BoatsSwan 57 RS

Swan 57 RS

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1996–2001

A German Frers-designed masthead sloop built for long-range cruising with a high comfort ratio and stable hull form

Designed by German Frers, built by Nautor.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Swan 57 RS, 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 moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 43 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 43
CoastalBluewater

At 1.69 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.69
LightHeavy

273 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 273
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 15.2
TenderStiff

38% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 38%

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

  • Heavier than ~90% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 912 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Swan 57 RS, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Swan 57 RS is a 17.5-meter masthead sloop designed by German Frers and built by Nautor from 1996 to 2001. It features a raised salon and a fin keel with a spade rudder, with a keel/centerboard variant also available. The yacht displaces 24,499 kg, has a beam of 4.8 meters, and a draft of 2.3 meters. Aboard the Swan 57 *Explorer*, Mark Sinclair transitioned from solo circumnavigation to skippering a fully crewed vessel in the Ocean Globe Race, emphasizing traditional celestial navigation and a pay-to-crew model for amateur sailors.28:27 The *Explorer* is also considered for future roles, including as a support vessel for the Mini Globe Race.24:16

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
37.7%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.2
Displacement / length
273.3
Comfort ratio
43.3
Capsize screening
1.69
Hull speed
8.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2531
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1996–2001
Units built
10
Designer
German Frers
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 5617.47 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Rob Humphreys-designed bluewater cutter built for comfort and stability on long-distance passages
Oyster 56' Yacht Tour - Britican is For Salefrom SailingBritican
Tayana 5516.76 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA 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 Dangerous3:17from Practical Sailor
Taswell 5617.02 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA Bill Dixon-designed cutter with a skeg-hung rudder and high comfort ratio, built for stable, long-range passage making
Taswell: The Secret Bluewater Yacht Built Like an Oyster0:52from Lady K Sailing
Jeanneau Yachts 5717.78 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Philippe Briand-designed bluewater cruiser built for comfort and stability on long-distance passages
Jeanneau 57 - Getting ready to sail this beautiful yacht on delivery from Hamble to Corfufrom Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery
Oyster Yachts 56518.09 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA Humphreys-designed bluewater cruiser featuring a high-performance fractional rig, dual rudders, and a bulb keel
Oyster 565 - A Yacht Delivery from Croatia to UK12:33from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery
Beneteau 5717.80 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA high-performance Farr-designed cruiser featuring a powerful fractional rig and a balanced, stiff hull for fast passage-making
First Look at Vanishing Point – Are We Making a Mistake?from Flight Level Zero

The family

Boats like this

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

Swan 77A 24-metre masthead sloop built from 1992 to 2003, featuring a high comfort ratio for long-range offshore cruisingSwan 59A 17.88-metre fin-keeled cruiser featuring a deep 3.41-metre draft for stability and upwind performanceSwan 70A 21-metre masthead sloop with a fin keel and bulb, engineered for rapid offshore passage makingSwan 57 S&SA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop designed for blue-water cruising with a heavy, stable displacement hullSwan 651A 20-metre masthead sloop with a deep 3.51-metre draft and a heavy ballast ratio for offshore stabilitySwan 61A 18.44-metre masthead sloop built between 1985 and 1990, balancing a 2.95-metre draft with a high comfort ratio

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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