Shipyard · New build
Southern Wind Shipyard
Cape Town builder of semi-custom carbon performance-cruising sailing yachts, typically running mini-series of 29–36 m boats designed with Farr and Nauta. It completes around two hulls a year in a single integrated yard, and every yacht sails about 7,500 nm to the Mediterranean on delivery. The 37.5 m SW123 largest model is due in 2027.
Yachts built by Southern Wind Shipyard →Key facts
- Parent
- Private — shareholder group and management (since 2018)
- Country
- South Africa
- Founded
- 1991 (Willy Persico; yard site says business started 1990, bought by Persico 1991)
- Status
- Active
- Size range (LOA, m)
- approx. 22–37.5
- Largest delivered
- SW108 series, approx. 35.5 m LOA incl. bowsprit (Gelliceaux 2023, Kiboko 4 2025, Kalantis 2026); SW123 (37.5 m) due Feb 2027
- Yachts delivered
- Approximately 40 (Southern Wind heritage page, undated, read Sep 2026)
Notable yachts
- Gelliceaux · SW108 Hybrid, 35.5 m, 2023
- Kiboko 4 · SW108, ~35.5 m, 2025
- Kalantis · SW108, ~35.5 m, 2026
- Sørvind · SW105
- Sorceress · SW96
Services
- new build (semi-custom 'smart custom' series)
- in-house lamination, carbon, fabrication, systems, carpentry, paint and interiors
- after-sales support
Haul-out
| Travel lift | not published |
|---|---|
| Shiplift | not published |
| Dry / floating dock | not published |
| Max LOA handled (m) | not published |
| Max tonnage handled | not published |
| Sheds / berths | Integrated yard of 19,800 m²; approx. 270 staff; about two hulls completed per year (yard site, undated) |
Sources
- sws-yachts.com — https://sws-yachts.com/heritage/
- sws-yachts.com — https://sws-yachts.com/sws-experience/at-the-yard-with-southern-wind/
- boatinternational.com — https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/news/sw108-sailing-yacht-series-third-unit-kalantis-delivery
- boatinternational.com — https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/news/southern-wind-sw123-sailing-yacht-project-under-construction
Compiled from published sources. Figures carry their own source and date where one exists.