BoatsSwan 47 S&S

Swan 47 S&S

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1975–1984

A Sparkman & Stephens design #2201 featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability

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 47 S&S, on the water

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

Footage from Saga47swan 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 heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 38 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 38
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.73
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 304
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.8
TenderStiff

48% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 48%

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

  • Heavier than ~85% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~86% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1997 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Swan 47 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 47 S&S is a Sparkman & Stephens-designed masthead sloop built by Nautor from 1975 to 1984, known for its fin keel with a rudder on skeg. This 14.6-meter (47.8-foot) offshore bluewater cruiser displaces 14,696 kg (32,400 lbs) and has a 2.4-meter (7.8-foot) draft. Aboard *Saga47swan*, the crew undertook a 2,200-nautical-mile upwind passage from Martinique to Salvador, Brazil, against the equatorial current, a route chosen for its demanding conditions. *Saga* also completed a circumnavigation of Newfoundland, Canada, navigating through thick fog and icebergs in Iceberg Alley using radar.1:03 The crew prepares meals in the galley while underway, adapting recipes for boat motion.1:18 They have explored remote locations like the Isle of Eigg in the Outer Hebrides and sailed challenging coastal conditions around the Mull of Galloway.2:10 The vessel is used for extensive offshore voyages, including plans for the Faroe Islands and a heavy-weather passage to Argentina.3:16

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

The channels sailing this model, and where they were last seen.

Saga47swan SailingA crew gains hands-on offshore sailing and expedition experience while navigating a classic Swan 47 on long-distance passages and remote coastal adventures.

Seen 34 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Swan 47 S&S on video

Passage from Caribbean to Brazil - 2200 NM against wind and ocean currentA Swan 47 beats 2,200 nm from Martinique to Salvador against wind and equatorial current.Saga47swan SailingSailing from Whitehead to Halifax - Sail Around Nova Scotia - Part 2The video contains no substantive information regarding the passage from Whitehead to Halifax.Saga47swan SailingSailing from Lunenburg to Yarmouth - Sail Around Nova Scotia - Part 4A Swan 47 S&S sails the southern coast of Nova Scotia from Lunenburg to Yarmouth.Saga47swan SailingSailing Bay of Fundy - From Yarmouth to Eastport - Sail Around Nova Scotia - Part 5A Swan 47 S&S navigates Bay of Fundy tidal passages from Yarmouth to Eastport with 2.8-metre clearance margins.Saga47swan SailingSailing from Sambro to Tanners Pass - Sail Around Nova Scotia - Part 3A Swan 47 S&S picks through shallow Tanners Pass on a Nova Scotia circumnavigation.Saga47swan SailingSailing from Charlottetown (PWE ) to Canso - Sail Around Nova Scotia - Part 1The video contains no substantive information regarding the sailing passage or vessel operations.Saga47swan SailingThe Long Route: Being on a schedule can give you a hard passage - Which route to the Caribbean A schedule-forced January departure turned a 1,000-mile Bahamas-to-St. Martin passage into a 1,500-mile beat.Saga47swan Sailing“Small crew. Hands-on skills. Real offshore miles.”The video contains no substantive information regarding offshore sailing or boat operations.Saga47swan SailingOur 10 year AROUND THE WORLD plan I Year One Update - Nov 2025A Swan 47 S&S one year into a 10-year circumnavigation, now bound for the Bahamas.Saga47swan SailingOcean Signal MOB1 AIS - Routine Testing - Functional, DSC and AIS TestsOcean Signal MOB1 AIS: three-step monthly and biannual test procedure demonstrated aboard Saga.Saga47swan SailingNewfoundland Expedition - whales, Icebergs & Awesome hiking A Swan 47 S&S circumnavigates Newfoundland, navigating Iceberg Alley and the challenging west coast current.Saga47swan SailingJust the two of Us - Rogue Roost, Nova ScotiaThe video for the Saga47swan Sailing update regarding Rogue Roost, Nova Scotia, contains no substantive sailing information.Saga47swan Sailing

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

  • ReplacedVolvo Pentain place of Beta Marine

    The original engine was replaced because spare parts were difficult to find in remote areas.

    aboard Saga47swan Sailingseen December 20220:25

  • WorkingNavionics

    The speaker used Navionics for pre-passage planning.

    aboard Saga47swan Sailingseen October 20230:13

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Swan 47 S&S may be fitted out entirely differently.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
47.8%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.8
Displacement / length
303.9
Comfort ratio
38.4
Capsize screening
1.73
Hull speed
8.1 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1782
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1975–1984
Units built
70
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.

Swan 48 - S&S14.60 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile Sparkman & Stephens design available in sloop or ketch configurations with an optional tall rig
Sparkman & Stephens 48 Bluewater Cruiser Tour | Centre Cockpit Offshore Sailing Yacht Reviewfrom Practical Sailor
Nicholson 4814.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA heavy-displacement masthead ketch designed by Raymond Wall for comfortable, stable offshore passage making
Living and Working in Urca | #SAL #2700:01from Hashtag Sal
Oyster Marine 48514.78 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA robust cutter-rigged blue water cruiser developed from the 461, featuring a skeg-hung rudder for offshore security
This sailing technique saved my butt (Why does nobody teach this?)16:22from Be The Captain
Hallberg-Rassy 4614.78 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA German Frers-designed bluewater cruiser built for stability and comfort with a high ballast ratio and skeg-hung rudder
East Coast Long Sailing Passage - Baltimore to Fort Lauderdale 1000 Mile Sailboat Voyagefrom SailingBritican
Oyster Marine 47514.81 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Holman & Pye designed masthead sloop evolved from the 46, offering a high comfort ratio for blue water cruising
Boat Show - 5 Reasons To Attend a Boat Show (For Aspiring Sailing Cruisers)from SailingBritican
Hallberg-Rassy 4414.45 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed performance cruiser featuring a modern fractional rig and dual rudders for balanced handling
HIDDEN Costs of a BRAND NEW Hallberg Rassy 44from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

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

Swan 47-2 S&S CB (NYYC 48)A Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop featuring a centerboard for shoal draft versatility and a high ballast ratioSwan 57 S&SA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop designed for blue-water cruising with a heavy, stable displacement hullSwan 48 - S&SA versatile Sparkman & Stephens design available in sloop or ketch configurations with an optional tall rigSwan 50-S&SDistinguished by a traditional extended counter, this masthead sloop shares the hull of the Swan 48.Swan 57 S&S CBA Sparkman & Stephens centerboard cruiser designed for long-legged performance and versatile shoal-water accessSwan 38 S&SA Sparkman & Stephens design #2167 featuring a One Ton sailplan variant for competitive offshore sailing

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Swan 47 S&S, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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