Swallow: World’s coolest yachts

Yachting World has been asking top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times, and offshore sailor Nikki Henderson nominated the 14-foot Swallow. Here’s the report:

“For my most influential boat, my mind drifted to the story of Swallows and Amazons, which gripped me as a child,” Nikki Henderson recalls.

Arthur Ransome’s much-loved tale of children who set out in their dinghy Swallow to colonize an island was published in 1930. It has been adapted for television and film, although Henderson favors the original text which was a childhood inspiration.

“Having resisted the lure of watching the film productions, the boat still remains a picture in my mind, so I cannot say much to her appearance, construction or speed apart from that she is small, well proportioned, and playful.

“Like people, I believe boats have an aura, or a personality. To me, she is so representational of the best parts of our sport: adventure, freedom, and independence, motivated by an innocent childlike curiosity. Inspirational yet grounding.”

For Yachting World’s list of cool boats, click here.