Design and Construction
The Swan 38 measures 38.25 feet overall with an 11.55-foot beam. She displaces 18,300 pounds and carries 7,100 pounds of lead on the centerline, giving her a high ballast-to-displacement ratio of 38.8 percent. That combination, together with a massive rig, defines much of her character.
Her underbody is an “Intrepid” 12-meter derivative, with a moderately high-aspect, wing-shaped fin keel and a skeg-hung barn-door rudder. The keel was state of the art when drawn and gives the Swan 38 significant lift when sailing to weather. The rudder contributes little lift, however, and its skeg adds steady drag.
The hull is solid, hand-laid fiberglass reinforced by fore-and-aft stringers. Along the centerline, a galvanized I-beam of six square inches is glassed into the hull. It serves as the backing plate for the keel bolts and mast step, as well as the base for the ring bulkheads. Beneath the mid-cabin hatch, a huge steel eye welded to the top of the beam provides for single-point hoisting.
Nautor built the decks from hand-laid laminate around a foam core. The core won’t rot if water enters, but it will weaken. Water can get in around deck-fitting bases and through the screw holes for the teak planking. On many Scandinavian boats, the teak was kept to minimum thickness to save weight and cost. Mid-1970s hulls in particular may need deck replacement at substantial cost.
The rudder installation and engineering are robust and logical. The 12-volt electrical system has a capacity of 190 amp-hours, with clean soldered connections and logical schematics, though it is limited by modern standards.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The Swan 38 carries a high-aspect mainsail and a full IOR overlapping genoa. Most hulls left the yard with the tall IOR MkIII rig, with an I measurement of 51 feet and a P measurement of 42.25 feet. A few boats were built with short or extra-tall rigs.
Early hulls through 38/009 used roller reefing; slab reefing was introduced from 38/010. An inner forestay and baby stay allow a storm jib to be set inboard.
Upwind, the Swan 38 is in her element. She will reliably tack through less than 90 degrees true, makes very little leeway, and balances like a thoroughbred at a fast trot. At about 7.5 knots, the stern wave mounts the transom and speed peaks near hull speed.
The hull form, ballast ratio, and rudder shape give her strong directional stability and make her less likely to broach than her lighter sisters. Sweet elliptical sections forward allow the hull to surge through heavy seas instead of crashing into them.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The cockpit seats four comfortably forward of the wheel, with enough room for trimming sails and eating lunch at the same time. Headroom is just over six feet at the companionway, decreasing to about 5 feet 10 inches in the head.
In the main saloon, two pilot berths and two settee benches provide sea berths around a centerline table with folding leaves. The aft cabin lies beneath the cockpit bridgedeck and doesn’t have standing headroom.
The galley sink is close to the centerline, allowing it to drain on either tack. The three-burner stove is serviceable, although its top is too small for a proper three-pot meal. Opposite the galley, the forward-facing chart table has space above for electronics.
The forward cabin was originally conceived as a sail locker but was converted by owners to a double cabin.
Tankage and Service Access
Access to the quadrant and steering cables is at the far end of the aft double berth, making servicing awkward.
Tankage is limited, although the published figures differ. A period review cites 55 gallons of water and 30 gallons of diesel, while manufacturer data lists 87.2 gallons of water and 56.8 gallons of fuel. Either way, long-term cruising range is constrained.
Refits and Ownership
The deck is the main ownership concern. Water entering through fitting bases and teak screw holes can weaken the foam-cored composite, and mid-1970s boats may require a complete deck lay-up at substantial cost. Any purchase should include documentation of previous deck work.
Hull number also matters. Boats through 38/009 have roller reefing, while later boats use slab reefing, so the arrangement should be verified against the hull number.
The specified auxiliary is a Bukh DV20ME diesel producing 20 horsepower at 3000 rpm. The robust rudder engineering and logical electrical layout ease some ownership burdens, but the awkward steering access through the aft berth remains a layout penalty.
The Verdict
The Swan 38 is a finely engineered S&S design that rewards the windward sailor with lift, balance, and directional stability rare in her class. Beneath it all is a solid, hand-laid hull built around a central I-beam backbone.
Her weaknesses are equally clear: the skeg-hung rudder produces drag, the foam-cored teak deck is vulnerable to water ingress, and the limited tankage and awkward aft-cabin service access date the cruising side of her character.
Pros
- Significant keel lift and tacking through less than 90 degrees true
- Solid, hand-laid hull with a centerline I-beam backbone
- Strong directional stability, low broach risk, and forward sections that surge through heavy seas
- Logical rudder engineering and a clean electrical schematic
Cons
- Foam-cored teak deck vulnerable to water ingress; mid-1970s decks may be costly to replace
- Skeg-hung rudder adds drag and contributes little lift
- Steering access is at the far end of the aft berth
- Limited tankage for extended cruising
