Founded in 1991 in Cape Town, South Africa, sailing yacht builder Southern Wind is synonymous with versatile and cost effective vessels for bluewater sailing. Its newest launch, the 31.24-metre sailing yacht Nyumba explores exactly that and more, in a specially tailored design that remains in-line with Southern Wind’s ‘Smart Custom’ philosophy.
Photo: Rob KamhootNyumba is the fourth hull in the SW96 series and her expert owner requested a fast and efficient cruising yacht to sail around the world and participate in superyacht regattas. The word ‘Nyumba’ is the Swahili word for home, and her owners have worked to make her a true home away from home. She features interior and exterior design from Nauta Design with naval architecture by Farr Yacht Design.
Photo: Rob Kamhoot“Although this is the fourth hull in the SW96 series, Nyumba is uniquely special,” explained Massimo Gino, co-founder of Nauta Design in Milan and longtime design partner of Southern Wind. “The sleek and simple lines of her GT deck configuration represent an important evolution of the GT deck concept we first introduced on the SW105 Taniwha.”
Read: 31m Southern Wind sailing yacht Nyumba GT launched
Photo: Giuliano SargentiniThe owner of Nyumba wanted a sleek, dynamic profile, as well as an uncluttered deck layout with the deck equipment easily accessible. To achieve this, Southern Wind adopted a low-slung carbon composite coachroof to create a sporty aesthetic and minimalist profile.
Photo: Rob Kamhoot“We’re very proud of the purity of the styling and form-meets-function detailing,” added Massimo Gino. Her coamings have been subtly integrated into the teak deck to protect the guest cockpit, while also serving as covered conduit for the sheets from the winches as they pass forward.Photo: Giuliano SargentiniThis stylish and elegant design detail also helps to keep the guest area of Nyumba clear of any running rigging as the sheet re-emerge from the forepart of the coachroof. “We pushed the mainsheet traveller as far aft as we could to the end of the boom, also reducing loads to the minimum to aft of the crew companionway. This is styled to look like a mini version of the coachroof, while the twin helm positions have been brought further forward for better visibility,” explained Massimo Gino.
Photo: Giuliano SargentiniWhen short-handed the three winches mounted on each side of the teak combings serve as convenient benches with easy reach to the helm positions. The deck also has LED lighting under her coamings to create a ‘floating’ effect at night. The aft deck of Nyumba is also completely flush, with just one step down into the guest cockpit for added protection.
Photo: Giuliano Sargentini“The owner wanted shorter sun beds to increase the size of the manoeuvring area aft. The consoles themselves are mounted on custom-designed supports that resemble the hub of a propeller or thruster – another of the client’s bespoke requests,” commented Massimo Gino.
Photo: Giuliano Sargentini
Photo: Giuliano Sargentini
Photo: Giuliano Sargentini
Photo: Giuliano SargentiniThe layout of Nyumba offers a master stateroom with two ensuite guest staterooms amidships – a tried and tested interior layout for the SW96 series. As the owners will be spending long periods of time onboard, Nyumba had to be both comfortable and cosy. 
Photo: Giuliano SargentiniThe main saloon amidship benefits from a sliding glass companionway hatch, large hull windows, and a wide skylight that runs the length of the coachroof. This creates a natural flow of light onboard and illuminates the bespoke interior.
Photo: Giuliano Sargentini“The design is based on classic oiled teak veneers and specific pieces of fitted furniture, but the general styling was managed by the owners, choosing from the wide range of options in the Southern Wind palette of materials and colours,” explained Massimo Gino.
Photo: Giuliano SargentiniThe exterior areas of Nyumba also match the design expertise of her interior. Her 8.5-metre fold-down transom creates a large swimming platform and reveals her garage with storage for a 4.5-metre tender. Created by Southern Wind, this design feature allows the lower section to be angled upwards to protect the garage from slamming on the waves in rough waters, while the upper section can still be positioned horizontally.
Photo: Giuliano Sargentini
Photo: Rob KamhootNyumba is the first yacht in the SW96 series to be equipped with a hybrid electric propulsion system and is engineered with BAE Systems to be fully compliant with IMO Tier III regulations. “Effectively this boat will be the very first to brandish a hybrid-gen system in a superyacht of this size range. Southern Wind and BAE Systems partnered to push the boundaries into a new phase of sustainable superyacht construction, making the owner the first move in this direction,” Marco Alberti, Southern Wind CEO, explained.
Read: Southern Wind announces construction of 29m Nyumba with hybrid propulsion
Photo: Rob Kamhoot“Last but not least, the owner’s choice of dark grey for the hull and coachroof highlights the sophisticated simplicity of the exterior design and titanium deck hardware, ” concluded Gino. “There is no cove stripe or waterline stripe and even the anti-fouling paint is the same shade of grey as the hull.”
Photo: Rob Kamhoot