SWAN 88 DREAMCATCHER

GLOBAL LEADERS AT THE SEMI-CUSTOM END OF THE PRODUCTION SCENE, NAUTOR SWAN INVITED US FOR THE FIRST SEA TRIALS OF ITS BIG NEW 88

- NAUTOR SWAN

Swan's CEO Giovanni Pomatti describes this as 'an extraordinary year, which sees the revered yard launch three new models including this Swan 88. As a clue to the scale of this Finnish yard's current operation, its €150m order portfolio includes 30 deliveries this season alone, and it launched the first two 88 hulls within two days of each other! Five more maxis were in construction when we visited - including the first two Swan 128s - and it has two further new models in the 51 and 80 also in build.

"Nobody else is capable of delivering this complexity and excellence," said proud president Leonardo Ferragamo when we visited in early June. And this was all before the news broke of Nautor's acquisition by Italian motoryacht giants.

San Lorenzo in a move which, we can only presume, will further increase productivity and efficiencies.

PERFORMANCE CRUISER

Its new 88 is a voluminous performance cruiser that comes packed with hidden technology for its sub-24m rated size.

Powerful yet comfortable, it is engineered to a premium quality and finish. The 88 takes many of the best bits of the 78 and 98 and adds to them, particularly with the beach terrace and voluminous aft sections. It's also the first Swan to be offered as a hybrid with auxiliary propulsion.

As with all Swan maxis now, it has a full carbon build using both prepreg and Sprint, which keeps displacement to 54 tonnes lightship. German Frers describes it as a slender design despite the 2m headroom this hull creates.

"It's going to be a fast boat," says the Argentinian, particularly if the performance sailplan is taken.

"It's also below 24m, so an 88-footer that rates as a 78 is an advantage for owners," Frers continued.