Nautor and S&S Swans (end of an era)
Dear Friends,

We arrived yesterday in Sardinia to take part to the Swan Cup. Me, my wife and our friends have been organizing this race for months and months as Nautor organized a S&S class, and we were very keen, happy and proud to be part of this event.

At our arrival we found out Nautor cancelled the S&S class, so we are racing with Holland and Frers designed Swans...

Any comments are very welcome, I am speachless

Fair Winds!

matteo(38/067 Only You)

Dear Matteo,

I am disappointed for you and your family - that's a terrible disappointment. 

Did Nautor give you a reason?  Were there too few S&S boats?  Or did they arbitrarily decide to remove the calss?  If there were 3 or more S&S Swans present, they should have kept their word.

As a relatively new Swan owner, I have found no need to associate with Nautor; everything I need is found right here at the S&S Swan Association!  So, I cannon comment on Nautor, but I will say that this is a great group of owners, with our "in-house" expert, the Professor, who knows everything, so I think we are all better off than the "other" Swan owners!

Again, sorry for your disappointment.

Fair Winds,

Chris Mabel's Casse Tete 43/003

Dear Chris,

there are six S&S Swans (and they could have been at least 15/20 if they would have given us a single pontoon, in order to have the S&S moored all together. A lot of S&S owners decided not to come because the berthing organization here is 100% random and not organized...!).

So Nautor decided to cancel the class because there are just a few S&S. I don't agree with this decision, and most of participants think the same, but they don't care.

If you would be here and could see the brand new Swans, you could understand why Nautor is not so keen on our boats, I have been told this is more a "boat show" to exhibit their new multi million dollars boats, with blue underwater lights (similar to those peculiar to motor boats) and other amenities which I think are not "sailing oriented", you would see what I mean.

It's a pity, and I am disappointed they did the opposite of what they promised on many many messages and phone calls sent over the last 12 months.

We'll have a lot of fun to our S&S Swan Rendez-vous, in June 2013, a Rendez-vous for "real" Swans!

Fair winds!

matteo (38/067 Only You)

Dear all,

Let me share your dissappointment about Nautor´s behaviour! A couple of days ago I was looking for the information about the S&S Swans at Nautor's web site . They used to have at least some information for them (nothing to compared to this site) but what has happened! Now they have changed the outlook and contents of the site and nothing can be found for classic Swans Swans! Maybe also this tells something about their attitude for historical models :(

Looking for a S&S Swan and hopefully to be a member for S&S Swan association some day...

Best Regards

Pertti

Dear Pertti
Thank you for the observation. The historical models are still there although well hidden on the new website, but it appears things are not working properly, photos and data do not show. Take the following route: ClubSwan/Company/History/Historical Models/
Suggest that members keep an eye on this and report when the information is displayed properly.
Kind regards
Lars

dear Matteo,
we are all disappointed for these news. I agree totally with you: This is a logical result from the marketing policy of Nautor. I wonder if their strategy is correct, surely they have lost the name for the best built yachts in the world. And, too, they are not the fastest. And I feel a situation of stress in this shipyard.

We all appreciate your enthusiasm and we hope to continue, with the help of Lars, too, with this lively association. Unless we will be obliged to merge with the S&S association, or go to the Morris Yacht forum (if there exists one)!
Thank you and be patient

When I have done Swan Mini-regattas in the US, I never get the feeling that the organizers are all that excited when the 35+ year old boats beat their newer and much more expensive models.  You would think that would be enough of an incentive for them to give you your own class.

A new mystery at the 2012 Swan Cup.
There are four Frer designed Swan 53, the first one is in Class C (classics)*, the other ones in class B, despite the fact they are sister boats.
It appears at Nautor are not aware to tell these to boats are sister, that's incredible!!!

Fair winds!

matteo (38/067 Only You)



*this is the class which was originally the Sparkman & Stephens class

A new mystery at the 2012 Swan Cup.
There are four Frer designed Swan 53, the first one is in Class C (classics)*, the other ones in class B, despite the fact they are sister boats.
It appears at Nautor are not aware to tell these to boats are sister, that's incredible!!!

Fair winds!

matteo (38/067 Only You)



*this is the class which was originally the Sparkman & Stephens class

It maybe probably because Ondine is from 1987, that is 25 years old..

So, Nautor does not know the boat that Nautor itself made 25 years ago...what a pity!

Fair winds!

matteo(38/067 Only You)

Hi Everyone,

I saw my first Swan 43 in 1974 in the Tuamotus, French Polynesia.   The only thing I could say was:  "I want".

I bought hull # 12 4 years later and have never regretted it, nor wanted another boat.  I know I have an exceptional yacht.  I don't care what "present day" Nautor think, I know I have a jewel.  I look after her and a day does not go by without someone approaching me saying something pleasant about her.  Without her and the other S&S classics, Nautor would not be where they are today.

I am sad for those who missed out in Sardinia but I am happy for them too, knowing that they have a yacht to be proud of, a yacht designed and built to sail, and sail well they do.

Hi Everyone,

Well said.

Dear Matteo,

I just thought that I could give you some information about the recently held Swan archipelago regatta in Åbo (August 16-19, 2012) which was organized by the Turku Yacht Club and Forum Marinum in Åbo, Finland  in collaboration  with Nautor. Although there was no separate class for the S&S designs, all Swan boats were kept together in the Åbo Yacht Harbour, each of them had an information about model, hull # and delivery year at their place on the bridge. Sixteen Swan models were represented among the 53 participants and the average age of the participating yachts was 31 years (!) and the average LOA 41.1 ft. Six Swans came from Sweden, all the other were from Finland. It was impressive to see all these boats which were all in good condition and well maintained competing. 

In the final race 17 Swans of S&S design participated (three Swan 36, all delivered in 1969; three Swan 37; five Swan 38 the oldest hull #3 delivered in 1974 and the youngest hull # 103 delivered in 1977; one Swan 40 hull #36 delivered in 1972; three Swan 41, including hull #1 delivered in 1973 with the original owner family, and two Swan 44 delivered 1973).

In addition there were 4 Swan 36 (GF), 3 Swan 391 (RH), 4 Swan 40 (GF), 3 Swan 42 (RH), 1 Swan 441 (RH), 2 Swan 45 (GF), 2 Swan 46 (GF), 1 Swan 51 (GF) from 1981, 1 Swan 53 (GF)  delivered in 1990, and 1 Swan 55 (GF) delivered in 1993.

It was also interesting to note that the old S&S models were competitive, as well as to the observe the difference in construction when the S&S 36ft and Frers 36ft model 25 years later were compared. The same comparison could be performed between the S&S 40ft and the Frers 40ft model which was constructed 20 years later. However the old S&S models performed well: Hull # 52 of the S&S 36 ft design delivered in 1969 won her class and hull #36 of the S&S 40ft design delivered in 1972 came among the 6 best in her class in the final results.

All yachts raced using the Finnish LYS yard stick and were divided into three classes (LYS 1: 1.30-1.48 included 16 boats; LYS 2: 1.20-1.29 included 18 yachts; and LYS 3: 1.13-1.19) included 19 yachts.

Two races were held and in the final results 1 S&S design came in among the first 10 in LYS 1, and 7 in LYS 2 and 8 in LYS 3, respectively.

If the results are compared for all classes together based on LYS (all sailed the same route only starting with 10 minutes delay) in race 1 six S&S yachts came in among the first 10 and in race 2  ten among the first 12!

Is not this a fascinating story about what quality and a good construction makes for the long-time performance of sailing yachts!

Best regards

Leif Hambraeus

(owner of the still going strong S&S 40 Sunniva V (#36)

Dear S&S Swan Owners and Lovers,

today is the third day of race, and we had quite a strong northerly wind (up to 36 kn), and do you know how many S&S Swans had problems or retired...?

Not even ONE

You can't say the same on the newer boats...!

At the end of the race (we are the smallest yacht of the fleet, and so the last to come back into the marina) we've been approched by a very kind Nautor guy, who asked if we had some problems to report or if we broke anything an in need of help. I said "this is a Sparkman&Stephens Swan, an original Swan, we are very happy to sail in this weather). He smiled!

Fair winds!

matteo (38/067 Only You)

Dear Friends,

We arrived yesterday in Sardinia to take part to the Swan Cup. Me, my wife and our friends have been organizing this race for months and months as Nautor organized a S&S class, and we were very keen, happy and proud to be part of this event.

At our arrival we found out Nautor cancelled the S&S class, so we are racing with Holland and Frers designed Swans...

Any comments are very welcome, I am speachless

Fair Winds!

matteo(38/067 Only You)

dear Matteo
as you know I have started the S&S class when i was the ceo of Nautor.
In my opinion instead of cancelling our beatifull class thet should have also created a classic class for Freers as well keep going with s&s.

I will try to speak to nautor and its owner and let you know if we can restore the s&s class.

regards
filippo masci
swan 47 tortuga and former owner of swan 40 bella gioia

No problem for a new classic class for Frers models older than 25 years.
But, please, do not propose a Ron Holland class!!!!!!!!!!!
Matteo
( Swan 47 #16 Grampus due)

Dear All,

I would not be so drastic.

What I did not appreciate from the organizers is that we have been promised a S&S Class and of course they knew well in advance they were not going to organize it, but did not call or let us know. So, as we arrived in Sardinia we found out the Class had been cancelled. This behavior is not fair, not at all.

If at the next Swan Cup they will promise to get a S&S class, who is going to believe they will keep their word...?

There are some very nice Frers and Hollands Swans, but we are dealing with Sparkman & Stephens designed ones. We have been working on our class for more than 15 years, me and a lot of good friends, and we want to keep our identity, we are 100% proud of this. If Nautor or whoever wants to organize a class on Hollands and Frers designed classic Swans, they are very welcome, but we at the S&S Swan Association will work straight on S&S.

Fair winds to you all!

matteo (38/067 Only You)

Matteo, sorry to hear about this. Feels like the same business that tried to charge me several thousand Euros for the photcopies of the drawings. If they were smart, they would realise that their  brand value is built on a strong history. Just look at how this has worked for the car manufacturers like Porsche, BMW and Ferrari. All are active in preserving their pasts.

My only guess is that Nautor are really struggling to survive and making some odd business judgements. I dont think that they will find that the buyers of the boats with the coloured underwater lights are long term supporters and it was interesting for me to see that the total regatta fleet was down to 55 this year. When we last did the Swan Cup in 2006, there were 60 in our class from memory and about 120 overall.

Gavin

Dear S&S Swan Owners and Lovers,

today is the third day of race, and we had quite a strong northerly wind (up to 36 kn), and do you know how many S&S Swans had problems or retired...?

Not even ONE

You can't say the same on the newer boats...!

At the end of the race (we are the smallest yacht of the fleet, and so the last to come back into the marina) we've been approched by a very kind Nautor guy, who asked if we had some problems to report or if we broke anything an in need of help. I said "this is a Sparkman&Stephens Swan, an original Swan, we are very happy to sail in this weather). He smiled!

Fair winds!

matteo (38/067 Only You)

Dear Matteo,

First let me introduce myself briefly: I am a sailor from Turkey, and I visited the Swan Cup this year. I currently own a Grand Soleil 40' and maybe a Swan soon.
And, we were actually there when you came into the marina after the race on the 13th. I do remember the wind was really strong that day.
I just wanted to share your feelings and express my thoughts on how an admirable association you guys have formed. An excellent Association for an excellent yacht. I do love almost all Swan models, but I have to admit the S&S designs do have a special charm.
Please do not get discouraged. Keep racing and cruising these gorgeous yachts.

Regards to all,
Oğuz

Dear Oğuz

thanks a lot, yes, the wind was strong, but not strong enough for a Real Swan (S&S, of course!)!

Don't worry, this kind of things just get my commitment stronger and stronger, so, hope you will find your S&S Swan and will join us, and I promise you will find an Association stronger than ever!

Fair winds!

matteo (38/067 Only You)

Dear Friends
Regret to inform that now the historical models have disappeared from the Nautor website.
On the other hand that makes the S&S Swan Association website even more unique
Best regards
Lars