Yachting World - July 2018

SUPERSAIL WORLD 13 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2018

Southern Wind has launched Seatius,

the second in its new SW96 mini-

series of fast cruisers, which heralds a

step-up in performance over previous

models. Even its name is a play on the

Latin word for faster, ‘citius’ (as in the

Olympic motto ‘Citius, altius, fortius’ –

‘Faster, higher, stronger’).

It follows the SW96 Sorceress,

which launched last year. Where

Sorceress was designed with some

racing in mind, Seatius is for global

cruising and set sail for Europe from

the Cape Town yard in May.

Jim Schmicker, Farr’s vice

president, says: “The twin rudders work

extremely well with the shallow draught

of the lifting keel to allow access to

many ports and anchorages. For

performance and ease of handling they

are superior to a single rudder.”

The design changes on deck from

the first SW96 are relatively minor

but all add up to suit the planned

lengthy bluewater passages for owner

and crew. For instance, conventional

longitudinal jib tracks are favoured

over the transverse types used on

Sorceress, and furling gennaker gear is

employed to make sail handling easier

for a smaller crew.

The use of a central passageway,

which divides two lateral sunbathing

areas between aft and guest cockpits,

offers support when the yacht is heeled

and means that guests don’t have to

climb over coamings or furnishings in

the cockpit. Seatius also has a fixed

windscreen with a hard-top to protect

the main companionway and guest

cockpit, plus removable carbon fibre-

framed biminis for the guest cockpit

and individual twin helm areas.

The differences between the first

two models in the SW96 series continue

below decks, with three cabins to the

four of Sorceress. The three-cabin layout

also makes room for a larger owner’s

suite and social spaces. Seatius retains

Southern Wind’s practical crew and

galley arrangement aft, which has its

own access to the helmsman’s cockpit.

The interior is the work of Jeroen

Machielsen from Studio Hermanides,

the owner’s favoured designer. Seatius

is the second Southern Wind build that

uses all interior veneers made from

reconstituted wood veneer. The deck

is in Flexiteek. She will debut at the

Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

SW96 SEATIUS

NEW LAUNCHES

DIMENSIONS

LOA 31.41m 103ft 1in

LWL 26.8m 87ft 11in

Beam 6.95m 22ft 10in

Draught 3.40m-5.50m

11ft 2in-18ft 1in

Displacement 58,500kg 128,969lb

SEATIUS IS A POWERFUL,
MODERN DESIGN, WITH FULL
FORWARD SECTIONS, STRAIGHT
ENDS, A FIXED BOWSPRIT AND
A LIFTING KEEL