Date toured: November 2007

I made a point of getting onboard the 47-foot sailing catamaran Swish after her chef, Emily Williams, took home first prize at this year’s industry-only charter yacht show on Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. I’m pleased to report that the boat looks as good as the food, and that Williams and her husband, Capt. Euros Williams, seem prepared to add to their growing reputation as an excellent charter yacht.
The couple previously worked as crew onboard the 65-foot sailing catamaran True North, where they stayed until being hired aboard Swish in July 2007. “Before, we were stewardess and first mate,” Emily says. “Now, we’re responsible. We know what to do and where to go. We’ve seen it a hundred times. Now we get to do it ourselves.”
As of my tour in late 2007, they had already booked seven charters for 2008. “We ‘re hoping for 20 to 25 altogether,” Emily says. “We know all the brokers from our time on True North, so that’s an advantage. We had a high level of service on True North because there were four crew with eight guests. Here, we have six or seven guests with just two crew, but we’re trying to bring the same level of service. I was thinking maybe we should drop a few things, but I feel like I’d be cheating the guests.”
That’s a great attitude—and Swish, at least on first impression, looks to be a great boat. Her three main guest cabins each have step-up double beds (see photo at right), while the “fourth cabin” is basically made for a child. It’s 6 or 7 feet long, not more than a twin bed surrounded by walls and sharing a bathroom with another guest cabin. Call it a “fort” and stick a 10-year-old boy in it, and he’ll be delighted.
Swish is part of the fleet at CharterPortBVI. Her highest weekly inclusive rate is $16,950, or about $2,800 per person with a full boat. Contact any reputable charter broker for more information.—Kim Kavin