Scanyacht 390 DS Information, Review, Specs

History and Design

The Scanyacht 390 DS began its production run in 1992. It was designed by the acclaimed naval architect Ed Dubois, known for his elegant and performance-oriented yacht designs. Scanyacht AB, established by Nils-Eric Olofsson in 1987, built a reputation for "Swedish engineering excellence," producing yachts that are both fast and beautiful. The company's ethos, during the period of the 390 DS's introduction, focused on robust, capable cruising yachts, a tradition evident in their successful Scanner series. A notable design feature of the 390 DS is its twin keel hull type, offering shallow draft capabilities while still providing stability and upwind performance.

Sailing Performance and Handling

With a length overall of 39.08 feet and a waterline length of 31.5 feet, the Scanyacht 390 DS is propelled by a masthead sloop rig. While specific total sail area and ballast figures are not consistently available, the boat's displacement of 13,448 pounds gives it a Displacement-to-Length ratio of 192.08. This ratio places the Scanyacht 390 DS in the moderate displacement category, suggesting a design that seeks a balance between speed and cruising comfort. Such a vessel typically performs well across a range of wind conditions, offering a comfortable motion in a seaway without being sluggish. The twin keel design, a less common choice, would have been intended to provide good directional stability and allow access to shallower anchorages, though often with some compromise in ultimate upwind performance compared to a deep fin keel.

Accommodations and Layout

As a "Deck Saloon" model, the Scanyacht 390 DS likely features a raised cabin house that provides larger windows and more natural light to the main saloon area below, offering improved visibility from inside compared to traditional cabin designs. While detailed interior specifications and layouts for the Scanyacht 390 DS are not readily available in public records, deck saloon yachts of this size typically incorporate a comfortable main saloon, a functional galley, a navigation station, and private sleeping cabins, often with a forward V-berth and an aft cabin. The use of high-quality materials and craftsmanship would be consistent with Scanyacht's reputation for solid Swedish construction.