Every month, superyacht owners reveal where they are in the world and share their future plans. BOAT speaks to the owner of Southern Wind's 30.2-metre yacht Agapi Mas about his first full season on the new boat.
Owner of Agapi Mas
Length: 30.2m
Year: 2007
Location: Greece
How was your first full season on the new boat?
It was amazing. She arrived late from her refit (which ended up being a quite substantial refit in the end), but being in the business we sort of always expected that might be the case! Moving up from a 15-metre to a 20-metre and now a 30-metre has been the most incredible journey for my wife and me.
We have enjoyed every boat we have owned and always thought that things cannot get better. But they can – and they do! Our “big” Agapi Mas, as we call her, has exceeded our expectations in all areas – be that sailing performance, comfort, service or watersports.
How long did you manage to spend on board?
It was a short season. Our first trip was a four-day family weekend, followed by a three-day couples trip. I then did a five-day boys’ trip (which somehow my wife sneaked aboard for), followed by a three-day girls’ trip (which I wasn’t allowed on). Our main summer cruise was three weeks from the South of France down to Sicily, during which we were joined by other families for periods of time. We were all in tears when it was time to leave the boat.
What was the highlight of the summer?
Definitely not the moment my wife was stung by a jellyfish! I would say experiencing the speed and power of a carbon-hull sailing yacht with a carbon rig. She effortlessly sails along at 12.5 knots in 14 knots of breeze. Another was sailing overnight between Capri and the Aeolian Islands, stopping at 8am in milky calm water with 1,500 metres beneath us for an early morning swim.
One evening the crew unexpectedly set up an outdoor cinema in a deserted anchorage, using a new projector and a bed sheet as a screen. But the ultimate highlight was seeing the joy on our girls’ faces every day we were on board.
What modifications have you made to the yacht?
We started off thinking we would only make a couple of modifications, but then, guess what, we got carried away! Virtually all of the Southern Wind 100s have a fourth guest cabin, but ours did not. Instead it had a huge dressing room and laundry room. We took that out and put in a double cabin with a single Pullman berth and a shower room with en suite.
The yard did a brilliant job – you would think it has always been there. We repainted the hull a gorgeous metallic blue and did a host of other work, including: pulling and servicing the rig; adding new sails; fitting a new anchor and chain; servicing all machinery, hydraulics and machinery; replacing all interior seating, carpet and fabrics; reconfiguring the guest cockpit and foredeck sunbathing area; buying a new tender; adding completely new chinaware, glassware, cutlery and linens. It became a very long list.
What will happen to the yacht over winter?
We have just moved to the US and we have a lot on, both work-wise and in terms of settling in. So the boat will stay in Athens over the winter and she will be 100 per cent ready to go again in April 2025.
Are you an East Med or West Med family?
Both. The plan for next summer is an early spring cruise in Greece, followed by some time in the South of France where we have a home. We hope to have the yacht in Monaco from mid-May until the end of June, and we plan to join the Southern Wind Rendezvous in Sardinia that month also. The yacht will then head back towards Greece, possibly with a few more boys’ and girls’ trips thrown in en route. We’ll do our main summer cruise in Greece with hopefully some time in either Venice or Istanbul later in autumn.
What was it like to helm the yacht for the first time?
She is a total delight. My wife took the helm and screamed with joy!
First published in the December 2024 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.