BoatsSwan 651

Swan 651

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1982–1991

A 20-metre masthead sloop with a deep 3.51-metre draft and a heavy ballast ratio for offshore stability

Designed by German Frers, built by Nautor.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Swan 651, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from 59° North Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 44 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 44
CoastalBluewater

At 1.66 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.66
LightHeavy

202 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 202
EasygoingPowered-up

18.8 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.8
TenderStiff

42% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 42%

A capable offshore cruiser with an easy motion when the sea gets up.

  • Heavier than ~92% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~98% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~87% of boats her size on file

Compared with 424 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Swan 651, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Swan 651 is a 20.0-meter masthead sloop designed by German Frers and built by Nautor between 1982 and 1991, featuring a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg and displacing 34,246 kg. Swedish sailor Gurra Krantz owns a Swan 651, modified to 70 feet, which he uses for the reality TV series "Över Atlanten," regularly crossing the Atlantic with 13 people aboard.2:04 Ian Herbert-Jones joined the crew of the Swan 651 *Spirit of Helsinki* for the Ocean Globe Race, describing the transition from his solo boat as moving from a Ford Fiesta to a Bentley Continental.0:29 The Swan 65, a related model, is noted for its heavy-displacement, offshore durability, and solid construction, though it requires significant maintenance investment.7:53 Aboard *practicalboatowner*, the 1977 Swan 65 *Translated 9* underwent a structural refit for the Ocean Globe Race, including stripping the hull and deck, replacing teak, and configuring a ketch rig with a removable inner forestay for manual sail handling.5:51

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 5 times across 3 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Swan 651 on video

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
42.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.8
Displacement / length
201.7
Comfort ratio
44.3
Capsize screening
1.66
Hull speed
9.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
3444
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1982–1991
Units built
19
Designer
German Frers
Builder
Nautor

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Hallberg-Rassy 6419.85 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA German Frers-designed flagship featuring a high-volume hull and a powerful masthead rig for comfortable blue-water cruising
Epic Solo Adventure: Thrilling Encounter With A Massive Crocodile - Learning By Experience Ep246!13:15from Sailing Learning By Doing
Oyster Marine 6219.30 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA Rob Humphreys-designed cutter built on a semi-custom basis, offering a high comfort ratio for long-range blue water cruising
[OFF MARKET] Oyster 62 (IXION), with Simon Turner - Yacht for Sale - Berthon Internationalfrom Berthon International
Hylas 6319.20 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA 19-metre masthead sloop with a high comfort ratio of 48.24, designed for stable, long-range blue water cruising
SAILING JAPAN 6: MATSUEfrom Shaima Hylas 63
Hallberg-Rassy 6218.88 mSame hull family1.1 m shorterA German Frers-designed cutter built for long-range blue water cruising with a robust skeg-hung rudder
[OFF MARKET] We revisit Hallberg-Rassy 62, CONTRARIAN, with Sue Grant - Yacht for Sale - Berthon0:08from Berthon International
Oyster 65519.96 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Rob Humphreys-designed cutter built for high-performance bluewater cruising with a powerful sail area-to-displacement ratio
[OFF MARKET] Oyster 655 (DAENA), with Sue Grant - Yacht for Sale - Berthon Internationalfrom Berthon International
Moody 6419.33 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA Bill Dixon-designed cutter with a high comfort ratio, built for long-range cruising with a stable, heavy-displacement hull
[OFF MARKET] Moody 64 (MAISHA), with Simon Turner - Yacht for Sale - Berthon Internationalfrom Berthon International

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Swan 59A 17.88-metre fin-keeled cruiser featuring a deep 3.41-metre draft for stability and upwind performanceSwan 77A 24-metre masthead sloop built from 1992 to 2003, featuring a high comfort ratio for long-range offshore cruisingSwan 70A 21-metre masthead sloop with a fin keel and bulb, engineered for rapid offshore passage makingSwan 61A 18.44-metre masthead sloop built between 1985 and 1990, balancing a 2.95-metre draft with a high comfort ratioSwan 86A 26-metre masthead sloop featuring a wing keel and a high comfort ratio for stable, long-range blue water cruisingSwan 51-2A 2024 German Frers design featuring a versatile Solent rig and a modern dual-rudder configuration for high-performance cruising

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