Swan 43 - Circe
Trying to establish history of the yacht. Hope someone can fill me in. Reason is i am contemplating purchasing her.

Hi Stovin, I looked at CIRCE about a year ago and have an out of water survey on her if you are interested? A beautiful yacht but a bit too much work for me at the price they were asking but now she is getting close to what I was prepared to pay. I spoke to the owner before the current one who lives south of Brisbane and was very helpful, his name was on the registration papers and he was easy to track down. You will also find other reference to CIRCE some time ago on this forum.
Good luck,
Andrew

Hi Stovin:

I also agree that the 43s are great sailing boats.  The very balanced helm and sailing qualities allows for easy singlehanded sailing, as well as low effort for the auto pilot.

One of the single best improvements I made to my boat "Hiro Maru" was to install a "Dutchman" mainsail flaking system.  Without this system trying to flake the mainsail on to the high boom (I am 5'-6" tall) is difficult, especially at the aft end of the boom.  It has been tested in coastal as well as offshore conditions aboard my boat for over 10 years without a single problem. 

I highly recommend you look into some type mainsail flaking system since trying to do this singlehanded in any kind of breeze in a seaway is difficult and also runs the risk of getting hit by the boom.  

See more discussion about the 43s under the maintenance link on this web site.

The 43s, as well as other classic Swans, are very well built and detailed boats.  Unless there are issues due to serious neglect or collision damage you will never go wrong buying one of these boats.

Hiro

Hello Andrew,

Thank you for responding to my entry. Yes I would be delighted to have a look at the survey. If possible could you send to me email, brian@sherratt.com.au

Have looked at the boat a couple of times have to say it was not quite what I was looking for but the reputation and now educed price is a compelling attraction.

Thanks again

Hiro, very interested in your Dutchman flaking system could you post any photos of it. My sailmaker has always said it was a problematic system. Do you adjust tension when reefing etc?  

John B Swan 411 

John:

You can see the "Dutchman" system on my mainsail by going to the Swans by S&S link and navigating to Swan 43 and open link to Swan 43 / 46 "Hiro Maru".

You will see it better on the close-up photo of the boat sailing sailing on starboard tack.

The Dutchman are the thin vertical guide lines going up the mainsail.  These vertical lines hang from a topping lift and goes thru 3-4 very small holes in the mainsail and terminates at the foot of the mainsail.  They allow the sail to flake like a venetian blind.  It is a simple system consisting of only those 3 vertical guide lines and works very well.  It is very helpful during reefing or dousing the main single handed in that the "Dutchman" lines keep the mainsail from spilling off of the boom.  I have not had a single breakage or trouble of any kind with the system. 

Watch the video at the following link feeds.thesailingchannel.com/~r/.../~3/.../dutchman_ussbs05.htm

I have used this system over many thousands of ocean miles and at timer during gale force winds and it works well.  Just set and forget (unlike other systems where there are numerous lines hanging and banging around the boom and mainsail).

Hiro