It cruises as if on rails, says Raphaël Montigneaux of Windy Boats’ new flagship, an 18 metre chase boat that’s so much more than just a tender...
Scandinavia’s Windy Boats has been a contender in the boating world since the late 1960s but it’s in the last decade especially that it has made its mark on the superyacht sector by building high-quality custom chase boats and tenders. A benchmark in the yard’s history was the SR52 Blackbird, a super tender developed with Dubois Naval Architects. Building on that experience and the success of its SR52 line, in October, the company unveiled its most accomplished contender yet, the Windy SLR/SR60, with a party held at the waterfront Slottsholmen Hotel near Windy’s facility in Västervik, Sweden.
“When I saw the boat finished, I realized that we have now reached a level of quality that I have never seen before,” said Knut Heiberg-Andersen, co-chairman of Windy Boats, at the event. From the get-go, the shipyard intended to set a new reference in the chase boat world and greeted the arrival of the new flagship with flowing champagne.
It was sunny but blustery when we set out for a cruise in a scenic fjord, but there was not much evidence of wind as we cruised at 25 knots – it felt like cruising on rails. When we stopped, with the gyrostabilizer on, the boat was so stable you could have grabbed a drink from the bar and stood on the large platform without any worry of spills. A lot of that is down to the naval architecture by Malcolm McKeon, who was previously involved in the development of the SR52 and gave this hull a deep V and increased flare on the top sides.
The owner of the first SLR60 is a repeat client who worked with McKeon on the design of his future superyacht, a 60 metre sloop known as Project 404 currently under construction at Royal Huisman. He asked him to come up with a newer version of his SR52. Being involved with both Windy and the mothership gave the designer a good understanding of the goals.
“We thought that for the new sailboat we were going to do something more up-to-date, a bit bigger, and [generally] improve on the 52,” McKeon says. From an initial 17 metre, the project quickly grew to 18.2 metres. “We did a lot of CFD work to compare the characteristics of the 52 and the 60, to make the boat a bit drier and a bit more sea-kindly,” he says. Increasing the range was another important goal. This first hull is the SLR (long-range) version, and it has an impressive range of 850 nautical miles at 25 knots with a 1,220-gallon fuel capacity (the alternative SR version has smaller tanks for more accommodation space, with a larger aft cabin). The top speed is more than 40 knots.
Essential to the design were space and storage for longer trips, and McKeon has found it everywhere he could, from the bow area to the transom. The central helm station, surrounded by six seats, is protected by a windscreen that connects harmoniously to the hardtop. Behind it is a spacious alfresco guest area with the bar, followed by the aft deck with generous sunpads and a big swim platform.
The extra length and the colors – a dark paint contrasting with light-colored cushions echoing the interior by Christian Liaigre – give the boat real elegance. Guillaume Rolland, head of the yachting division at Studio Liaigre, also worked on the owner’s new mothership. It was his first time designing a “boat” rather than a superyacht for a client, an experience he describes as “very exciting.” The designer, himself an avid sailor, set out to create his vision of Windy’s Scandinavian heritage and an interior for people who sail.
“For the interior layout, we started from a white page to find the best balance,” he says. “I have a boat of 8.8 metres, so I understand the problem of space.”
Inside and out, the space is smartly designed for flexible use. Forward is the salon and a dining corner that converts into two twin beds. A large and ergonomic galley near the salon entrance also offers easy access to the outside. On the opposite side is a dayhead with a shower. A double bed is in the aft section, below the cockpit.
It’s “functionality before all,” Rolland says, although there are no concessions made in terms of elegance and luxury, down to the smaller details. The plugs and switches, for example, are from French artisan Meljac. “We focused on the perceived quality.” The interior tells a story, Rolland explains. “The way things follow each other, the way they are linked together, is a kind of invisible science that triggers desire. Every proportion, every angle, has its reason.”
It’s easy to want to stay on board this boat. The SLR60 feels reassuringly well-built and the combination of carbon fibre and oak wood, which is white-washed or tinted black to mirror the finish on the future mothership, is harmonious and appealing.
The new SLR60 is more than a tender; it’s a luxurious capable dayboat that an owner will be proud to take to shore but will also enjoy on the open sea.
First published in the February 2022 issue of BOAT International US. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.
SHOP NOW