The Swan 411 is an absolute classic, beautifully designed by Sparkman & Stephens and strongly built by Nautor's Swan between 1977 and 1979. Only 42 hulls were built during this period and we happen to be lucky enough to own one of them: the Blue Swan (1977, hull #14), your host in our sailing expeditions.
This iconic Sparkman & Stephens classic was brought from Trieste, Italy in August 2019. During the passage we lost the boom and mail sail in the south of Sardinia during a storm. We manage to arrive to Vilamoura, Algarve 2 weeks later.
After our arrival Blue Swan went to the hard to start a 9 months refit that included: new boom, new main sail, new rigging, deck reconditioning, hull maintenance (osmosis treatment), shaft bearing, zincs, new batteries, new diesel filter, servicing water filter, new water pump, servicing bilge pumps.
Today, Sparkman&Stephens designed Swans are universally acknowledged to be the finest ocean- going production sailing yachts ever built.The Sparkman&Stephens Swan legend was created in less than a decade. A remarkable achievement in the highly competitive world of yachting.
Own a Sparkman&Stephens Swan and you share part of that legend, a legend based upon reality. The reality of a unique standard of Sparkman&Stephens design and Nautor construction in harmony with performance, luxury, comfort and renowned seaworthiness under the most demanding condition.
Sail a Sparkman&Stephens designed Swan and you experience a unique combination of the elegance and power created by superb engineering and the craftsman’s skill. A pride reflected in a marriage of technology and tradition, and in Nautor’s uncompromised dedication towards creating the ultimate statement of the yachtbuilder’s art.
Sparkman&Stephens Swan: The supreme sailing experience...
Blue Swan, being flagged in Belgium carries industry standard safety and medical equipment from lifejackets, types of storm sails, med kit, fire fighting equipment, etc. We follow the guidelines Cat2 coding by MCA:
– 8 Life jacks SEATEC / X-PRO 180
– 2 life buoy
– Danbuoy
- Straps
– MOB device / rescue line
– Liferaft by SEAGO / ISO 9650-2 with HRU SOLAS app
– 2 fire extinguishers dry chemical 1 and 2 Kg
– 1 fire blanket
– Smoke alarm
– CO2 alarm
– AIS Digital Yacht Nomad
– Ipad Pro 12.9 with Navionics & ISailor anv systems / AIS transponder
– Ploter Raymarine 435 / Backup nav system
– VHF DSC Simrad
– Hand held VHF Cobra
- Hande held compass Plastimo
– Radar reflector
– 4 hand flares
– 2 orange smokes
– 4 parachutes
– 406 MHz EPIRB
– 3 magnetic compass / compass deviation card
– Nautical publications: charts from the area, pilot books and almanac - includes Almanac, Pilot books and charts
– Dividers and Breton plotter
– Barometer
– 2 Searchlight
– 1 CQR 18Kg main anchor / Brittany 12Ks kedge
– Safety harnesses and straps
– First aid kit Class2
- Gas remote switch Truma
Our Blue Swan is equipped with the following sails, all with proper maintenance and daily care:
- Main sail Hyde sail Tri-radial CHALLEGE WARP-DRIVE 9.11 year 2020
- Genoa 150% North Sails year 2010
- Gen1 North Sails 2014
- Gen 2 North Sails 2012
- Jib 1 North Sails 2008
-Jib 2 - Reckmann
- Gennaker year 2012
S&S Swan Association would like to point out the most important peculiarities which make a Sparkman&Stephens de- signed Swan an original and unique one: 824 yachts built in 15 models between 1967 and 1989. All the yachts have a hull number.
Below is a helpful list of 52 items:
1. (a,b,c) Nautor’s Swan Builder’s Plaque with model/hull number and month/year of delivery (found downbelow, bronze or aluminum). Three different models over the years.
2. S&S recessed cove stripes with arrows
3. Nautor Mast Plaque (anodized aluminum on mast, boom, spinnaker and jockey poles)
4. Original Aluminum Nautor Mast/Boom/Spinnaker/Jockey Poles (if new alu mast section has about samesize and same number of spreaders it can be accepted as original)
5. Hull Number stamped on mast top plate, under or behind most of the furniture, and inside lazarette
6. Shrouds as by original Sail Plan. Some yachts had rod rigging originally, beginning with Swan 36. FlattenedSouth Coast Rod Rigging was used first, Navtec round rod later, (see sail plans on classicswan.org)
7. Thurnbuckles are Lewmar first grade marine bronze, or Navtec stainless steel if shrouds are in rod. Aluminum anodized plate at the base of the shrouds
8. Number of Spinnaker Poles: must be 2
9. Spinnaker Poles material (originally aluminum)
10. Number of Winches as per original Deck Plan: (see deck plan on classicswan.org)
11. Main Halyard Reel Winch on some models, Luke Winch for retracting keel on CB Swan (see sail plan anddeck plan on classicswan.org)S&S SWAN ASSOCIATIONwww.classicswan.org
12. Number of tracks as per original Sail Plan: (see Deck Plan on classicswan.org)
13. Original Black Anodized Aluminum Turning Blocks
14. Ball bearing sheet tracks not original
15. Cars with towing lines not original
16. Lewmar chromed bronze cars
17. Bowsprit not original
18. Approximately original engine HP
19. Morse engine control
20. Aquamet 22 propeller shaft (A simple test is to check if the shaft is magnetic or not, it should be non-magnetic, but this only confirms that a stainless material is in question, and there are many of them)
21. Morse shaft packing gland
22. Nautor built aluminum (painted white) steering pedestal
23. Danforth Constellation 6” (Suunto D-165 on later S&S Swan, with dedicated label) binnacle mountedcompass
24. Elk leather (dark brown) on stainless steel wheel
25. Original Skeg Rudder: (see lines plan in S&S Swan. A Legend)
26. Original Rudder Side Profile: (see lines plan in S&S Swan. A Legend)
27. Original Rudder Stock with Band Packing Gland with thread (no graphite)
28. Original Keel Side Profile: (see lines plan in S&S Swan. A Legend)
29. Original Dorade Boxes (see deck plan on classicswan.org)
30. Original Deck Hatches with raised coamings (not flush)
31. Original Forward Sliding Hatch (on some yachts, see deck plan on classicswan.org)
32. Deck prisms with metal frames
33. GRP fiberglass Window Frames
34. Traditional Sail Shapes
35. Teak Deck originally screwed
36. Teak Deck Design: original sharp batten corners
37. Aluminum Nautor Toerail (The first models - 36, 43, 40 had wooden toerails, the change came during theSwan 37 series, the last 37s have aluminium rails)
38. Lewmar tapered stanchions, (with black plastic nut on top for earlier models)S&S SWAN ASSOCIATIONwww.classicswan.org
39. Nav Lights are Hella Marine
40. Original Hull Lines (even if it is difficult to determine if for example the aft body has been filled up just alittle)
41. Trim Screws 305 mm (12 in.) above DWL, bow and stern, double boot top
42. Drain Plug (starboard side, on the deepest part of the bilge)
43. Blakes seacocks (with square handle attachment, and also a threaded connection for a sleeve. The threadswere soon replaced with serrations for receiving the hose directly)
44. Toerail bolt nuts are GRP/gealcoat covered (if not, check why, a possibility is because Toerail have beenreplaced
45. Sail track bolt nuts are GRP/gelcoat covered (if not, check why, a possibility is because Teak Deck havebeen replaced)
46. Keel bolt nuts are GRP and gelcoat covered (if not, check why)
47. Baby Blake Toilets
48. Electric Panel, anodized grey aluminum, with Heinemann breakers
49. Autopilot, originally a Neco (still the best electric AP motor), fitted by the yard
50. Wind Instrument, B&G from Hengist Horsa serie onwards
51. Interior Varnish (originally Sadolux, hand rubbed) must be satin/rubbed effect (could nowadays be maintained with OsmoWax)
52. Chromed Bronze Padeyes for kitchen belts, (sprayhood on deck) etc.
Our sailing expeditions are carefully planned to provide valid sea experiences that meet each participants’ individual learning ambitions. So, you become part of the crew, either you aim for a first sailing baptism, to increase your nautical miles with an offshore sail, or improve your skills further because you feel your previous training failed to provide you with the experience you need to set sail autonomously or even amongst a flotilla in a paradisiac holiday destination.
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