“If you produce a special yacht with heritage, it will sell,” says Bruce Brakenhoff, executive director at Edmiston. “I am positive that we can do well with this type of product.” The product he’s referring to is a 138-footer still in development. She’s the first-ever 42-meter Nautor Swan performance-cruiser superyacht.
Although engineering isn’t yet complete, the design is the first of a new superyacht division for Nautor Swan. Giovanni Pomati, Nautor Swan’s CEO, says that his team has long known clients want to step up to larger yachts. However, the facilities at the Finland-based shipyard simply haven’t permitted something of this size range. Once Sanlorenzo acquired Nautor Swan last year, however, that opened up the opportunity. Skilled craftspeople and suppliers suited to an all-aluminum superyacht like this are available in Italy, Sanlorenzo’s home country.
Specifically, the 42-meter Nautor Swan will see construction in Viareggio, the center of yacht construction in the country. Furthermore, the project will tap the workforce left when Perini Navi departed the city. Massimo Perotti, Sanlorenzo’s executive chairman, says, “We acquired Nautor Swan to complement our product offering, entering the sailing segment with the most iconic brand. Sanlorenzo and Nautor Swan share similar values, catering to a club of ‘connoisseur’ yachtsmen who are passionate about the sea.”
This particular project will target experienced sailors who appreciate Nautor Swan’s history. According to Brakehoff, the design is additionally for those who want to pursue family travels in global destinations, while simultaneously enjoying Bucket racing for good measure. Brakenhoff, who has a storied career tied to sailing superyachts, including more than two decades with Perini Navi, will be the primary contact for sales at Edmiston’s office in Newport, Rhode Island. The office will be the main promotions office, too, plus see the Edmiston team collaborate with other brokers and their clients.
Edmiston was a natural choice, Perotti says. In fact, he points out that Nick Edmiston, the founder of the brokerage company, sold the first Sanlorenzo superyacht in 1997. Jamie Edmiston, the company’s chief executive, declares Nautor Swan “one of the iconic names within the sailing-yacht world.” He adds, “We are optimistic and excited for the future.”
Part of the excitement comes from the fact that the 42-meter Nautor Swan bears design by a new naval architect for the shipyard. He’s Malcolm McKeon, well-versed in the sailing world. This doesn’t mean that the builder is ending its longtime relationship with German Frers. Rather, as Pomati explains, a completely new design and division sometimes calls for a completely new designer. Besides, McKeon has earned renown for his performance sailing yachts. The designer himself has personal reasons for agreeing to collaborate, too. “I have sailed on many of the early Swan yachts and even competed for the Sardinia Cup aboard a Swan 44,” he notes. “It is a brand I have long admired and I am delighted to have been selected by them to take their name into the larger sailing superyacht sector and support them in their move to alloy construction.”
The new model and new division build on yet another significant step from Nautor Swan. Recently, it signed an agreement with American Magic, the U.S. racing team, to stimulate sailing stateside.
Nautor Swan will reveal more details about the superyacht at the Monaco Yacht Show this coming September. Those details include a hydro generation system and other “clean” energy systems. Even with engineering yet to finish, Pomati is confident delivery can take place in 2028.
Edmiston edmiston.com
Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design malcolmmckeonyachtdesign.com
Nautor Swan nautorswan.com
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