1996 Schumacher 53′ Sailboat

S/V Swiftsure II was a 54-foot Schumacher racing yacht launched in 1996 and campaigned by legendary sailor Sy Kleinman on San Francisco Bay. Designed by renowned naval architect Carl Schumacher, she quickly established herself as one of the West Coast’s premier big-boat racing yachts. Kleinman and his crew won the Rolex Big Boat Series an unprecedented eight times, and Swiftsure II remained a formidable competitor for more than two decades. She was a fixture at the St. Francis Yacht Club, competing in major Bay Area regattas and offshore races well into Kleinman’s 90s.

Kleinman’s association with Swiftsure II was particularly remarkable. He competed in the Rolex Big Boat Series for decades, including his 30th series in 2011 and 31st in 2012, continuing to campaign the Schumacher 54 with a highly experienced crew. The boat remained competitive even against newer grand-prix designs, winning races and divisions at events including the Aldo Alessio Regatta. In 2017, shortly after Kleinman’s death at age 96, Swiftsure II was still racing in the Rolex Big Boat Series, where she finished ahead of the larger Kernan 70 Peligroso on corrected time.

After leaving California, Swiftsure II was purchased by Australian boatbuilder and sailor Bill Barry-Cotter and transported to Australia’s Gold Coast, where she underwent an extensive refit and upgrade. Renamed Maritimo, she began a new chapter in Australian ocean racing, taking line honors in major races and competing in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, where she finished second in her division. Her later program also incorporated youth sailing opportunities, giving this exceptionally successful racing yacht a second life beyond her celebrated San Francisco career.