BoatsSwan 48 - S&S

Swan 48 - S&S

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1971–1976

A versatile Sparkman & Stephens design available in sloop or ketch configurations with an optional tall rig

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 48 - S&S, 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 heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 43 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 43
CoastalBluewater

At 1.65 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.65
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 310
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 15.2
TenderStiff

39% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 39%

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

  • Heavier than ~89% 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 48 - 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 48 - S&S is a Sparkman & Stephens-designed masthead sloop built by Nautor from 1971 to 1976, also sold as the Palmer Johnson 48/50.54:14 It measures 14.6 meters LOA with a 4.2-meter beam and 2.4-meter draft, displacing 16,329 kg.16:02 The design, S&S #2079, was available in sloop or ketch configurations, with a tall rig option and an extended counter version designated as the Swan 50 - S&S. At least one hull was built in teak by Sangermani.2:32 The design features a fin keel with a rudder on skeg.13:19

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 40 times across 3 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Swan 48 - S&S on video

Matt Rutherford // Far North of RussiaMatt Rutherford navigates his Valiant 42 through the Arctic, managing satellite communications and ice hazards near Russia.59° North SailingWill Sofrin // The Nazi Origins of the USCG EAGLEEagle's engine room was built as an exact U-boat replica so German cadets could transfer directly to submarine service.59° North SailingJimmy Cornell // The Godfather of Offshore CruisingJimmy Cornell, founder of the ARC Rally in 1986, discusses his new offline route-planning app replacing World Cruising Routes.59° North SailingGunnar Christensen // From Yacht Captain to Golden Globe SailorCareer yacht captain Gunnar Kristiansen explains his Hans Christian 34 choice for the Golden Globe Race.59° North SailingConrad Humphries // Captain Bligh & Rounding Cape HornConrad Humphreys on breaking a rudder in the Vendée Globe and leading the Captain Bligh re-enactment voyage.59° North SailingBen Doerr // "Hose it or Lose it!"A fisherman's blunt advice — "hose it or lose it" — saved a boat from an electrical engine fire in Alaska.59° North SailingWinter Projects on ISBJØRNThe crew of *Isbjørn* details winter maintenance projects including boom vang repair, hatch latching, and engine servicing.59° North SailingJoJo Pickering // Celestial Navigation Nerd-OutAndy Schell navigated BVI to Bermuda purely on celestial, avoiding the island's northern reef on approach.59° North SailingBoat Shopping LIVE! With Andy & AugustAndy Schell and August Sandberg evaluate a $35,000 Ted Brewer custom one-off against Craigslist listing red flags.59° North SailingMia & Andy // 2025 Year-In-Review (Only 3 Months Late!)Falcon sailed 18,404 miles across 30 passages in 2025, a single-year record for 59 North.59° North SailingBen Soofer // Making a career in sailingBen Soofer traces his path from Camp Seagull Lightnings to NOLS Sea of Cortez expeditions.59° North SailingFrancesca Clapcich // The 1st Italian to Win The Ocean RaceFrancesca Clapcich describes her 2028 Vendée Globe campaign aboard Malizia III and how she became the first Italian to win The Ocean Race.59° North 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.

  • InstalledIridium

    The navigation station is equipped with an Iridium GO satellite phone.

    aboard Practical Sailorseen October 20254:56

  • InstalledBalmar

    A Balmar high output alternator was installed for fast charging the lithium battery bank.

    aboard Practical Sailorseen October 20257:14

  • InstalledVulcan

    A new Vulcan anchor was installed as part of the upgrades.

    aboard Practical Sailorseen October 20254:42

  • InstalledVictron

    A Victron charger inverter was installed as part of the electrical upgrades.

    aboard Practical Sailorseen October 20254:31

  • ConsideredGarminalongside Orca display

    A Garmin MFD was considered for a cockpit chartplotter but deferred due to the performance of an Orca display.

    aboard 59° North Sailingseen April 202627:43

  • WorkingDyneema

    A Dyneema line was used as a temporary workaround for a broken vang.

    aboard 59° North Sailingseen April 20268:38

  • WorkingHarken

    The yacht is equipped with large electric Harken winches for shorthanded sailing.

    aboard Practical Sailorseen October 2025watch

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Swan 48 - S&S may be fitted out entirely differently.

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen for sale
US$150,000Median asking

  • A 1992 Sparkman & Stephens 48 bluewater cruiser is for sale in Australia for under $150,000

    from Practical Sailorseen October 20253:20

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
39.2%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.2
Displacement / length
310.2
Comfort ratio
42.5
Capsize screening
1.65
Hull speed
8.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1812
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1971–1976
Units built
46
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.

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
I crashed my boat into the rocks. Here's the story.8:58from Be The Captain
Swan 47 S&S14.58 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens design #2201 featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability
Sailing Bay of Fundy - From Yarmouth to Eastport - Sail Around Nova Scotia - Part 50:05from Saga47swan Sailing
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
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
Hallberg-Rassy 4414.45 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 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
Beneteau Oceanis 4814.61 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA spacious 14.6-metre cruiser featuring a high-volume interior by Nauta Design and a performance-oriented fractional rig
Just a sneaky transfer and haul out0:23from 45 Degrees Sailing

The family

Boats like this

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

Swan 50-S&SDistinguished by a traditional extended counter, this masthead sloop shares the hull of the Swan 48.Swan 47 S&SA Sparkman & Stephens design #2201 featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stabilitySwan 48-2 (Frers)A masthead sloop with a fin-and-bulb keel, offering a more cruising-oriented configuration than her regatta-focused siblingSwan 38 S&SA Sparkman & Stephens design #2167 featuring a One Ton sailplan variant for competitive offshore sailingSwan 44 (S&S)A Sparkman & Stephens design also sold as the PJ-44, this masthead sloop features a skeg-hung rudder and a stiff hullNautor Pj-48Finished by Palmer Johnson for the US market, this Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop features a 41% ballast ratio

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Swan 48 - 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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