Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1982–1991
A 20-metre masthead sloop with a deep 3.51-metre draft and a heavy ballast ratio for offshore stability
Designed by German Frers, built by Nautor.
See her sail
The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.
Footage from Hugh Robertson Sailing
Is it for you?
Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.
Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 44 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.
At 1.66 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.
202 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.
18.8 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.
42% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.
A capable offshore cruiser with an easy motion when the sea gets up.
Compared with 424 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.
What the fleet has seen
Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.
The Swan 651 is a 20.0-meter masthead sloop designed by German Frers and built by Nautor from 1982 to 1991. It features a fin keel with a rudder on skeg, displaces 34,246 kg, and has a 3.5-meter draft. A keel/centerboard version was also available.1:49
The living fleet
Where the fleet has filmed this boat.
The record
The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.
Boats like this, 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.
The family
Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.
Keep asking
Search what's been said about the Swan 651, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.
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