Southern Wind Shipyard in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa has recently launched their latest build, the stunning SW105 high-performance cruiser. The yacht was lowered slowly into the cold waters of Table Bay floating right on her lines and ready to sail. Her owner, who had previously owned two Southern Wind yachts, is hoping that this one lives up to her name; Kiboko III. Kiboko is the Swahili word for Hippopotamus but don’t be deceived. While a hippo might look clumsy and barely able to waddle, let alone run, they can reach speeds of up to 19 miles an hour. Kiboko Tres does not have the lines of a hippo. Indeed the yacht has sleek, contemporary lines but in its heart, the yacht has the DNA of the not-to-be-underestimated hippopotamus.
Kiboko III is a sistership to Satisfaction which was launched in 2017 and exudes the same quality and craftsmanship that is at the heart of every yacht that comes out of Southern Wind Shipyard. The shipyard was founded in 1991 and under the leadership of its owner Willy Persico it has become one of the best boat building facilities in the world. Persico was there for the launch of Kiboko III but sadly suddenly passed away a few months later. From the Southern Wind website; “At the heart of every Southern Wind yacht is a passion for craftsmanship coupled with a tireless striving for technical innovation. Investment in research, product development and the latest construction techniques are of paramount importance and have been the linchpin of SWS’s success for the past 27 years.” Kiboko III is one more stunning example of this commitment.
Unfortunately, Mr. Persico didn’t have the chance to see this wonderful creature touching the water. He followed almost the entire construction process but left us a couple of months before the launch. Kiboko Tres’ owner is at his third yacht with us and his relationship with Mr. Persico was special: they where sharing the same passion for sailing and yachting. Because of this, Kiboko’s owner is now among the new shareholders of the company, as per Mr. Persico desire.
Kiboko III was designed by Farr Yacht Design with the general concept a joint collaboration between Nauta Design and Southern Wind Shipyard. Nauta Design is responsible for the stunning contemporary interior and exterior, proved themselves yet again to be at the forefront of interior styling and innovation. Based in Milan, Italy Nauta Design have worked closely with Southern Wind on a number of projects, and the results have been beautiful yachts that exude Italian design and elegance combined with traditional South Africa craftsmanship.
Kiboko III is more of a cruiser than Satisfaction and perfectly reflects the owner’s wishes. “I was looking for a high-performance yacht to race within the Superyacht regattas on the world circuit while at the same time looking for a place to spend precious time with my large family and being able to completely disconnect from our daily commitments.” It was clear on the first outing that Kiboko III not only met but exceeded the owner’s wishes.
