SV Hikari
SV Hikari is a Southerly 480 sailing adventure yacht built in 2018 by Discovery Shipyard of Southampton, UK. Originally launched as Distant Shores III and featured in the Distant Shores YouTube channel hosted by Paul and Cheryl Shard, she was purchased by her current owners in 2021 and transported from Panama to Seattle by cargo ship. The yacht has been extensively refit for northwest waters, including the addition of a custom hard dodger, dinghy davits, a washing machine, a high-output Spectra watermaker, Max-Prop propellor, all new sails including a top-down furling spinnaker, and much more.
The boat has a variable draft swing keel providing a draft of less than 4 feet when raised, and over 10 feet when down. SV Hikari is ideally equipped for Pacific Northwest cruising.
Learn more about the history of SV Hikari and see how she was transported to Seattle from Panama by watching this episode of Distant Shores on Youtube:
Goodbye Distant Shores III - Big Tides Sailing Pacific Northwest
More about SV Hikari
The name “Hikari” means “light” in Japanese, which reflects the light and airiness of Hikari’s interior. SV Hikari allows passengers to see the world outside while seated in warmth and comfort, a huge benefit when cruising the Salish Sea.
SV Hikari is set up for comfortable cruising, however we have also participated in multi-day races including the Swiftsure (Victoria to Cape Flattery) race, and events around the San Juan Islands and in Puget Sound. The Solent rig, twin poles, and asymmetrical spinnaker provide a range of options for downwind sailing, while the deep keel allows the boat to point well during a sail to weather. And with the keel raised, we are able to get into tight anchorages that most sailboats would avoid.
Inside the boat, there are three private cabins including a large aft stateroom, a forward cabin with a large v-berth, and a midship cabin with two bunks. There are two private heads, each with separate showers, and a washing machine. The galley is well equipped, with a 3-burner gas stove/oven, a microwave, and a dual sink. In addition to the large-capacity freezer and refrigerator, we also bring along a second freezer and cooler so we have plenty of provisions. This, plus a watermaker that is capable of generating up to 29 gallons of fresh water per hour, means that we can cruise for many days or even weeks without needing to go into a marina to resupply.
The saloon seating area has space for up to six people to comfortably sit while enjoying the view outside through the large, panoramic windows. There is high-speed Starlink internet, and plenty of electrical power for recharging your devices.
See more photos of SV Hikari in the gallery.
