Grace Trofa

Nautor’s Swan CEO Enrico Chieffi, a former competitive sailor who met Ferragamo sailing, and long-time designer Germán Frers Jr., who penned the new Swan, hosted a press conference in the glorious model room of the New York Yacht Club a few months ago, to introduce the Swan 105, a perfect opportunity to get some insight into this iconic brand.

There appears to be a general trend for sailing yacht builders to break out of a small circle of sailing fans to appeal with yachts that offer creatures comfort and are easier to handle. Without breaking with tradition, the new Nautor’s Swan 105 seems to embrace this trend.

It’s been almost 30 years since an America’s Cup race has taken place in Narragansett Bay, but for four days—June 28th to July lst, 2012—the community rolled out the red carpet and welcomed home its beloved Cup. In this internationally recognized sailing community, Newport will always be home for the America’s Cup.

Writer Herman Melville once called it “an elbow of sand” and the native Wampanoag Indians named it “the Faraway land” (or Nantucket). Both names fit this 14-mile-long and 3.5-mile-wide island 30 miles off the Massachusetts coast. A recent addition to the island’s genteel way of life is the family-friendly Westmoor Club and its flagship Belle.

The new superyacht A, featured on the cover of our July issue, made quite a splash when it was unveiled, but the hull itself is said to hardly make a wake thanks to a very innovative design that Martin Francis, as technical and naval designer on the project once known as SF99, helped turn into reality.