The Fine Balance of Risk and Reward Aboard the Southern Wind 108 Kalan|tis

The Southern Wind 108 Kalantis is an elite racing yacht designed for experienced crew. Not just those who know their way around a superyacht, but those who understand the precise balance of risk, pushing systems to their limits, with reward, whether standing atop the regatta podium or casually cruising the rugged coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Kalantis, a meticulously balanced racing yacht and comfortable cruiser, was launched in December 2025 and delivered in March 2026. Fresh from April’s Palma International Boat Show, Kalantis will vie for honors at the May 2026 Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta. She will race with a dozen other Southern Wind yachts registered on the preliminary entry list, among such impressive vessels as a Frers Swan 115, a Farr Pendennis, a Tripp Wally 143, and a pair of Vitters, one by Briand an another by Tripp. Participation in the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta is sure to put the punctuation mark on the level of combined performance and comfort brought by Kalantis.

A Demanding Owner’s Brief

The experienced, performance-focused owner approached Southern Wind seeking a yacht that would be competitive at a high level while maintaining a comfortable, autonomous cruising environment for leisure adventures. Through his representative, Matthew Satchwell, the owner outlined the lightweight performance he sought, using race-optimized sailing systems and top-of-industry technology.

Additionally, the brief requested extended cruising capabilities to remote regions that have limited accessibility, carrying a sizeable 5.20-meter tender and a bevy of water toys. Even on leisure journeys, Kalantis would require systems with built-in reliability, redundancy, and autonomy.

As the third yacht in the Southern Wind 108 series, Kalantis put together answers to build questions answered by each of the three yachts in the series. While the first yacht, Gelliceaux, was built for speed, the second yacht, Kiboko 4, tempered speed with cruising comfort and minimized risk. Kalantis, without compromise, aimed to have it all. Fittingly described by the owner as a “modern pirate ship,” Kalantis is fast, innovative, and elegant, proving an ambitious racing yacht, with a stylish sense of adventure and mystery.

Kalantis By The Numbers

Kalantis was built on the time-tested Southern Wind 108 Smart Custom platform. The carbon fiber hull measures 32.77 meters, 35 meters with bowsprit. She sports a beam of 7.51 meters and a lifting keel with a draft between 4 and 6.2 meters.

Built by Southern Wind in Cape Town, South Africa, with Nauta out of Milan acting as exterior stylist and interior designer, Kalantis houses eight guests in four staterooms. Naval Architecture was penned by Farr Yacht Design out of Annapolis, MD.
Capable of 250 to 350 nautical miles per day under average conditions, Kalantis can push that range significantly upward under ideal conditions due to a hull form proven for upwind efficiency and downwind power. In addition to the carbon hull, Kalantis is fitted with full carbon deck and bulkheads and titanium hardware, further reducing weight. A twin rudder keeps Kalantis on course at high angles of heel, particularly when sailing upwind or reaching. From the square top mainsail to the keel bulb wrapped in a cheeky squid graphic, scrutiny of every component on board points toward efficiency.

The Upper Deck

The view of the Kalantis from the dock shows a neatly finished stern, with an expansive clean deck and twin helms in the aft cockpit. The simple genius lies in the cleverly designed transom that completely transforms the space from a flush deck enclosed stern to a recessed beach club, swim platform, and seaside lounge with direct water access. Perfect for swimming, sunbathing, stargazing, and alfresco dining, the space is the perfect host for watersports. Additionally, it serves as an outdoor cinema. A lazarette below serves as storage for water toys and other essentials.

When the Seaside Lounge folds back into itself, the twin helms sit atop a teak deck rimmed to port and starboard with teak benches formed by the sides of the guest cockpit. Just forward of the helm stations, a central companionway to the lower deck crew quarters defines the working cockpit from the guest cockpit, just forward.

Two C-shaped sofas and a pair of adjustable height tables beckon guests to relax and enjoy the view. The graceful curve of the coachroof is formed by a large central skylight between two teak panels, all joined at the forward end of the roof by a large window, giving those in the salon below a clear view forward. A central guest companionway at the forward end of the cockpit delivers guests to the lower-deck salon.

Forward on the upper deck, a recessed space serves double duty as tender storage and an alfresco lounge. Several large flush deck skylights send natural light into the lower deck.

The Lower Deck

Taking the central companionway stair, guests enter the lower deck salon. Comfortable and chic, dressed in natural shades of cream, textured soft furnishings covered in Loro Piana Astratto Grey Dune and Lodge Biancore fabrics add luxurious depth.

The comfy organic shapes of the sofas, tables, and chairs issue a calm, warm welcome to starboard. A dining table for eight and banquette aft, sit to port, along with a small bar featuring a sink with Zip HydroTap water system, icemaker, and glassware storage. Long, wide windows to both port and starboard present panoramic views, imparting a spacious feel. A TV room sits to starboard between the salon and the owner’s cabin.

The owner’s cabin sits fully forward, offering solace in the quietest part of the yacht. Forward of the salon to port, the “Petit Salon” is a versatile space that can be configured as a double guest cabin or a spacious study. Two guest cabins, one double and one twin that converts to a double, sit aft of the salon. Outfitted in planked walnut with vertical stripes of dark walnut, the lower deck spaces are defined by the rhythm of wooden panels.

Fully aft, crew quarters for five and a capable galley are accessed via the central companionway just forward of the helm stations.

Ultimate Freedom

Kalantis exhibits a high level of sophistication without fanfare. She is an aggressive, energetic racing yacht with great potential. The owner intentionally integrated aesthetic comfort into a finely tuned, high-performance racing vessel. Adding intelligence and instinct to this highly technical vessel makes sailing this exquisite machine an opportunity for extraordinary crew to take calculated risks while reaping big rewards.