Two years shy of its 50th anniversary, Nautor’s Swan has come a long way since its first yacht launched in Finland. That project, the Swan 36, was quickly acclaimed, going on to see 90 hulls produced. Today, the builder has models up into the megayacht category. These include the Swan 115, hull number one of which will be ready next year. All along, however, Nautor’s Swan has not swayed from focusing on building high-performance sailing yachts.
This photo essay takes you through the build and outfitting process. (All photos are courtesy of Nautor’s Swan and Carlo Borlenghi.)
Nautor’s Swan construction takes place in Pietarsaari, Finland. It’s the same city where the company got its start in 1966. Back then, traditional Finnish sailing boats were made of wood. Pekka Koskenkyla, the founder, knew fiberglass would save weight and permit better volume for livability.
The hallways at the Pietarsaari shipyard are filled with photos of every Nautor’s Swan yacht. If ever anyone needed reminding that there’s a lot of history here, this will do the trick.
Even in the modern computer era, Nautor’s Swan naval architects still create hand drawings.
Here’s the hull of Swan 115-001, the first of the Swan 115 line. It’s upside down, of course, but the craftsperson in the background gives you a good sense of scale. The superstructure is being finished in a separate shed.
For a better sense of scale, check this out. The craftsman is sitting on the shop floor, inside the upside-down hull of Swan 115-001.
With a dedicated joinery shop in Kållby, Nautor’s Swan crafts all of its own interiors. It also handles decking.
This is what the builder calls its teak library. Every Swan yacht and megayacht ever built is represented here, by her teak sample.
All Swan buyers are automatically members of ClubSwan. Its goal is to organize events and stimulate the passion owners have for their yachts. Few Swan owners pass up the chance to visit the ClubSwan headquarters when also visiting the shipyard. ClubSwan’s home is the Segelsallkapet Yacht Club, also in Pietarsaari. Even though selling your Swan means you’re no longer a ClubSwan member, you can become a ClubSwan Guest.
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