Swan 44 Frers
 | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | Germán Frers Andrew Winch |
| Location | Finland |
| Year | 1988 |
| No. built | 19 |
| Builder(s) | Oy Nautor AB |
| Role | Cruiser |
| Name | Swan 44 Mk I Frers |
| Boat | |
| Displacement | 24,500 lb (11,113 kg) |
| Draft | 8.25 ft (2.51 m) |
| Hull | |
| Type | monohull |
| Construction | glassfibre |
| LOA | 44.00 ft (13.41 m) |
| LWL | 34.58 ft (10.54 m) |
| Beam | 13.67 ft (4.17 m) |
| Engine type | Perkins Engines 50 hp (37 kW) diesel engine |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | Fin keel with weighted bulb |
| Ballast | 7,700 lb (3,493 kg) |
| Rudder(s) | Spade-type rudder |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| I foretriangle height | 57.35 ft (17.48 m) |
| J foretriangle base | 16.73 ft (5.10 m) |
| P mainsail luff | 50.75 ft (15.47 m) |
| E mainsail foot | 16.17 ft (4.93 m) |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | Masthead sloop |
| Mainsail area | 410.31 sq ft (38.119 m2) |
| Jib/genoa area | 479.73 sq ft (44.568 m2) |
| Total sail area | 890.04 sq ft (82.687 m2) |
The Swan 44 Frers is a Finnish sailboat that was designed by Germán Frers, with styling by Andrew Winch, as a blue water cruiser and first built in 1988. The design was built in two versions.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
The design was originally marketed by the manufacturer as the Swan 44, but is now usually referred to as the Swan 44 Frers to differentiate it from the unrelated 1972 Sparkman & Stephens Swan 44 design.[1][3][5][10][11]
Production
[edit]The design was built by Oy Nautor AB in Finland, from 1988 to 2002 in both versions, but it is now out of production.[1][2][3][4][5][6][12][13]
Design
[edit]The Swan 44 Frers is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of glassfibre, with wood trim. It has a masthead sloop rig, three sets of spreaders, steel rod rigging, a raked stem plumb stem, a reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a wheel and a fixed fin keel with a weighted bulb or optional shoal-draft keel.[1][2][3][4][5][6][9]
The design has sleeping accommodation for five people, with a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin, an L-shaped settee and a straight settee in the main cabin, with a pilot berth to port and an aft cabin with a double berth on the port side. The galley is located on the port side just forward of the companionway ladder. The galley is L-shaped 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, one in the bow cabin on the port side and one on the starboard side aft.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Variants
[edit]- Mark I
- This model was produced from 1988 to 1994, with 19 built. It has a length overall of 44.00 ft (13.4 m), a waterline length of 34.58 ft (10.5 m), displaces 24,500 lb (11,113 kg) and carries 7,700 lb (3,493 kg) of lead ballast. The boat has a draft of 8.25 ft (2.51 m) with the standard keel and 6.89 ft (2.10 m) with the optional shoal draft keel. The boat is fitted with a British Perkins Engines diesel engine of 50 hp (37 kW). The fuel tank holds 70 U.S. gallons (260 L; 58 imp gal) and the fresh water tank has a capacity of 90 U.S. gallons (340 L; 75 imp gal). The design has a hull speed of 7.88 kn (14.59 km/h).[1][3][5]
- Mark II
- This model was produced from 1996 to 2002, with 68 built. It has a length overall of 44.11 ft (13.4 m), a waterline length of 34.65 ft (10.6 m), displaces 24,300 lb (11,022 kg) and carries 8,400 lb (3,810 kg) of lead ballast. The boat has a draft of 7.15 ft (2.18 m) with the standard lead keel. The boat is fitted with a Swedish Volvo Penta MD22L diesel engine. The fuel tank holds 105 U.S. gallons (400 L; 87 imp gal) and the fresh water tank has a capacity of 100 U.S. gallons (380 L; 83 imp gal). The design has a hull speed of 7.89 kn (14.61 km/h) and a PHRF racing average handicap of 81.[2][4][6][14]
Operational history
[edit]In a 2001 design review for boats.com, Robert Perry wrote, "if life were fair, we would all sail Swans and drive Mercedes. I'm not too particular about which Swan; they are all kind of nice. The Frers-designed 44 would do. It is a big sister to the 36, with the new window treatment and emphasis on cruising comfort."[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Swan 44 (Frers)". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Swan 44 Mk II (Frers)". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Swan 44 (Frers)". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Swan 44 MK II (Frers)". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Ulladulla. "Swan 44 frers". Sailboat Lab. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Ulladulla. "Swan 44 mk ii frers". Sailboat Lab. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce (2023). "German Frers". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "German Frers". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Perry, Bob (11 April 2001). "Swan 44: Bob Perry Design Review". boats.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Swan 44 sailboat". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Swan 44". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Nautor (Swan sailboats)". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Nautor (Swan sailboats)". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
- ^ US Sailing (2023). "PHRF Handicaps". ussailing.org. Retrieved 14 May 2023.