Swift Swallow

It’s not always easy being an innovator. Take early automobile designer EL Cord, who, in the 1920s, introduced front-wheel drive, pop-up headlamps and a plethora of other revolutionary touches. Unfortunately, Cord did not survive the economic vagaries of the 1930s, leaving manufacturers such as the more conservative Ford, who continued to flourish. Boatbuilding – particularly in Europe – can also be fairly hidebound. Customers identify a yacht with a single mast, fin keel and two triangular sails as the yacht of choice and manufacturers generally are willing to work within those parameters.

It’s therefore refreshing when someone takes a look at things from a slightly different angle. Working within many of these constraints, Matt Newland of Swallow Yachts has nonetheless managed