Nautor Swan & American Magic: Pact for the US market - Make Sailing Great Again
Sören Gehlhaus
· 24.01.2025
Nautor Swan's press conferences are always very well attended. During the boot Düsseldorf the international sailing press literally took over the Finnish shipyard's stand. It was to be expected that the Italian management would be Takeover by the Sanlorenzo motor yacht brand would announce something important. According to the motto: new capital, new projects, new markets.
Two heavyweights strengthen sailing in America
Nautor CEO Giovanni Pomati reported on the decline in sales in the USA. A total of 600 swans were swimming there, but 500 of them had found their way across the pond before the year 2000. This is set to change with a new partner. Pomati left the stage to the initially black screen. Then Terry Hutchinson from American Magic in Pensacola, Florida, joined in. With the sports director of the US American challengers for the 36th and 37th US Cups, Pomati has a new partner. America's Cup the luxury brand had been under discussion for three years. Now, after the Cup in Barcelona, there was time to finalise the terms of the cooperation.
New US series for the ClubSwan 28
Hutchinson spoke of his personal relationship with the Finnish-founded brand, how his father always wanted a Swan and how he could still remember the Swan 65 winning the first Whitbread. A strategic partnership was formed to promote sailing in America and expand sales and service structures. Initially, the joint venture will focus on establishing a US regatta series for the ClubSwan 28. The first step is to establish an operational backbone via shared services so that teams no longer have to travel with complete support crews. The aim is to rationalise competitions and build an infrastructure for the future.
Possible Nautor production in the Gulf of Mexico
In the long term, American Magic wants to get involved with the "High-Performance Sailing Centre" in the north of Florida. The AC team operates an almost 6,000 square metre shipyard on the headland on the Gulf of Mexico. The financially strong backers of American Magic are Hap Fauth (Bella Mente Racing) and Doug DeVos (TP52 Quantum Racing). The Pensacola site could conceivably produce Nautor Swan models in the future. Bluegame - a Sanlorenzo engine brand that is traditionally strong in the USA - could also find a home there. For Nautor Swan, outsourcing production from Pietarsaari on the Gulf of Bothnia in Finland is nothing new. The ClubSwan 28 is built in Spain and the motorised Swans Arrow and Shadow are manufactured in Italy.
