BoatsSwan 55-S&S-1970

Swan 55-S&S-1970

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1970–1974

A Sparkman & Stephens classic featuring a traditional counter stern and a robust skeg-mounted rudder

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens, built by Nautor.

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

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 47 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 47
CoastalBluewater

At 1.59 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.59
LightHeavy

357 — very heavy for her waterline, a serious load-carrying cruiser.

Displacement / length 357
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.1
TenderStiff

37% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 37%

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

  • Heavier than ~87% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1182 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
37.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.1
Displacement / length
357.3
Comfort ratio
47.5
Capsize screening
1.59
Hull speed
8.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1954
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1970–1974
Units built
16
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
Nautor

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

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.

Mason 5316.31 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA versatile cutter with a fin keel and shoal draft option, designed for high-comfort offshore passages
Oyster 53 (Humphreys)16.41 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Rob Humphreys-designed masthead sloop built for blue-water cruising with a high comfort ratio and stable hull form
Tayana 5516.76 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Peter Beeldsnijder-designed cutter with a skeg-hung rudder, built for heavy-displacement offshore cruising
Oyster Marine 54 (Humphreys)16.43 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Rob Humphreys-designed bluewater cutter featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and versatile keel options
Hylas 5616.48 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 2011 masthead sloop with a 21.51 sail area to displacement ratio, engineered for spirited offshore performance
Bluewater 56 (Frers)16.48 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA former Hylas 56 design featuring a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, built for stable, high-displacement offshore travel

The family

Boats like this

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

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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