Design and Construction
The Swan 55CC Frers is built predominantly of glassfibre with wood trim, carrying the raked stem and angled transom typical of its era raked stem. Its fixed fin keel is standard, though an optional deep-draft keel was available, and the hull is steered by an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a wheel. At 54.98 ft overall on a 42.87 ft waterline, with a 15.92 ft beam, the boat displaces 52,000 lb and carries 19,900 lb of lead ballast — figures that place it firmly among substantial offshore cruisers rather than light-displacement racers.
Rig and Handling
The Swan 55CC Frers uses a Bermuda-rigged masthead sloop sailplan, with a recorded I foretriangle height of 62.00 ft and a J base of 20.30 ft, while the mainsail luff runs 50.50 ft on a 20.50 ft foot masthead sloop sailplan. Total sail area is just under 1,147 sq ft, split between a 517.63 sq ft mainsail and a 629.30 sq ft jib/genoa. A British Perkins diesel of 116 hp is fitted, but the engine is noted as being for docking and manoeuvring rather than sustained propulsion, and the design shows a hull speed of 8.77 kn with a PHRF handicap of 63.
Accommodations
This is a six-person centre-cockpit cruiser with a clear spatial logic. The bow cabin holds a double V-berth and two bunk beds, while the main cabin offers an L-shaped settee and a straight settee. The aft cabin places a double berth on the starboard side, and two heads are fitted — one just aft of the bow cabin on starboard, the other starboard aft. The galley sits on the port side just aft of the companionway ladder in straight configuration, equipped with a four-burner stove, ice box, and sink, with the navigation station opposite on the starboard side sleeping accommodation for six people.
Known Issues
The ledger records no attributed defects, owner-reported failures, or tester caveats for the Swan 55CC Frers. The only variant note is that the design was developed into the Swan 57CC Frers by adding a reverse transom, meaning a used buyer should confirm which transom configuration applies but no systemic fault is documented developed into the Swan 57CC Frers.
Refits and Ownership
With only 22 built between 1990 and 1997, the Swan 55CC Frers is a scarce, out-of-production model whose ownership pool is small. The optional deep-draft keel (10.83 ft versus 8.50 ft standard) is a specification point to verify against intended cruising grounds, and the Perkins diesel remains the as-delivered docking-and-manoeuvring powerplant rather than a replacement cruising auxiliary.
The Verdict
The Frers Swan 55 CC is a low-production Finnish centre-cockpit cruiser from a respected design lineage, built in glassfibre with wood trim and a spade rudder over a fin keel. Its accommodations are practical for six, and its rig numbers are well documented, but scarcity and the undocumented deep-keel option mean careful specification confirmation is wise.
Pros
- Centre-cockpit six-berth layout with two heads and a port-side straight galley
- Substantial 52,000 lb displacement with 19,900 lb lead ballast
- Documented masthead sloop rig with known sail dimensions
Cons
- Only 22 built; limited brokerage availability by nature
- Optional deep-draft keel requires verification against use
- Engine is docking/ manoeuvring only per the record
