Nautor Swan 43 (S&S)
Description
The Nautor Swan 43 (commonly referred to as the Swan 43 (S&S) to distinguish it from the later Ron Holland-designed Swan 43 / Swan 432) is an iconic Finnish performance cruiser-racer built by Nautor Oy (Nautor Swan) in Jakobstad (Pietarsaari), Finland, designed by the legendary American firm Sparkman & Stephens (S&S design #1973, originally for the RORC rule and also marketed in the US as the Palmer Johnson 43). Production ran from 1967 to 1982, with exactly 67 hulls constructed in solid fiberglass (GRP) featuring a fin keel with skeg-hung rudder (some with adjustable trim tab originally), emphasizing classic Swan elegance—long overhangs, low freeboard, sheer, tumblehome—and exceptional build quality for competitive ocean racing combined with comfortable cruising. It features a masthead sloop rig, luxurious teak interior (typically 2 cabins with 6-7 berths, galley, heads, and good storage), responsive handling, strong upwind performance from its IOR-influenced lines, high stability, and a timeless reputation as one of the earliest and most successful Swans—proven in events like the Admiral's Cup and admired today for its pedigree, seaworthiness, and classic appeal among enthusiasts (distinct from the 1985–1990 Holland version with wider beam and different hull).
Construction Details
| Designer | Sparkman and Stephens |
|---|---|
| Builder | Nautor Swan (Finland) |
| Length | 42.780 ft |
| LOA | 42.780 ft |
| LWL | 31.000 ft |
| Beam | 11.670 ft |
| Displacement | 19850 lb |
| Ballast | 10400 lb |
| Max Draft | 7.160 ft |
| Year Built | 1968 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 57.02 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 17.49 ft |
| p | 50.04 ft |
| e | 15.26 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57.02 ft | 17.49 ft | 50.04 ft | 15.26 ft | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Nautor Swan 43 (S&S) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 50.04 ft - (15252 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.26 ft - (4651 mm) |
| Leech | * 51.53 ft - (15706 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 51.8 ft - (15789 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 392.44 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Nautor Swan 43 (S&S) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 47.71 ft - (14542 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 23.01 ft - (7013 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.72 ft - (12716 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.04 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 20.12 ft - (6133 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.97 ° |
| Area | * 479.99 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Nautor Swan 43 (S&S) - GENOA
| Luff | * 56.66 ft - (17270 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 28.11 ft - (8568 mm) |
| Leech | * 53.43 ft - (16285 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 26.23 ft - (7995 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.03 ° |
| Area | * 743.06 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Nautor Swan 43 (S&S) - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 58 ft - (17678 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Leech | 54 ft - (16459 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1305 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Nautor Swan 43 (S&S) - STORMJIB
| Luff | * 32.8 ft - (9997 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 12.98 ft - (3956 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.25 ft - (8306 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 59.98 % |
| Length Perp | * 10.49 ft - (3197 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 19.05 ° |
| Area | * 171.99 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
Comments
