Nautor Swan was founded in 1966 by Pekka Koskenkylä in Pietarsaari, Finland, with the goal of building high-quality performance sailing yachts that could combine racing ability with offshore safety and refined cruising comfort. The first Swan 36 quickly established the brand, and later Sparkman & Stephens designs such as the Swan 38, 47, 55, and 65 helped create the identity Swan still carries today.
For buyers comparing used yachts for sale, Nautor Swan occupies a premium position. The brand combines deep racing heritage, high-end composite construction, detailed interior craftsmanship, and yachts designed to remain capable and desirable over long ownership periods.
Nautor Swan has built more than 2,350 yachts since 1966, and today’s portfolio spans classic Swan cruisers, Swan Maxi yachts, high-performance ClubSwan models, the Swan Alloy line, and a separate motor-yacht division.
The core Swan range currently includes the Swan 51, 55, 58, 65, and new Swan 73. These yachts combine cruising comfort with performance-oriented hulls and sail plans, maintaining the balance between offshore capability and responsive sailing that defines the brand.
The Swan 51 is designed by Germán Frers and sits between the earlier Swan 48 and larger Swan 55. Nautor Swan lists a 15.55-metre hull, 4.85-metre beam, standard 2.45-metre draft, and an 80-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary engine.
The 55, 58, and 65 progressively add more accommodation, storage, tankage, and systems capacity for longer-distance cruising. The new Swan 73 expands the range further and brings current-generation Swan design into the low-70-foot class.
These models are especially relevant to buyers who want a modern Swan that can be owner-operated yet still support serious offshore passages and extended time aboard.
The Swan Maxi range represents the upper end of Nautor Swan’s sailing portfolio. Current models include the new Swan 80, plus the Swan 88, 98, 108, and flagship 128.
The new Swan 80 was launched in 2026 and sits just below the 24-metre threshold, giving owners maxi-yacht capability while retaining more operational flexibility in many cruising regions.
The Swan 88 introduced hybrid-electric propulsion into the Nautor Swan sailing range, while the 98 and 108 extend the brand into larger custom-style bluewater yachts with substantial guest and crew accommodations.
The Swan 128, launched in 2025, is currently the largest Swan ever built and represents the top of the brand’s sailing range.
For buyers comparing mega yachts for sale, Swan Maxi models are particularly relevant when high-performance sailing, long-distance capability, and luxury accommodations need to coexist.
ClubSwan is Nautor Swan’s high-performance division. The current lineup includes the ClubSwan 28, 36, 43, and 50.
These yachts place more emphasis on racing performance, light displacement, responsive handling, and one-design competition than the main Swan cruising range.
The ClubSwan 36 is a foil-assisted design, while the ClubSwan 50 became one of the brand’s most recognizable modern one-design racing yachts. The 28 and 43 extend the range at opposite ends of the size spectrum.
Used ClubSwan 36 and ClubSwan 50 examples are both active in the brokerage market, giving performance-focused buyers access to the brand without ordering new construction.
The Swan Alloy 44 introduces an aluminium-built option into the current Swan portfolio. It sits apart from the composite Swan and Swan Maxi ranges and gives buyers a different construction approach while retaining the brand’s emphasis on performance and long-distance capability.
Aluminium construction can be attractive for owners planning extended offshore use because of its strength, repairability, and suitability for larger custom cruising yachts.
Buyers considering the Alloy 44 should evaluate it as a distinct product line rather than simply another Swan model, particularly in relation to hull maintenance, coating systems, electrical isolation, and corrosion management.
The used market is broad and spans several generations of Swan design. YachtWorld currently shows the Swan 48 as the most heavily represented model, followed by the Swan 60, 65, 68, 44, and 46.
The 53, 55, and 56 are also active in current listings, giving buyers several ways to enter the brand between approximately 50 and 60 feet.
These boats may come from different design eras, including Sparkman & Stephens, Ron Holland, Germán Frers, and later generations. Hull form, rig, interior layout, deck plan, and systems should therefore be compared by exact model and build year rather than length alone.
Many classic Swan yachts remain active in the brokerage market, including the 36, 37, 38, 41, 44, 47, 48, 55, 57, and 65. These boats form a major part of Nautor Swan’s historical reputation.
The Swan 38 became the best-selling early Swan, with 116 built by 1979. The Swan 65 became internationally famous when Sayula II won the first Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973-74.
Classic Swans can be compelling for buyers who value pedigree, sailing feel, and traditional interiors, but refit quality is critical. Rigging, teak decks, chainplates, tanks, wiring, engine installations, sails, and structural repairs can materially affect value.
The larger brokerage market includes legacy Swan 70, 77, 78, 80, 82, 88, 90, 98, 112, and 115 models. These yachts span several generations of maxi-yacht development and can offer a more accessible route into large Swan ownership than ordering a current Swan Maxi.
Current YachtWorld inventory includes multiple 70, 77, 82, 88, and 90-foot examples, along with individual 98, 112, and 115-foot yachts.
At this size, buyers should expect professional-grade systems, larger crews, higher sail and rigging costs, substantial machinery spaces, and significantly greater annual operating expense than on the 50- to 65-foot models.
On a used Nautor Swan, buyers should inspect standing and running rigging, mast and boom condition, sails, furling systems, winches, chainplates, keel attachment, rudder and steering systems, and all through-hulls.
Mechanical inspection should include the auxiliary engine, transmission, shaft or saildrive where applicable, generator, fuel systems, batteries, charging equipment, hydraulic systems, navigation electronics, HVAC, refrigeration, and plumbing.
Older yachts deserve close attention around teak decks, deck-core moisture, windows and hatches, tankage, electrical upgrades, rudder bearings, keel structure, and previous grounding or structural repairs.
On larger Swan and Swan Maxi yachts, buyers should also review hydraulic sail-handling systems, captive winches, carbon rigs, lifting or telescopic keel systems where fitted, tender garages, crew systems, and integrated vessel-management equipment.
A professional marine survey, specialist rig inspection, detailed mechanical inspection, and sea trial are essential before completing a purchase.
