Tabla de contenidos para Issue 15 en TIDE

Since cutting his teeth in yacht design with a 36-foot Swan, Andrew Winch has been involved in the design of more than 50 sailing yachts – from his first Superyacht, Cyclos III in 1990, to a full production line for Jeanneau Yachts in 2015. And despite his always-strong sailing credentials, Winch also recognised early on that for Winch Design to succeed long-term, it needed to diversify. That opportunity came with the design of the award-winning motor yacht White Rabbit in 1995, which marked a turning point in his career. Since then, the studio has gone on to craft some of the most iconic yachts in existence – from the 156m Dilbar to the award-winning 80m Excellence, alongside countless custom yachts that have helped shape the modern fleet. Over the years,…

The earliest plans for the Spirit Med Cup were drawn up over a dram of the amber nectar. A fleet of the elegant, British-built modern classics gathered off Palma in October 2025 for the first time, to indulge in a four-day programme of serious racing by day and relaxed socialising come evening. As the dust recently settled on a highly successful launch event, the organisers and participants happily concurred that many of the best ideas are found at the bottom of a whisky glass. “The owners’ regattas were the result of a late-night conversation over a bottle of Balvenie between Sean McMillan [Spirit Yachts Founder] and the owner of Spirit C72, Gwenhyfar II,” Helen Porter, Marketing Director at Spirit Yachts, elaborates. “It was at British Classic Week in Cowes in…

Although all of the Virgin Islands are popular for yachting, it is the British Virgin Islands (BVI) that hold the broadest appeal and most pervasive presence within the international community. The greater archipelago includes the US and Spanish Virgin Islands and extended itineraries can easily include St. John, Culebra, St. Croix and even Vieques to the west. Today, the BVI continue to offer an authentic version of themselves, with idyllic rum bars tucked into protected bays and premium services just a few nautical miles away. It’s worth noting that the journey options here are endless, and it would be impossible to experience the entirety of the islands in just one week – one of many reasons that so many boats return year after year. TORTOLA At the heart of the…

Daniele Macis captured our cover image for this issue, starring the latest Swan to take to water. Here we share the story of the shot Leading Nautor Swan’s big boat charge this season is Superyacht Be Cool, aptly named after the 2005 Quentin Tarantino film starring Thurman and Travolta. In this special portrait she sits in a cove off Spiaggia di Cala Brigantina, an idyllic spot in the Maddalena Archipelago, on the eastern side of the island of Caprera, Sardinia. The long and cosy cove offers shallow waters teeming with marine life. Sardinian Drone Pilot and Photographer Daniele Macis worked on the project with Milan-based Studio Borlenghi. “Our idea was to sail the yacht to Caprera Island,” Macis says. “It sets the tone so well, with the blue, blue water…

Kos Evans was a meme before memes existed: a petite blonde woman with an indefatigable smile, typically found hanging upside down from the top of a 200-foot mast with a long-lens camera in her hands. “All in a day’s work,” one might caption the scenes. For 40 years, Evans has been synonymous with yachting and action photography, the go-to choice to capture an America’s Cup final or the opening sequence of a Bond movie. She’s been described as having the “adventurous spirit of a stuntwoman and the eye of an artist”, an apt line for a photographer who loves a challenge, be it finding stillness from the bow of a powerboat or astride a horse. “When you have a camera in front of your face, you feel immortal,” Evans tells…

Mustique isn’t your regular private island. The tropical idyll was bought by late British peer and socialite Lord Glenconner in the 50s, and a sort of aristocratic commune was established over the decades to follow. The hundred or so homeowners of Mustique – a number which has included Princess Margaret, David Bowie and Mick Jagger – each own a slice. They vote on local rules, decide who can build houses where and veto the development of things like golf courses or luxury hotels. The status quo here is understated and off-duty. Entrepreneurs mingle with retired rockstars. Supermodels, finance gurus, artists and royalty, all relaxing into the gentle rhythm of the week: a cocktail party at the Great Room on Tuesdays, to which all guests are invited; Jump Up at Basil’s…

It is fair to say that the vast majority of Superyachts are generally sailed at half throttle. This is hardly surprising, given that their primary purpose is leisure, pleasure and relaxation. But it is a funny irony that this same tendency, to sail such giants conservatively, is also what makes the Superyacht racing scene so compelling. The handful of regattas held throughout the year, bringing together some of the biggest sailing yachts in the world to do battle, are priceless. All of a sudden, the handbrake is off and the sight of these titans being sailed full speed is a compelling blend of power and beauty. Few are in a better position to talk about the topic than Mike Sanderson, President of Doyle Sails, who has a pedigree in big…

Like many a series-starting big yacht, the new Swan 128 developed out of the owner’s desire for more space. He had bought the first of the Swan 98 line back in 2020, but quickly outgrew it. Loving the boat, however, he returned to Swan and its long-standing designer German Frers to build a bigger one. The result is the largest by volume that Swan has ever built. “We decided to go for a larger size, because the family was not so happy with the interior on the Swan 98, coming from a motor yacht background,” explains the owner’s representative, Odo Giordo. The bigger boat was designed for family needs. “We started from the Swan 120, but with the idea to do a completely new design – a very flush deckhouse,…

You couldn’t make this place up if you tried. On a beach called Smuggler’s Cove, surrounded by thick forest and limestone cliffs, the story goes that three local fishermen used to come down for an early morning swim – in the nude – in the calm waters of their favourite hidden location. The morning ritual has sadly moved elsewhere since the opening of the Cap Maison Resort & Spa, but the name lives on, as does the spontaneous, joyous love of the ocean. Drop anchor and stop for an incredibly chilled lunch of surf ceviche, Creole fish stew, grilled conch, or – best of all – The Naked Fisherman’s Beach Picnic: a sharing table of house favourites such as crispy squid and saltfish beignet, served right down on the sand.…