BoatsSwan 57 S&S Ketch

Swan 57 S&S Ketch

Masthead Ketch · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1977–1984

A Sparkman & Stephens masthead ketch designed for offshore passage-making with a balanced fin keel and skeg-hung 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 moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 39 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 39
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.73
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 230
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.2
TenderStiff

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

Ballast 38%

A capable offshore cruiser with an easy motion when the sea gets up.

  • Heavier than ~86% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~90% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~80% of boats her size on file

Compared with 912 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
38.2%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Ketch
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.2
Displacement / length
229.9
Comfort ratio
39.2
Capsize screening
1.73
Hull speed
9.1 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2594
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1977–1984
Units built
49
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.

Tayana 5516.76 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA Peter Beeldsnijder-designed cutter with a skeg-hung rudder, built for heavy-displacement offshore cruising
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
Oyster 5617.47 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Rob Humphreys-designed bluewater cutter built for comfort and stability on long-distance passages
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
Swan 57 RS17.49 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed masthead sloop built for long-range cruising with a high comfort ratio and stable hull form
Jeanneau Yachts 5717.78 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Philippe Briand-designed bluewater cruiser built for comfort and stability on long-distance passages

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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