SW96 Ammonite was christened in Cape Town last monday. Ammonite is the second Southern Wind Yacht built for Marcus Blackmore, a passionate yachtsman whose love for sailing, be it long distance cruising or breath taking racing, makes him an ambassador for the Southern Wind brand.
SWS commercial director Andrea Micheli explains: “When we started building the SW82 Ammonite, Marcus Blackmore’s first SWS yacht, he trusted us to have the technical knowledge, design features and craftsmanship skills to build his ideal yacht. During the build process we also discovered that there was true friendship underlying our relationship. We have added this secret ingredient in the construction of his second yacht with us.”
This 31.41m high-performance yacht is the perfect blend of her two predecessors, SW96 Sorceress and SW96 Seatius, as she has been conceived for an owner willing to alternate bluewater comfortable navigation with more performance-oriented experiences. SW96#03 Ammonite features sleek hull lines designed by Farr Yacht Design and deck and interior design by Nauta Design; details’ design and systems are by Southern Wind Shipyard.
Twin rudder, lifting keel, fixed bowsprit with integrated anchor arm, carbon boom and high modulus carbon mast, transversal jib tracks are some of the elements enhancing the yacht’s high-performance soul.
Differently from the first two units, she features a tender garage that can accommodate a tender of 3.95 m and two side lazarettes. The coachroof, the fwd and aft cockpits and coamings are cladded in natural teak, while the foredeck and sidewalks of this third SW96 hull are white painted with anti-skid.
The raised Ssaloon configuration sees the engine room positioned beneath the saloon. The greater saloon height grants excellent sightlines through the coachroof windows when guests are standing and hull portlights when they are comfortably seated on the couches.
Furthermore, the coachroof features two lateral skylights and a central hatch to provide even more natural light to the saloon.
The SW96 Ammonite yacht features a three-guest cabin layout which makes for a wide TV area aft of the saloon and a larger owner’s suite forward with ample closet space. The portside forward twin guest cabin can be converted into a double bunk cabin thanks to a sliding bunk. The aft crew area includes a large captain’s cabin with double bunk on portside, a pullman bunk crew cabin on starboard. The navigation station and a spacious galley open onto the crew mess.
A rich and diversified sailing program is awaiting SW96 Ammonite. Delivery is scheduled for end-September in Cape Town, after which Ammonite will head to Sydney then on to New Zealand where her owner, captain and crew will defend their title in the Millennium Cup. From there Ammonite will sail off either for a tour of southeast Asia combined with some regattas or for a cruise to Alaska combined with the 2022 Transpacific Race.