Although never meant to be, ‘Swift’ has a whiff of classic in her appearance, which might please the beholders eye. In fact she is the result from carefully selecting properties which were put down in the commissioning of the design at the time. But are all of the classic boat shapes not evolved out of purpose and need? This in strong contrast with some trendy contraptions we see nowadays in our marinas. I was asked to produce a design suitable to reach all the corners of our ‘Waddenzee’, a large stretch of water cluttered by shoals and drying sand flats. But also the boat had to be safe enough for crossing the North Sea for the holiday cruises. Handling her had to be easy with the least possible muscle power. Generous speed provided by her long waterline, plenty of interior space for her size makes her a true cruising man's dream. Metal for her construction provides the toughness needed if a strong wind and rising tide will find her dried out on the shoals