Swan 55-S&S-1970

BoatsSwan 55-S&S-1970

See her sail

The Swan 55-S&S-1970, on the water

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

Footage from Berthon International

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.

What the fleet has seen

The Swan 55-S&S-1970, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Swan 55-S&S-1970 is a Sparkman & Stephens-designed masthead sloop built by Nautor from 1970 to 1974, known for its traditional counter stern and yawl rig.0:42 Originally sold as the Palmer Johnson 53, it measures 16.6 meters LOA with a 2.4-meter draft and displaces 20,683 kg. A 1994 center-cockpit cruising variant, the Swan 55 *Indigo*, features a blue Awlgrip hull and a hydraulic stern swim platform. *Indigo* carries a triple-spreader rig with BSI rod rigging and hydraulic Reckmann genoa furling, hydraulic in-mast mainsail furling, and manual staysail furling.0:35 Its cockpit includes B&G navigation instruments, a bow thruster control, and Navtec hydraulic controls for the vang and backstay.3:31 Propulsion is provided by a 116-horsepower Perkins 4M-135 diesel engine and a 9.4 kVA Westerbeke generator.9:20 The interior offers a full-width saloon, a galley, and three air-conditioned cabins, including an aft owner’s cabin with an ensuite head.4:39

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

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model come up for sale.

1seen for sale

The yacht is for sale after 20 years with its current owners
from Berthon Internationalseen December 20240:04

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

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

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.

Nicholson 5516.40 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Raymond Wall-designed masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, famously commissioned by the Ministry of Defence

[OFF MARKET] Nicholson 55 (SURPRISE) - Yacht for Sale - Berthon International4:42 from Berthon International

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

Forced to TURN AROUND - Sailboat Delivery: Annapolis to BVI's [EP 188]10:18 from Sailing Millennial Falcon

Tayana 58DS16.76 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Peter Beeldsnijder-designed deck saloon cutter built on the proven Tayana 55 hull for serious offshore cruising

Sailing to dinner and touring a Tayana 58DS15:24 from Flight Level Zero

Tayana 5516.76 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Peter Beeldsnijder-designed cutter with a skeg-hung rudder, built for heavy-displacement offshore cruising

The $89k 55 Foot Bluewater Yacht That Got Cheap Enough to Be Dangerous3:17 from Practical Sailor

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

[OFF MARKET] Oyster 54 (SARAH BELLE II) with Sue Grant - Yacht for Sale - Berthon International from Berthon International

Hylas 5416.48 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA German Frers-designed cutter with a high comfort ratio and bulb keel, built for stable, long-distance blue water cruising

Hylas 54 Raised Saloon (QING) with Sue Grant - Yacht for Sale - Timeless Bluewater Cruising from Berthon International

The family

Boats like this

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

Swan 55-S&S-1970 YawlA Sparkman & Stephens masthead yawl with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, one of only seven built in this configuration Swan 57 S&SA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop designed for blue-water cruising with a heavy, stable displacement hull Swan 57 S&S CBA Sparkman & Stephens centerboard cruiser designed for long-legged performance and versatile shoal-water access Swan 50-S&SDistinguished by a traditional extended counter, this masthead sloop shares the hull of the Swan 48.Swan 55CC (Frers)A German Frers-designed center-cockpit cruiser built for offshore stability with a deep keel and heavy displacement Swan 65-S&SA Sparkman & Stephens-designed masthead sloop that famously won the inaugural 1973 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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