PROVEN. Swan 65, aboard a super boat. PHOTOS

Swan 65 starts from Malpensa airport, Easyjet flight to Barcelona, then from our hotel a car transfer to the EMV Marine in Badalona, the official service center of Nautor’s Swan where some of the new hulls are delivered and maintenance and refit services are offered for the “swans” sailing in the Mediterranean.

Today Nautor produces three lines, the Maxi Swan Yachts With the 98′ and 120′, the Club Swan Yachts for racing models (36′, 50′ and 125′) and the Swan Yachts for models that reinterpret the original spirit of Swan in a modern way, namely elegant, top-finished cruising boats capable of significant performance under sail. The latter line, which also includes the future 48′, 54′, 60 FD, and 78′, includes the new 65′.

Barcelona welcomed us with exploding spring, near-summer temperatures and a growing easterly breeze, which during the day at sea reached as high as 16 knots with a gradually forming wave.

The Swan 65 is waiting for us at the dock after the EMV Marine team, in collaboration with Nautor ‘s Finnish boat builders , finished setting her up and preparing her in the days before. Swan Yachts line manager Vanni Galgani guides us to discover the “secrets” of the boat before the release.

German Frers ‘ design features a double-steering hull where the absolute lack of edges and extremely soft volumes stand out. The boat, whose deepest planned draft is 4.2 meters with T-keel, expresses its maximum potential with a heel up to 30 degrees, performing optimally in medium to strong breezes but also in lighter ones as befits an all round design.

The option of two sail plans is interesting, one with a hint of square top to the mainsail, as in the model we tested, and one with a true square but without the need to split the backstay or add flying shrouds.

The model in our test had the lifting keel with a draft from 2.80 to 4.20 and carbon mast.

The boat is offered in two exterior layout versions, one with a fully open cockpit that could be described as more “Mediterranean” and one with a double cockpit, one of which is enclosed to offer more protection in case of very long range sailing. The overall concept of the boat is that of a bluewater for long sailing with a genuinely sporty disposition as well. A boat designed for those who want to sail in the utmost comfort on a craft capable of giving satisfaction in long boards from double-digit speeds or why not also in the classic offshore races of the great offshore.

Sailing the Swan 65 handles easily and intuitively, thanks in part to a maneuvering system that includes a captive winch, a winch positioned amidships under the pauldrons and connected to a joystick in the wheelhouse, for adjusting the mainsail, which in our robust breeze test conditions proved to be precise and efficient, fast on leeway and powerful on recovery. With 15-16 knots of wind, it is very easy to sail in double digits in most gaits, with consistent peaks over 9 knots even upwind tight.

The rest of the rigging insists on a double pair of winches positioned close to the wheelhouse, with electric controls. Most of the boat’s maneuvers are manageable from the helmsman’s console.

Mauro Giuffrè

The INTERIOR REPORT, ALL THE PHOTOS, PARTICULARS, NUMBERS AND SAILING SENSATIONS, ON THE NEXT PAPER NUMBERS OF THE SAILING JOURNAL.

TECHNICAL DATA SHEET.

Length. f.t. 20.11 m

Length. gall. 18.38 m

Max width 5.62 m

Immersion (standard) 2.90 m 9.51 ft

Immersion (optional telescopic keel) 2.80 m/ 4.20 m

Displacement (light) 27,650 kg

Ballast 7,000 kg

Volvo D3 110 kW 150 Hp engine

www.nautorswan.com