Swan 48
Description
The Swan 48 refers to a lineage of three distinct models from Nautor Swan, each embodying the yard's hallmark blend of performance, luxury, and seaworthiness, but designed by different architects for evolving eras of sailing. The original Swan 48 (S&S, 1971–1975), designed by Sparkman & Stephens (#2079), was an IOR-era masthead sloop or yawl with 46 hulls built, famous for offshore racing wins like Ted Turner's Noryema VIII in the 1972 Newport-Bermuda Race and Constellation's 1992 victory, featuring a fin keel, counter stern (or extended Swan 50 variant), and robust fiberglass construction for transoceanic cruising. The second Swan 48 (Frers, 1995–2003), by Germán Frers, produced 57 hulls as a blue water cruiser-racer with a fractional rig option and racing variant (Swan 48R), emphasizing speed and comfort in a sleeker hull. The modern Swan 48 MkII (Frers, 2019–present), updated in 2023 with over 50 units sold, refines the Frers design for shorthanded sailing with twin rudders, T-keel, self-tacking jib, and customizable owner-forward layouts (3 cabins/2 heads), prioritizing ORC/IRC racing prowess and family cruising in shallow waters. All share Nautor's impeccable teak joinery and carbon spar options, but the MkII stands out for its higher freeboard, beamier hull, and hybrid-ready systems.
Construction Details
| Designer | Sparkman and Stephens |
|---|---|
| Builder | Nautor |
| Length | 48.000 ft |
| LOA | 62.700 ft |
| LWL | 56.070 ft |
| Beam | 17.290 ft |
| Displacement | 55997 lb |
| Max Draft | 8.860 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 60 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 20 ft |
| p | 54 ft |
| e | 17 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 ft | 20 ft | 54 ft | 17 ft | - | - | - | - |
Blueprints
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 54 ft - (16459 mm) |
| Foot | * 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Leech | * 55.89 ft - (17035 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 87.99 ° |
| Diagonal | * 56.04 ft - (17081 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | 458.55 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 50.6 ft - (15423 mm) |
| Foot | * 26.68 ft - (8132 mm) |
| Leech | * 43.64 ft - (13301 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 23 ft - (7010 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 581.99 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 60.08 ft - (18312 mm) |
| Foot | * 32.46 ft - (9894 mm) |
| Leech | * 56.34 ft - (17172 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | 901.24 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 60.08 ft - (18312 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 36 ft - (10973 mm) |
| Foot | * 36 ft - (10973 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 1838.45 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.