BoatsSwan 43 (S&S)

Swan 43 (S&S)

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1967–1982

Drawn for the RORC rule, this masthead sloop features a high ballast-to-displacement ratio for a stiff, stable ride

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens, built by Nautor.

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

See her sail

The Swan 43 (S&S), on the water

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

Footage from A Son de Mar

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 34 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 34
CoastalBluewater

1.73 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.73
LightHeavy

297 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 297
EasygoingPowered-up

18.0 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 18.0
TenderStiff

52% of her weight is ballast — very stiff, carrying full sail in a blow.

Ballast 52%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Draws more than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2593 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Swan 43 (S&S), as the fleet has seen it

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

The Swan 43 (S&S) is a 13.0-meter masthead sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens (design #1973) and built by Nautor between 1967 and 1982. It features a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg, displaces 9003 kg, and was originally designed to the RORC rule. The model was also sold in the US as the Palmer Johnson 43. Aboard *Cascabel*, a Swan 43, Olympic silver medalist Pedro Millet campaigns in classic boat regattas, transitioning from dinghy racing in classes like the 470.27:42 The design originally included an adjustable trim tab.29:21

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
52.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.0
Displacement / length
297.5
Comfort ratio
33.7
Capsize screening
1.73
Hull speed
7.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1293
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1967–1982
Units built
67
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
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.

Grand Soleil 40 (Polli)12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Matteo Polli-designed fractional sloop optimized for ORC competition with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Sailing Alone in Fog Without Losing Your Cool11:09from The Mariner
Pearson Yachts 424 Ketch12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead ketch featuring an aft cockpit layout and a 1.6-metre draft for versatile coastal and offshore cruising
The MIGHTY But CHEAP Pearson 424from Practical Sailor
Baltic Yachts 4212.93 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1970s masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, sharing its hull design with the C&C 42 Custom
The WORST Listings I’ve Ever Seen (15 MASSIVE Sailboat Red Flags)2:22from Be The Captain
Henri Wauquiez Amphitrite 4313.03 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead ketch also marketed as the Palmer Johnson 43CR, offering a stable fin keel and skeg-hung rudder configuration
Is This The End? - The Brutal Reality of Sailing Solo Around The World0:06from Jakob Lang Sailing
Beneteau Oceanis 43012.96 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed cruiser with a high comfort ratio, also produced as the Moorings 432 charter variant
The Reality of Getting This Boat Ready - Ep. 274from Sailing Zephyr
Dufour Yachts 425 Grand Large12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.9-metre fractional sloop with a 2.1-metre bulb keel, optimised for a stable 8.13-knot hull speed
Dufour 425 Grand Large Boat Tour | Our home at seafrom Sailing Blue Prince

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Swan 43 (Holland)A Ron Holland-designed masthead sloop, often called the 432 to distinguish her from the earlier S&S modelNautor Pj-43A 13-metre masthead sloop with a 51% ballast ratio, designed for offshore stability and stiff performanceSwan 40 (S&S)A versatile S&S design offered with a centerboard option and a taller rig for varied cruising performanceSwan 44 (S&S)A Sparkman & Stephens design also sold as the PJ-44, this masthead sloop features a skeg-hung rudder and a stiff hullSwan 37An IOR 1-ton racer also marketed as the Palmer Johnson 37, featuring a masthead rig and a skeg-mounted rudderSwan 48 - S&SA versatile Sparkman & Stephens design available in sloop or ketch configurations with an optional tall rig

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Swan 43 (S&S), or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Swan 43 (S&S)

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue