, but the washbasins with their integrated basins have a pleasing appearance somewhere between concrete and ceramic. They were realised with the help of Italian specialists. A light core material is covered with fibres, over which resin - enriched with colour pigments - has been smoothed with a spatula just enough to prevent it from looking too clinical.
Nauta adapted the wall to the hull shape
The "Taniwha" owners placed their cabin in the foredeck, following the majority of Southern Wind owners; behind it is a studio with a sleeping option for two. Four guests and the crew of five sleep aft of the saloon. At the owner's request, environmentally friendly and lightweight materials were used for the interior fittings. Light grey linen can be found in upholstered form on the walls, where it creates depth, or on the shaft panelling of the lift keel, which extends from 3.80 to 5.90 metres. Even though the layout is typical of SWS, Nauta Design worked out the styling from scratch with the owner, an architect. The style of her country home served as a guide.
In the master suite, Nauta proposed a modern, nave-like element: The course of the wall towards the floor reflects the shape of the ship's side. Massimo Gino from Nauta Design describes it as follows: "This is functional and beautiful and shows the true shape of the hull instead of hiding it. The beds stand on sloping, curved pedestals that leave more legroom." This makes the owner's bed, which is also underlit, appear to float. The same applies to the side cabinets, which do not reach all the way down and reveal the aforementioned wall arch. A 90-degree curve on the floor would create dark surfaces and storage space in XS format that is difficult to access. Nauta took a similar approach on "All Smoke" and "Morgana", SWS's only customised orders to date.
Brightness despite the lack of windows
Despite the lack of side windows in the superstructure, the salon feels warm and bright. Gino says of the framing of the skylight: "The teak island in the saloon ceiling enlarges the space and conveys an inviting feeling." The yacht builders from the Cape also made the doors, furniture and wall panels from desaturated and oil-treated teak. "The combination of light-coloured oak flooring and the linen walls adds brightness. The interior design is elegant and understated, but never predictable," says a delighted Massimo Gino. The owners made the biggest departure from the original SW105 concept in the cockpit. When you look at it, you should get the feeling that you are looking at a fast yacht.
And this is characterised by a large working cockpit. The flat and short superstructure, which is slightly forward, results in an aft deck that extends almost half the length of the 32.27 metre hull. The steering columns have been moved two metres forward, directly behind the traveller. This brings the helmsman closer to the guest cockpit or the foresails and leaves space aft for a sunbathing area, under which a 4.20 metre tender is stored. A Southern Wind currently under construction will adopt this configuration. "Basically, only the hull lines have remained the same," says Umberta Bassino, summarising "Taniwha's" radical overhaul. The owners turned out to be a stroke of luck for the shipyard. It is only right that their yacht has been given its own additional designation, GT, within the SW105 family. She truly is a Gran Turismo.
Technical data "Taniwha"
- Length over everything: 35,18 m
- Length (hull shape): 29,44 m
- Width: 7,31 m
- Depth:3,80-5,90 m
- Displacement (empty): 65,9 t
- Material:Prepreg carbon
- Motor: 1 x Cummins QSB 6.7 MCD
- Engine power: 1 x 224 kW
- Fuel: 4760 l
- Water: 3000 l
- Rig:Hall Spars, carbon
- Standing crop:Future Fibres ECsix+
- Sail: North Sails 3Di
- Sail area (on the wind): 568 square metres
- Winches: Rake
- Concept and design:Southern Wind Shipyard, Farr Yacht Design, Nauta Design
- Naval Architecture:Farr Yacht Design
- Deck & Interior:Nauta Design
- Class:RINA C Hull Mach Y
- Shipyard: Southern Wind Shipyard, 2021
This article first appeared in our sister magazine BOOTE-Exclusive.
