Nauta’s groundbreaking design for Southern Wind 105GT Taniwha

The new Southern Wind 105GT, Taniwha, which debuted at the recent Monaco Yacht Show, was a particularly challenging project because it meant interpreting the owners brief by adding customizations to the versatile SW105 platform.

By Jill Bobrow, Editor-At-Large, Yachts International

November 19, 2021

The new Southern Wind 105GT, Taniwha, which debuted at the recent Monaco Yacht Show, was a particularly challenging project because it meant interpreting the owners brief by adding customizations to the versatile SW105 platform. The Milan-based Nauta studio had already drawn the deck lines and designed the interior for the previous three hulls in this Southern Wind’s ‘smart custom’ line series.

“When Southern Wind introduced us to the potential clients, we carefully noted all their wishes and brief and immediately had that light-bulb moment,” says Nauta co-founder Massimo Gino. “We gave rise to a sleeker, sporty, automobile design-inspired version of the boat, featuring a new deck design which —together with Southern Wind Shipyard – we christened the “Gran Turismo”. When our new design for this SW105 #4 was presented, we could tell by the enthusiasm in the owners’ eyes that we had understood and matched their brief.”

Southern Wind took a hard look at every element of the design in order to save weight in an efficient way– eventually delivering a yacht that displaced less than the fastest SW105 to date, thus not compromising the comfort typical of a superyacht.

“We wanted to save weight in a clever way. For every kilogram weight saving proposed we offered a rating. Saving weight higher up above deck is good and well spent, with a strong benefit in terms of distance from the center of gravity” says Andrea Micheli, Southern Wind Shipyard Commercial Director.

It drove Nauta to completely redesign the deck to create a sense of speed and streamlining. A lower toe-rail, a slender coach roof and a cockpit that is wider and shallower – all have been combined to great effect.

“This new deck design has an innovative and clean look that is driven by the methods of composite construction and by racing yacht styling,” says Gino. “The end result is a yacht that combines a powerful sail plan and lightweight construction with all the comforts of a bluewater cruiser.”

It has also created some intriguing opportunities, which Nauta has fully exploited. Along the coaming of the stepless cockpit, Gino envisioned a solid-looking teak cap to provide an aesthetic highlight and a comfortable spot for the helmsperson and trimmers to perch under way. You would never know that it is a nomex cored composite structure with rich teak veneer. It joins seamlessly to the hull side then bends to run parallel to the deck and looks as though it is floating over the cockpit, and is visually stunning by day, and even more special in the evening, when a hidden string of LED lights brings it to life.

Interior

The Owners’ brief was very clear: they wanted to have a holistic indoor-outdoor connection, and that connection be expressed in all the styling under deck, which should be sober, clean, light as the deck design. Natural materials should be used for the interior furniture, and they requested that every detail was carefully designed so as to be “over the top” and set a new reference in interior design.

The transparent main companionway, sided with glass so you can see from indoors to out while moving between the deck and interior, puts the interior and exterior in direct communication and creates a flow of life and style between outdoor and indoor.

From the helmsman position on deck, you can see throughout the interior towards the TV lounge and even further. In the same way, from the owner’s cabin you can look out and see what is happening in the aft cockpit.

The interior design and geometry follows the natural curves of the hull rather than seeking to obscure it behind the 90-degree corners of standard cabinetry. Nowhere is this approach clearer than in the owner’s cabin forward and two guest cabins aft.

The cabins feature floating lockers fixed to the hull sides, which are functional and beautiful while also showing, instead of hiding, the yacht’s true hull shape.

The beds are on slanted and curved bases that create extra foot room and harmonize the yacht’s hull shape.

There is widespread use of teak below deck, just as there is above. It has been desaturated and oil-treated to create a finish that appeals to more than just the eyes. “It is lovely,” says Gino. “Warm but bright, easy on the eye and soft to the touch. The combination of the light flooring and the fabric-covered wall panels gives brightness to the interior.”

Generously sized bathrooms feature lightweight moulded resin basins and surfaces, specially formulated by expert Italian craftsmen to perfectly resemble “Italian stucco”. The main saloon includes a stunning teak dome around the skylight, which emphasizes the abundant natural light and the headroom, while creating a sense of cosiness.

Teak tables in the full-beam saloon have a double purpose, capable of rising to provide dining, or lowering to become a coffee table . The tables, too, are designed to look as if they’re light and floating by using a top that shows thin edges with metal inlay – echoing the effect seen elsewhere on the boat.

Taniwha’s interior is state-of-the-art and represent the latest step in the recent evolutionary phase in sailing superyacht design “In this yacht you’ll find all of our latest design innovations combined in a particularly coherent way so that they match perfectly with the GT style of the yacht’s exteriors. Here we have the same language in and out, it is holistic” says Gino.