Sailing from South Africa to Sardinia is no small matter. But that’s what Marcus Blackmore is doing with Ammonite, his newly delivered SW 82 from Southern Wind.
Blackmore, from Australia, is as known for his love of yachting as he is for his business acumen. He owns several yachts, including a Nordhavn 76 christened Ammonite, plus founded the vitamin company Blackmores. His new sailing yacht Ammonite (named for an extinct group of mollusks that are the most common fossils found today) is hull number three in the SW 82 series from Southern Wind. He commissioned her as much for fun as for competition. In fact, the yacht is making her way to Sardinia for the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta in June. She’ll then race in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in September. Come winter, Caribbean racing is on the agenda.
While part of a semi-custom series, Ammonite has an unusual abundance of customized features. Southern Wind says the performance requirement stems from the best aspects of two previous deliveries. They are Feelin’ Good and Grande Orazio, both SW 82s. The former has put more than 11,000 miles under her hull in a short six months. The latter has seen victory in a number of superyacht regattas. Ammonite is expected to do well in both light and heavy winds.
She’s further the first Southern Wind project fitted with a lifting keel. Blackmore wanted it for relatively shallow-water cruising, particularly in the Pacific. Her draft therefore ranges from 9’8” to 15’4” (3 to 4.7 meters). Blackmore and his guests can enjoy watching their approach to those regions from the airy raised saloon. It has 270-degree views plus quite the fixed sunroof.
Not all about Ammonite is different, of course. She reflects Nauta Yacht Design’s series styling. (Naval architecture is by Farr Yacht Design.) The 19’4”-beam (5.91-meter-beam) yacht has the master stateroom fully forward, like her predecessors, followed by a VIP stateroom (with a pullman) and another guest stateroom moving aft. Crew are housed fully aft, with the combo saloon/dining area amidships. The saloon aboard Ammonite becomes the dining area due to a convertible coffee table. A second coffee table converts to the ultimate Scrabble game board, a favorite of Blackmore, his family, and friends. Furnishings are made of bleached oak with wenge insets and carbon fiber trim.
Look for Ammonite to appear at the Monaco Yacht Show in September, too.
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