"This is exactly how sailing should be - the stern wave hums, the sun glistens on the surface of the water and we are now sailing parallel to the coast with a light stern wind towards the natural beach of Cala Violina, which is popular in the region."
This is how YACHT and BOOTE-EXCLUSIV editor-in-chief Martin Hager described his pleasure in steering the 35-metre Swan 115 S "Solleone". This Swan bears the additional designation S, which stands for Semi Raised Saloon and signifies the design as a family-friendly cruiser for long distances.
A consistent design: this Frers design also likes to pump adrenalin into the blood
With this flat pilothouse version of the Frers design, the Italian-run Nautor shipyard from Pietarsaari in Finland celebrated the premiere of its current flagship series. Nautor manufactures the hull and deck of the 115 as a lightweight carbon fibre and sandwich construction over foam and Nomex cores. Hager learned to appreciate the retractable bow and stern thrusters together with the hydraulic lifting keel in the narrow marina, had it explained to him why the 35-metre format does without capstan winches and therefore enjoys advantages with higher line speed during manoeuvres, and enjoyed half-wind and space sheet courses with perfectly balanced trim out in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The shipyard's briefing for the wise old man of fast yacht design, Germán Frers, was to design an adrenaline pump with this Swan for rushing, rough courses. At some point, after a few hours at the helm, every experienced sailor will say: "From tomorrow onwards, we're only going to be sailing on the beam."
This point in the specification led to the longest possible water length with a steep stem and wide stern, which hisses and hums on the glide, as Hager experienced it. It goes without saying that the width of the stern requires not only two rudder wheels, but also two rudder blades. Incidentally, the power transmission of the rudder pressure to the rower's fingertips is controlled by a cable pull with steel cables.
Swan 115 FD "Shamanna" also in charter
In 2016, Italian Nautor boss Leonardo Ferragamo added the Swan 115 FD "Shamanna" to the first edition of the 115 S "Solleone". This was on public display for the first time at the Monaco Yacht Show. Her appearance easily explained the designation FD. The extremely flat superstructure suggests the translation "flush deck". Nautor's swans have always been characterised by the flat wedge of the superstructure. The silhouette of the 115 FD also conveys the desire for speed with this good old brand essence of its design.
In addition to the twin rudders and the steel lifting keel with T-bomb, the underwater attachments include a shaft drive with four-blade propeller. On deck, Nautor installed the hatches flush and flat without any tripping hazards. The carbon fibre rig with four spreaders is complemented by a wide Park Avenue boom for the folded layers of a fully battened mainsail. The crew stretches the awning over this while at anchor.
Jettender on "Shamanna" included
Unlike on "Solleone", the main does not use a fathead with a square top. The "Shamanna" mast is therefore supported by a backstay split at the bottom. In contrast to the professionals on "Solleone", the "Shamanna" crew and the owner's family are spared exciting backstay manoeuvres that require a great deal of attention and the forceful threading of a fathead a few metres above the deck.
At anchor, the crew folds down a bathing platform. Behind it, they park a Jettender for a visit to the beach, a Williams 460 with a Rotax engine. There is also space on board for water skiing, wakeboarding and a stand-up paddleboard.
That doesn't just sound like family fun, but also like charter opportunities. In fact, "Shamanna" is available for this, preferably in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean (from € 105,000/week).
Interior: The wengé chocolate brown of the floorboards counters the light-coloured teak everywhere
Charter options call for conventional interior design without off-putting extravagances or idiosyncratic irritations in terms of shape and colour. The Nautor team also provided a tried-and-tested and at first glance familiar Swan experience below deck in teak. Chocolate-brown floorboards made of West African wengé, however, guarantee an interesting contrast in the almost pedantically crafted interior by the shipyard's own joinery workshop. Light-coloured upholstery fabrics complement the teak finish.
The silky matt oiled and waxed sandwich interior was further embellished by the in-house designers with leather details on the fittings and a keel box covered in Edelman leather. It separates the L-shaped seating area on the port side from the dining area on the opposite side at the centre of the hull length. Owners and guests will also find the same leather for luggage bags in their accommodation, carefully sewn with decorative stitching. In the owner's suite, for example, the TV monitor is concealed behind Edelman leather.
The keel box divides the salon
Unlike on the "Solleone", the owner and guests sleep in the forward hull area. The shipyard installed two guest cabins in front of the hull section with the saloon and dining area. The owner lives in the bow, so sleeps quite peacefully in the Mediterranean when "Shamanna" is moored with the stern in a busy harbour. All berths on board can be secured with leeches.
A third guest cabin with a queen-size bed is available aft of the deckhouse. The remaining aft area with cabins and sat nav station directly in front of the helm station, including its own communication-friendly companionway to the deck, belongs to the crew. Corian washbasins and fittings from the Dornbracht Tara.Logic series are standard here. The chef prepares food in the generously equipped galley with Corian work surfaces to starboard next to the engine compartment.
Incidentally, Nautor launched "Shamanna" together with "Highland Fling". The 15th yacht of this name was ordered by Lord Irvine Laidlaw of Rothiemay. The performance sloop, which is now called "Moat", was not exactly the owner's first Swan and is once again sailing with a classic white hull. The regatta-experienced lord had her fitted with a drive train that can be lowered into the hull to improve her speed. Nautor also extended the J-measurement, the base of the foresail triangle, with a bowsprit. It significantly enlarges the large asymmetrical foresail once again. Nautor consistently calls the enhanced version of the 115 with this tuning the RACE.
"Shamanna": technical data
- Overall length: 35.20 m
- Length waterline: 32.84 m
- Width: 8.12 m
- Draught: 4.70 or 5.75 m, 3.50 m lift keel
- Displacement (empty): 92,50 t
- Gross tonnage: 145 GT
- Ballast: 32 tonnes
- Material: Carbon composite
- Mast above deck: 44.42 m
- Mainsail: 356,00 m²
- Jib: 303.80 m²
- Asym.: 630.00 m²
- Engine: Scania D13 070M
- Engine power: 313 kW
- Speed (voyage): 10 kn
- Fuel: 5,500 litres
- Water: 3,000 litres
- Black/grey water: 1,400 l
- Generator: 2 x 32 kW
- Design: Frers Naval Architectures
- Interior: Nautor
- Shipyard:Nautor's Swan, 2016
- Classification: GL, MCA LY3
