Lars Ström, former design office manager at Nautor for more than 30 years, looks back at some of the design details of early Swans. Lars also helps you identify real Swans so as not to be fooled to buy a counterfeit one.

1. Are older Nautor’s Swan yachts classics?
A presentation of some features
particular to these yachts

2. How do I know it is a Swan?
• Recessed cove stripe
with arrows
• Builder’s Plaque

3. Hulls have deep canoe body
• This gives a high displacement/length ratio
• Will not surf easily, risk of broaching
• Floorboards are low down
• Lower freeboard, still proper headroom
• Skeg rudders – lack of control going astern

4. Materials and finish
• Glass fibre and polyester resin
• Hulls single skin with stiffeners
• CSM, woven rovings, UDR, hand laid
• Underwater double layers of clear gelcoat
• Boot top and cove stripe coloured gelcoat
• Decks foam cored with alum. backup plates
• Keels lead attached with stainless bolts
• Interior Finnish plywood with surface veneers
• Mostly teak finish, but also koto was used
• Varnished surfaces hand rubbed to satin finish

5. Trim screws
These were put in on the centerline 12 inches
above DWL forward and aft, and enable the
exact flotation to be determined.
Often it is assumed that this is some sort of
mistake, and the screws are removed.

6. Some keels with movable appendage
• Keels may have trim tabs – then three wheels
• Fairly large lateral area and low aspect ratio -
good in big waves

7. Decks
There are This entrance hatch provides
Doradeboxes, guardrails, win safety for offshore sailing, but
ches, cleats, tracks, and has been described as leading
hatch coamings on the deck. down into a dark cave.
A big difference compared to The bridgedeck is required for
the decks of today a full-width aft cabin.

8. Mast Builder’s Plaque
Also masts, booms, and poles have plaques.
Unfortunately the plaques are not as corrosion
resistant as the anodized surfaces where they
attach

9. Tapered and welded mast tops with
spinnaker cranes
Hull number stamped
into top plate

10. Hidden corrosion possible
A good welding shop can repair this

11. Classic Nautor built masts
• Mostly single spreaders
• On bigger yachts double spreaders
• This requires fairly big mast sections
• Masts are quite stiff, runners not always needed
• Mast sections have thin walls - are not very heavy
• Luff tracks are separate extrusions riveted on
• Masts are anodized in two lengths – there is a joint
• Mostly in-line spreaders – Swan 38 is an exception

12. Rod standing rigging
• Some rigs had lenticular (oval) rod
rigging with threaded ends
• Threads are rolled, not cut
• The threaded rod rigging used high-
strength pins and toggles – smaller than
usual, to be considered when replacing
• Rigging screws not needed with the
threaded rods – turning the entire rod
produces same effect
• These rods have been described as
Pieces of Art
• The original supplier is not in business
any more

13. Wire standing rigging
• Wire rigging had Norseman terminals and rigging
screws as well as normal size pins
• Head- and backstay are same size – not right when
using hydraulic backstay rams
Long strap tangs are not
intended for bendy masts
Original Norseman terminal,
they look different now

14. Classic set up with wire halyards
Roller reefing boom
Spinnaker pole bell
Wire reel winch with neat layers
Wire reel winch with loose layers - bad
These winches dangerous - advise crew
Lower stretch with wire
Low-stretch rope did not exist
Single point lifting lug access Wire with rope tails for easier handling
Wire to rope splice was useful skill

15. Booms Boom
claw
• Of round section with foot groove
• Mainsail roller reefing was latest technology
• This prevented fitting attachment along boom
• Sheet at aft end, claw required for vang
• Gooseneck sliding on mast
• Jackline used for lower luff sail slides
• Luff groove was considered unseamanlike

16. Boom forward end
Goooseneck sliding on mast track Jackline for lower
Special cranking handle needed sail slides making
Throat for luff rope required them floating

17. Boom aft end with rotating bail
Socket for outhaul
screw crank

18. Classic Blake seacocks
New model has reversing
Original sea cock has handle with
handle and grease nipple.
square attachment to valve plug.
Marked DZR, this means
Material is bronze
de-zincification resistant
brass

19. Steering system
• Wheel steering with sprocket and chain
• Wheel size and turns selected to suit boat size
• Some smaller Swans have tiller steering
• King spoke marked and straight up when
rudder on centerline
• Rod Stephens definition for a free steering
system - 1 lbsft on the wheel makes it turn
• Emergency tiller important item

20. Propeller shaft seal
Morse plastic packing
gland with adjustment nut
Fork specified by
Classification Society

21. Rudder stock packing gland
Custom built by yard. Upper one is Tool for the
gland, lower is locking nut round gland nut

22. S&S Swans
Type Design # Hulls Produced Variations using
built between same hull lines
Swan 36 1710-C55-1 90 1967...71
Swan 43 1973 67 1969...72
Swan 40 2025 51 1970...72
Swan 37 2035 59 1970...74
Swan 55 2012-C1 16 1970...74 Sloop + Yawl
Swan 48 2079 46 1971...75 Sloop + Yawl (First Swan-deck)
Swan 44 2112 76 1972...75
Swan 65 2110 41 1973...89 Ketch + Sloop
Swan 41 2150 61 1973...77
Swan 38 2167 116 1974...79
Nautor 50 2207 9 1975...78 Ketch
Swan 47 2201 70 1975...83 CB + NYYC 48
Swan 431 2238 32 1976...78
Nautor 43 2239 24 1976...79 Ketch + Sloop + Deckhouse
Swan 411 2150-C1 42 1977...79
Nautor 39 2301 4 1977...78 Ketch + Sloop
Swan 57 2297 49 1978...84 Ketch + Sloop + CB
Swan 76 2331 5 1980...81 Deckhouse + CB
Total 858 hulls
15 Swans 9 variations Sum 24
3 Motorsailers 3 variations Sum 6
Total 30 models
The following models were also sold in the US 1969...1973 under the name Palmer Johnson: PJ 36, PJ37, PJ40, PJ43, PJ44, PJ48
larsm.strom@gmail.com