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Swan 40 Ss
Designer: Sparkman & Stephens  ·  Builder: Nautor  ·  First built: 1970
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About the Swan 40 Ss

Designed by the legendary Sparkman & Stephens and built by Finland's prestigious Nautor yard, this early Swan represents the marque's golden era of performance cruising yachts. With only 51 hulls produced between 1970 and 1972, the Swan 40 Ss has become a sought-after classic that embodies the perfect balance between racing prowess and cruising comfort. The yacht's moderate displacement of 19,000 pounds and well-balanced sail plan deliver impressive performance both inshore and offshore. Her fin keel with rudder on skeg configuration provides excellent directional stability while maintaining responsive handling characteristics that made Swan famous among serious sailors. The masthead sloop rig generates 709 square feet of working sail area, offering spirited performance in a wide range of conditions. Built to the exacting standards that defined Nautor's reputation, the fiberglass construction features robust engineering suitable for extended offshore passages. The comfort ratio of 38.71 indicates a boat capable of comfortable ocean crossings, while the capsize screening value of 1.63 confirms her seaworthiness for blue water sailing. With a hull speed of 7.16 knots, she offers the perfect combination of cruising speed and seakindly motion that defines classic Swan sailing.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 39.30 ft / 11.98 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 28.54 ft / 8.70 m
Beam 10.83 ft / 3.30 m
Max Draft 6.70 ft / 2.04 m
Displacement 19,000.00 lb / 8,618 kg
Ballast 7,900.00 lb / 3,583 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 709.00 ft² / 65.87 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Sparkman & Stephens
Builder Nautor
First Built 1970
Last Built 1972
Number Built 51
Related Sailboats ["Pj 40 Ss" · "Swan 39" · "Cal 40" · "Cc 39" · "Pearson 39"]
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 126
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 15.99
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 41.58
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 364.87
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 38.71
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.63
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.16 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.26
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,104.41 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 15.98
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 49.04 ft / 14.95 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 15.84 ft / 4.83 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 44.04 ft / 13.42 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.54 ft / 4.43 m
SA Fore 388.40 ft² / 36.08 m²
SA Main 320.17 ft² / 29.74 m²
SA Total (100%) 708.57 ft² / 65.83 m²
Est. Forestay Length 51.53 ft / 15.71 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Volvo Penta
Engine Model MD2B
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 25
Fuel Capacity 40 gals / 151 L
Water Capacity 48 gals / 182 L
How It Compares

vs. Cal 40, Cc 39, Swan 39

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Swan 40 Ss ★
39.3 ft
Cal 40
39.3 ft
Cc 39
39.3 ft
Swan 39
39.3 ft
LWL
Swan 40 Ss ★
28.5 ft
Cal 40
30.3 ft
Cc 39
31.7 ft
Swan 39
31.5 ft
Beam
Swan 40 Ss ★
10.8 ft
Cal 40
11.0 ft
Cc 39
11.5 ft
Swan 39
12.5 ft
Displacement
Swan 40 Ss ★
19 lbs
Cal 40
15 lbs
Cc 39
17 lbs
Swan 39
18 lbs
Ballast
Swan 40 Ss ★
7 lbs
Cal 40
6 lbs
Cc 39
—
Swan 39
7 lbs
Sail Area
Swan 40 Ss ★
709 sq ft
Cal 40
—
Cc 39
726 sq ft
Swan 39
761 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Swan 40 Ss ★
126 s/nm
Cal 40
120 s/nm
Cc 39
—
Swan 39
84 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Swan 40 Ss ★
16.0
Cal 40
—
Cc 39
17.6
Swan 39
17.8
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Swan 40 Ss ★
41.6 %
Cal 40
40.0 %
Cc 39
—
Swan 39
43.9 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Swan 40 Ss ★
38.7
Cal 40
—
Cc 39
30.1
Swan 39
28.5
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Swan 40 Ss ★
1.63
Cal 40
—
Cc 39
1.79
Swan 39
1.91
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Swan 40 Ss ★
364
Cal 40
240
Cc 39
238
Swan 39
257
Hull Speed
Swan 40 Ss ★
7.2 kts
Cal 40
—
Cc 39
7.5 kts
Swan 39
7.5 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Swan 40 Ss ★
1.3
Cal 40
—
Cc 39
2.4
Swan 39
2.2
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