Overview
The Swan 46 is a German Frers design from Nautor’s Swan in Finland, built from 1983 to 1997, with 109 built according to sailboatdata.com. This page covers the Mk I and the Mk II, which shares the hull with a modified keel; the 2004 Mk III is a different design. Its place in this catalog rests on its ocean racing record: several boats of the design have finished the Pacific Cup from San Francisco to Hawaii or the Newport Bermuda Race in the official results.
Design and Construction
sailboatdata.com lists the underbody as fin with spade rudder, 47.08 ft overall on a 37.83 ft waterline, with 14.42 ft of beam and 8.2 ft of draft. Displacement is about 31,300 lb with 11,400 lb of ballast, and the masthead sloop carries about 978 sq ft. Nautor built 81 hulls from 1983 to 1989, and the Mk II of 1989 to 1997 brought the total to 109. Cruising World’s Karen Erikson lists the Mk II changes as a deeper keel, an elliptical rudder, an additional bunk-bed cabin to starboard, more open seating in the saloon, and an aft head accessible from two sides. She notes that older Swans followed a policy of a winch for every line, and that her centerboard boat has seven individually valved stainless-steel water tanks. Bob Pingel of Sailing Magazine describes the boat as set up with a 24-volt DC system and 12- to 24-volt converters for the largely 12-volt electronics.
Ocean Racing Record
Babe (Dr. Colin E Couper) finished the Newport Bermuda Race in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Galadriel (John S. Santa) finished the Newport Bermuda Race in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. Starlight (Bulger) finished the Newport Bermuda Race in 2002 and 2004. Clover (Finnegan) finished the Newport Bermuda Race in 2000 and 2002. Antares (Donahue) finished the Newport Bermuda Race in 2002. Sister Rose (Milyasevic) finished the Newport Bermuda Race in 2002. Aera (Nick Lykiaradopulo) finished the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1998 and 2000.
Erikson found the boat sets beautifully into steep waves while the cabin remains a quiet haven, and that it steers with fingertip control. On deck, the standard Swan has a center companionway, which means climbing over the mainsheet traveler and the exposed bridgedeck; her boat is one of a handful with an entry hatch from the aft cockpit, which she finds much safer in a seaway.
