Swan 39 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Swan 39 means chasing one of just 33 hulls Nautor completed between 1978 and 1980, split between 12 racing and 21 cruising versions. Ron Holland's first design for the Finnish yard, the 39 carries IOR race pedigree underneath a cruiser-racer role, and its scarcity shapes every buying decision more than any single equipment tag.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are more common on the used market, but both racing and cruising configurations appear, and ex-charter examples are common. The cruising interior sleeps eight with a bow V-berth, two main-cabin settees plus pilot berths, and two single aft cabins. A starboard straight galley and port navigation station define the companionway, with the head aft of the bow cabin to port. Ex-charter history is worth confirming, as those hulls may show higher cycle counts on systems and interior wear absent from privately owned boats.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Teak decks, autopilot, life raft, spinnaker, hot water, and chartplotter are commonly fitted on available boats, and these clusters tell a buyer what to expect. The teak decks and hot water speak to cruising comfort and mean a survey of deck-core integrity and water-heater age; the autopilot and chartplotter address short-handed navigation but should be tested for age-related failure. A spinnaker and life raft point to offshore intent, so verify sail condition and raft certification date. Beyond these, judge each boat on its own Perkins 4-108 diesel, the period engine fitted for docking and maneuvering.
What to Inspect
Only 33 boats were completed and production has ended. The two materials named are solid fibreglass and wood trim. Inspect the wood trim carefully for rot or separation at joints, since it is the only non-glass component called out. Confirm the Perkins 4-108 runs clean and check its mounts and exhaust for age cracks. Verify the fin keel-to-hull joint and the internally mounted spade rudder stock for play, as these are load-bearing and not supported by a large production spares market. The 7.2-foot draft fin and spade rudder reward a hull that has not been grounded hard.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up across Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, and the United States. For a viewer, the short list is practical:
- Confirm which of the 33 hulls' configurations you are seeing.
- Check the wood trim for rot at every joint.
- Run the Perkins 4-108 under load.
- Test the spade rudder for stock play.
- Verify spinnaker and life raft certification if offshore use is planned.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Swan 39. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $33,943 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $36,000 | +6.1% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $29,121 | -19.1% |
| May 26 | 4 | $104,834 | +260.0% |
Where they're listed
Swan 39 listings appear across 4 countries. Italy has the most listings with 3 (42.9%), followed by United Kingdom and Germany.
Country view
7 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | $104,834 | 3 | 0 | 42.9% |
| United Kingdom | $69,389 | 2 | 0 | 28.6% |
| Germany | $29,121 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
| United States | $36,000 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallberg-Rassy 39 | 38.88' | $ 182,365 | 30 | 8 |
| Moody 39 | 38.58' | $ 54,252 | 12 | 2 |
| Baltic 39 | 38.76' | $ 75,938 | 9 | 0 |
| CAL 39 | 38.67' | $ 41,000 | 8 | 5 |
| Swan 39You are here | — | $ 104,834 | 7 | 0 |