Southern Wind launches second SW108 in Cape Town

Kiboko 4 is the fourth yacht built for the same SW owner

Southern Wind has launched the second in its SW108 range of ‘smart custom’ sailing yachts in Cape Town. Kiboko 4 follows in the wake of her successful sistershsip, Gelliceaux.

Notably, Kiboko 4 is the fourth yacht built for the same SW owner who was present at last week’s launch and whose comments were included in the latest SW newsletter. “This yacht represents an evolution for me – building on my previous boats while reflecting Southern Wind’s continued advancement in crafting reliable yachts with increasingly elegant and aggressive lines,” the owner said. “Compared to my earlier yachts, I’ve taken a leap toward performance with a lifting keel, an enhanced sail plan, and a performance mast and rigging package which I hope will make her highly competitive in regattas.

“The SW108 incorporates many innovative features from Southern Wind, Nauta Design, and Farr Yacht Design, making her, in my opinion, the best in this market range today,” he said.

Marco Alberti, Southern Wind CEO, remarked: “Hull #1 of the SW108 project proved its excellence by winning the St Barths Bucket Regatta on her debut and being awarded ‘Best Yacht in the 24-30m Range’ at the ISS Awards. True to our Smart Custom philosophy, Kiboko 4, the second unit of this project, stands apart with her own personality, much like the three previous yachts the owner commissioned from us. Our design priorities for Kiboko 4 focused on weight optimisation, performance, and aesthetics while maintaining the light, airy Mediterranean ambiance of her interiors.”

A standout feature of the latest build was the detailed input from the yacht’s captain regarding systems, mechanical details and the owner’s expectations, SW said.

SWS spokesperson Umberta Bassino said it was the first time the company had produced four yachts for a single client, whose previous yachts were now sailing ‘all over the world’ with other owners: “He is the first one having built four yachts but we are proud to say we have a very ‘loyal’ customer base, with 30% of our owners entrusting the shipyard with the construction of their second or even third yacht.

“This owner always looked for fast yachts to be enjoyed in Mediterranean superyacht regattas and to cruising comfortably with his large family. He is used to spending most of his spare time on board. Once he said, ‘yachts are for me the way to escape from my everyday business life and the place where I can spend quality and relaxed time with my family’. He has always been a great ambassador of the SW values and philosophy.

“The process of designing and creating something as special as a yacht is an activity that creates a strong bond between people. This creates relationships built on mutual trust and respect, something that is at the heart of the company’s day-to-day work. SWS clients feel that they are part of an extended family and I think this is one of our strengths in our market niche,” Bassino said.

SW108 Gelliceaux was billed as the “first Southern Wind project to be conceived and engineered as hybrid from its origin and will open the world of green performance sailing”. SW108 #3 is currently under construction.