To counter a popular objection at this point: No, we do not only report on luxury yachts in the seven-figure range. Nor do we only test boats from the top five per cent of the income pyramid. Here at boot, we present all the premieres that we consider relevant (see Pointer 30, Saffier 24). Of course, this also includes Nautor's new model, which is one of the most elegant appearances in Hall 16 and has a few other special features.
Sure, it costs 1.8 million euros. Without VAT. Without sails. Hardly any of the twelve yachts ordered so far will actually be handed over to their owners for less than 2.5 million euros. If you're feeling socially envious - please don't read any further! We are happy to take on board all other ship lovers who are simply delighted with such treasures.
But let's start with the price - without judgement. Compared to the Jeanneau Yachts 55, which is making its world premiere at boot Düsseldorf just 80 metres to the west of the Nautor stand ( Presentation here !), the Swan is around 2.6 times more expensive. One could therefore assume that the Finns can draw on the full potential. And yet the development and construction of a yacht that is comparatively small for Swan is anything but trivial.
Owners expect maximum customisation in this segment of yacht building. Unlike in the 80-foot and above range, however, special design requirements would complicate production enormously - and make the boats completely unaffordable. That's why the Swan 55 has to be thought of as a construction kit consisting of many well thought-out and statically calculated modules that can be combined in around 100 different ways. This is one of the ways in which it differs fundamentally from the Jeanneau Yachts 55, which offers far less variability.
We can only outline here the extent to which the Swan 55 can be customised to the owner's wishes. In front of the mast, for example, you can choose a guest cabin on the port side, or alternatively a TV lounge that opens onto the saloon - or you can incorporate the area into the owner's cabin and have a spacious boat office or dressing room installed. The options are so convincing that it seems impossible to make the wrong decision.
There is also room for manoeuvre on the Swan 55 to port aft: here you can choose to accommodate a workshop, a pilot's berth with washing machine and plenty of storage space, or even accommodation for two crew members accessible from the cockpit if you don't want to sail the boat without outside help.
There is a choice of four types of wood for the entire finish: oak, light oak, dark oak or walnut. The workmanship and finish are second to none - you can certainly expect that from Nautor, and yet it is always a pleasure to feel the quality that comes from Finland.
Teak interiors, on the other hand, are on the index at Nautor because the veneers are no longer available in the only quality acceptable to the shipyard (1st grade). Nautor is still looking for alternatives for the decks and, according to YACHT information, is examining both Iroko and cork rod decks. However, a decision has not yet been made.
At the insistence of shipyard owner Leonardo Ferragamo, the Swan 55 was given a unique bathing platform - "Leo's Transom". It not only opens up the stern, but also the aft part of the deck, creating a kind of private beach club - large enough for two or three sun loungers. An elaborate mimicry with actuators hidden in the tailgate turns the Swan into a kind of sesame-open-you. A gimmick? Perhaps a little bit, but above all spectacular.
In terms of performance, the Swan 55 offers an upmarket cruising yacht standard, at least according to the shipyard's specifications. At 22.5 tonnes, it displaces more than other boats of this size; the Jeanneau Yachts 55 mentioned at the beginning weighs 4 tonnes less, although it has a simpler design.
Of course, Nautor compensates for this with a more generous sail plan. With the main and genoa, the Swan 55 has an impressive 175 square metres of sail area on the wind; this corresponds to a sail carrying capacity of 4.7, which is already in the performance segment.
As the hull lines are similar to those of the Swan 58, which we were able to test back in 2021, we can expect very agile sailing characteristics from the smaller sister ship. The 58 could be kept on course very precisely, appeared responsive but not nervous - exactly the right design for a boat with which you want to sail long distances effortlessly. Under Code Zero, she was very stiff even in a breeze thanks to the high stability of the wide aft hull. German Frers' decades of experience and his almost pedantic pursuit of perfection are also evident here. Whether and to what extent the Swan 55 is like her in this respect, however, can only be said for sure after a test planned for the coming season.
In Nautor's programme, the Swan 55 will replace the highly successful Swan 54 in the medium term; however, the latter will remain available to order for the time being - for those owners who prefer its more classic lines.
