BoatsSwan 68

Swan 68

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1992–2004

A 20.63-metre masthead sloop produced for over a decade, balancing a 3.3-metre draft with a high comfort ratio

Designed by German Frers, built by Nautor.

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

See her sail

The Swan 68, 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 moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 50 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 50
CoastalBluewater

At 1.60 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.60
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 240
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.6
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

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

  • Heavier than ~95% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~93% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~90% of boats her size on file

Compared with 340 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Swan 68, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Swan 68 is a German Frers-designed masthead sloop built by Nautor from 1992 to 2004, available with a fin keel and spade rudder or a traditional counter stern. The 20.6-meter yacht displaces 39,999 kg with a 3.3-meter draft. Aboard *Titania of Cowes*, a 2000 model, the yacht features a four-spreader carbon fiber Hall Spars mast, a Park Avenue boom, and rod rigging, carrying a 2013 Spectra North sail inventory.2:35 Deck hardware includes Lumos winches and a Reckman Genoa furler, with A&T and B&G electronics.3:19 The split cockpit separates the helmsman’s area from the owner’s cockpit, and a custom bathing platform is present.3:53 Below deck, a teak interior houses a galley with Corian Cameo White countertops, a dishwasher, and extensive cold storage.7:53 Mechanical systems include a 225-horsepower Perkins six-cylinder turbocharged engine, a 16-kilowatt generator, and a Spectra watermaker.13:04 The layout provides four guest cabins with Pullman berths, a dedicated crew area, and an aft master suite.8:38 The 1992 Swan 68 *Defiance* features an extended transom for lazarette storage and a standard 3.6-meter draft keel.2:35 Its deck includes Lewmar 111 electric primary winches, a manual Reckman headsail furler, and a 24-volt Lafrance windlass.1:29 The original Nautor anodized aluminum mast was reinforced in 2023, and rod rigging was replaced in 2020.2:26 Navigation electronics include 2008-era B&G Hercules instruments, a Simrad autopilot, radar, and GPS plotter. The vessel is equipped with a hydraulic Navtec panel controlling the vang, baby stay, forestay, and backstay.2:42 Interior systems include air conditioning, two 220-volt water makers, and four electric Tecma marine toilets.6:11 The galley features an Alpes Inox four-burner cooker, two fridges, two freezers, and a dishwasher.7:28

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 3 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Swan 68 on video

What they go for

Market signal

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

1seen for sale

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
40.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.6
Displacement / length
240.3
Comfort ratio
50.4
Capsize screening
1.60
Hull speed
9.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
3476
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1992–2004
Units built
24
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 6820.57 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Holman & Pye designed cutter built for serious blue-water passage making with a stable, skeg-mounted rudder
Hylas 6319.20 mSame hull family1.4 m shorterA 19-metre masthead sloop with a high comfort ratio of 48.24, designed for stable, long-range blue water cruising
New York Yacht Club 5021.95 mSame hull family1.3 m longerA 22-metre gaff-rigged cutter with a fin keel, represented today by the sole surviving, fully restored Spartan
Swan 65120.02 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA 20-metre masthead sloop with a deep 3.51-metre draft and a heavy ballast ratio for offshore stability
Oyster 65519.96 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA Rob Humphreys-designed cutter built for high-performance bluewater cruising with a powerful sail area-to-displacement ratio
Hallberg-Rassy 6419.85 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA German Frers-designed flagship featuring a high-volume hull and a powerful masthead rig for comfortable blue-water cruising

The family

Boats like this

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

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Swan 68, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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