DS Yachts (Schwill Yachts)

DS Yachts (Schwill Yachts) was a small, family-run Canadian boatbuilder founded in 1971 by Herman Schwill in Odessa, Ontario, in partnership with naval architect John Diller to produce affordable, trailerable fiberglass sailboats for the North American recreational market. Operating from a modest facility near Kingston, the company hand-built approximately 300+ hulls through 1983, including the DS-16 (1971, ~100 units), DS-20 (1972, ~160 units with Mark II upgrades), and DS-22 (1975, ~50 units)—all featuring high-freeboard hulls, shoal-draft keels, solid fiberglass construction, and simple masthead sloops for easy solo or family sailing. Known for durability, low maintenance, and PHRF 250–300 performance, DS boats became staples on the Great Lakes and Canadian inland waters, praised for dry rides in chop and towability with compact cars. Production ended in 1983 when Schwill retired, but surviving DS-20s and DS-16s remain active in vintage fleets and restorations, embodying a “build once, sail forever” ethos that influenced later trailer-sailers like the Siren 17 and Precision 185.