Island Swift
Island Swift is a Wylo designed and built by Nick Skeates.
In the 1970 Nick Skeates lost his wooden boat on a reef in the pacific. He set about building a new boat in NewZealand, to his own design, out of steel, called her Wylo, and launched her in 1980. She is a 32ft long gaff cutter with a centreboard, Maurice Griffith type cabin and long keel. Since then Nick has live and sailed Wylo extensively all over the world.
Island Swift is a Wylo designed and built by Nick Skeates.
In the 1970 Nick Skeates lost his wooden boat on a reef in the pacific. He set about building a new boat in NewZealand, to his own design, out of steel, called her Wylo, and launched her in 1980. She is a 32ft long gaff cutter with a centreboard, Maurice Griffith type cabin and long keel. Since then Nick has live and sailed Wylo extensively all over the world.
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| Island Swift sailed by John Richardson before we bought her. |
Many people were interested in his lovely boat and he started to sell plans so others could build their own. Later he designed a 35ft version with a fixed keel. There are now 50 Wylos in total scattered throughout the world, 10 of which are 35ft long. There are many clever aspects to the Wylo; the integral water collection system, wind vane self steering gear designed by Nick, the mast sits on a tabernacle and is easily lowered and raised using shear legs, the boat has easy-to-install legs so the boat can dry out. The Wylos are proven seaworthy boats that collectively have sailed many, many miles. Practical Boat Article about Nick Page 1 Page 2
Trevor Robertson built a 35ft Wylo and has overwintered in both the Arctic and the Antarctic. Read more on his blog Iron Bark
Recently a company has started building Wylos on the Isle of Wight. You can read more on their website, which also features Island Swift. Voyaging Yachts
Island Swift is a 35.5ft long Gaff cutter, 10ft beam and 4.4ft draft. She was built on the Isle of Wight and launched in 1996. Her hull was built by Nick Skeates and she was fitted out by John Richardson the previous owner. She has a 35ft mast and a 6ft long bowsprit, she carries a mainsail, topsail, staysail, jib and jib topsail. The ethos of the design is strength and simplicity, and ease of maintenance.
She is an ideal family boat and we love her already. We are very happy with Island Swift and trust her to look after us on our travels.
Written by Jojo
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