When you look at Southern Wind sailing yachts you can clearly see a sophisticated holiday on the Côte d’Azur, Liguria or Balearic Islands. These boats built in South Africa look too Mediterranean.

Story .

The Southern Wind Shipyard owes its origin to the Italian entrepreneur Willy Persico, who in the 1970s was involved in the oil trade and in 1990 headed a small shipyard in Messina. In the same year he planned to build himself a 72-foot yacht designed by Ron Holland. The shipyard was chosen by the small Cenmarinein shipyard in Cape Town. It turned out to be available for purchase, and so Willie Peachesico had created the Southern Wind.

The business concept was formulated as small-scale production of semi-custom yachts (from 20 to 35 m). The newest technologies of composite materials were used in construction, and since 2000 – carbon fiber and Kevlar.

The main bet was on design. The famous studios Farr Yacht Design, Reichel/Pugh and Nauta Design were involved in the design of small series that were well suited to individual configuration.

Ultra-fashionable yachts at similar prices quickly won over fans and the shipyard’s success came with it. In 2008, the 100-foot Mrs Seven became the Italian Vela e Motore «Yacht «of» the Year and» received a special prize from ISS; in 2010, the yacht received a special prize. 110-foot Thalima is awarded a prize by the International Design Association; in 2015. The 102-foot Farfalla from Bruce Farr has been awarded the prestigious World Superyacht Awards.

A powerful blow to the shipyard was the sudden death of the founder Willie Persico in May 2018. Southern Wind now heads the board of directors and shareholders who were still working under the founder’s father.

Production

Southern Wind Shipyard is located in a two-hectare suburb of Cape Town. Half of the area is covered. Starting with a team of two dozen workers, the shipyard has grown to almost 300 employees. But even such a team builds no more than 2-3 buildings per year. In just over 25 years of existence Southern Wind Shipyard has built over 40 yachts.

Range of models

Traditionally, Southern Wind has built comfortable, low displacement sport cruising yachts. Today, the shipyard offers potential customers both in-house developments in lengths ranging from 82 to 115 feet, as well as the opportunity to build a fully customised yacht. The construction management can be entrusted to Nauta Design‘s specialists or, again, through a trusted representative.

Features

A potential customer of the shipyard is not new to sailing, not alien to sports excitement, but would like to stand out in the crowded marinas of the Mediterranean without even going out to sea. State-of-the-art hull construction technology enables Southern Wind yachts to combine these aspirations to produce attractive, virtually custom yachts. At the same time, small-scale production allows to make such a boat not super expensive.