Swan 411 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Swan 411 means considering a Sparkman & Stephens–designed Nautor built in just 42 examples at the end of the 1970s. These are serious cruiser-racers with a 40-foot 9-inch hull, 7-foot 6-inch draft, and a traditional teak interior that reflects their era rather than modern open-plan brightness. For a buyer, the appeal is a genuinely close-winded, maneuverable passage-maker; the caveats are crew demands and a few layout quirks worth inspecting before purchase.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common layout seen among brokerage boats, but both configurations are available, and ex-charter examples appear frequently. The traditional interior carries teak panelling, a holly and teak sole, and ample handholds, with a deep bilge affording headroom without tall topsides. The exposed bridge deck means crew must clip on before exiting the main hatch, a detail to note on any sea-trial walkthrough.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Boats on the market often carry a spinnaker, hot water, autopilot, and chartplotter as standard cruising equipment. A frequent owner upgrade cluster includes heating, asymmetric spinnaker, bimini, radar, AIS, and life raft — items added for extended or shorthanded use rather than original fit. For a buyer, the presence of autopilot and chartplotter reduces navigation workload, while a radar or AIS installation signals serious offshore intent; an asymmetric spinnaker suggests easier downwind handling than the original genoa-only setup allowed.
What to Inspect
The 411's deck layout and large headsails demand a full crew for cruising, so check how the rig has been modified for easier handling. A singlehanded helmsman must leave the wheel to trim the mainsail at the mast, and one owner's retrofitted 48-inch wheel was found to obstruct forward access — measure helm clearance if a large wheel is fitted. Verify the sump drains and bilge washing path, as the design relies on a sump for lay-up drainage. Note the 7-foot 6-inch draft rules out shallow creeks; confirm keel and rudder integrity accordingly. Ventilation may be poor in tropical anchorages, so inspect portlight function and any added airflow paths.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Swan 411 are the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, and Italy. For the buyer, the checklist is straightforward: confirm rig modifications (cutter stays, Dyneema runners, led-back halyards) suit your crew size; test bridge-deck harness access and wheel clearance; verify bilge sump drainage; accept the draft limit; and weigh the dark, low-ventilation interior against your climate. A full crew or a committed singlehander will find the 411 a fast, able passage-maker; a shoal-water solo sailor will not.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Swan 411. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 25 | 1 | $116,528 | — |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $98,556 | -15.4% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $115,549 | +17.2% |
| May 26 | 1 | $139,833 | +21.0% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $115,976 | -17.1% |
Where they're listed
Swan 411 listings appear across 4 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 4 (57.1%), followed by Germany and Italy.
Country view
7 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $107,234 | 4 | 1 | 57.1% |
| Germany | $139,833 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
| Italy | $203,910 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
| Portugal | $116,528 | 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
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau 411 | 41' | $ 95,000 | 150 | 40 |
| Oceanic Oceanis 411 | 41' | $ 100,162 | 108 | 19 |
| Bristol 41.1 | 41.14' | $ 75,000 | 26 | 11 |
| Hanse 411 | 40.52' | $ 121,226 | 15 | 4 |
| Swan 411You are here | — | $ 115,976 | 7 | 1 |
| Najad 511 | 50.85' | $ 693,340 | 7 | 2 |
| Sweden Yachts 41 | 41' | $ 68,864 | 7 | 2 |