The Swan 46 Mk I, also just called the Swan 46, is a Finnish

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

that was designed by Germán Frers as a

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

- racer and first built in 1983. The design was originally marketed by the manufacturer as the Swan 46, but is now sometimes referred to as the Swan 46 Mk I to differentiate it from the improved 1989 Swan 46 Mk II and the unrelated 2004 Swan 46 Mk III design.

Production

The design was built by Oy Nautor AB in Finland, from 1983 until 1997, with 109 boats completed, and average of 7.2 boats per year.

Design

The Swan 46 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of

glassfibre Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, a

raked stem The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. Description The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to ...

, a

reverse transom A transom is the vertical reinforcement which strengthens the stern of a boat. This flat termination of the stern is typically above the waterline. The term was used as far back as Middle English in the 1300s, having come from Latin ''transvers ...

, an internally mounted spade-type

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...

controlled by a

wheel A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle Bearing (mechanical), bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the Simple machine, six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction wi ...

and a fixed fin

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

, optional shoal-draft keel or stub keel and centreboard. Tall, very tall, standard and short masts were also factory options. It displaces and carries of lead ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard fin keel and with the optional shoal draft keel, while the centreboard-equipped version has a draft of with the centreboard extended and with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water. The boat is fitted with a British

Perkins Engines Perkins Engines Company Limited, a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc since 1998, is primarily a diesel engine manufacturer for several markets including agricultural, construction, material handling, power generation, and industrial. It was establis ...

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-call ...

of for docking and manoeuvring. The fuel tank holds and the

fresh water Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...

tank has a capacity of . The design has sleeping accommodation for six people, with a double

"V"-berth A berth is a bed or sleeping accommodation on vehicles. Space accommodations have contributed to certain common design elements of berths. Beds in boats or ships While beds on large ships are little different from those on shore, the lack ...

in the bow cabin, a U-shaped settee and a straight settee in the main cabin along with two upper pilot berths and an aft cabin with a central double island berth. The

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...

is located on the port side just aft of the

companionway In the architecture of a ship, a companion or companionway is a raised and windowed hatchway in the ship's deck, with a ladder leading below and the hooded entrance-hatch to the main cabins. A companionway may be secured by doors or, commonly in ...

ladder. The galley is of straight configuration and is equipped with a three-burner stove, an ice box and a double sink. A navigation station is opposite the galley, on the starboard side. There are two

heads A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may no ...

, one in the bow cabin on the port side and one on the starboard side in the aft cabin. The design has a hull speed of . The

PHRF Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) is a handicapping system used for yacht racing in North America. It allows dissimilar classes of sailboats to be raced against each other. The aim is to cancel out the inherent advantages and disadvantages ...

handicap for the standard mast is 63 to 72 for the fin keel model, 63 to 78 for the centreboard model and 66 to 72 for the shoal draft model. The short mast handicap is 75 with the shoal keel. With the tall mast the PHRF is 60 to 72 with the fin keel, 60 with the centreboard and 69 with the shoal keel. With the very tall mast and fin keel the PHRF is 54.

Operational history

In a 2014 review in ''Sailing Magazine'', Bob Pingel noted, "Frers loved the Swan 46 Mk I, saying the boat is 'beautifully responsive to sail, small enough for two or three competent crew to handle, yet big enough to accommodate a family of six in complete comfort.'" In a 2015 ''Cruising World'' review, Karen Erikson wrote that the Swan 46, "is a fine ocean passagemaker. She sets beautifully into steep waves while the cabin remains a quiet haven, and with fingertip control, she steers like a dream. In our 2012 ARC Atlantic crossing, in perfect conditions, she charged across the Pond in an impressive 16 days to take the award for the fastest family boat."

References

{{Sailboat types built by Nautor Swan Keelboats 1980s sailboat type designs Sailing yachts Sailboat type designs by Germán Frers Sailboat types built by Nautor Swan

Production

Design

Operational history

See also

References