Swan 43 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Swan 43 means chasing a finite slice of Nautor history: 67 boats built between 1967 and 1982, designed by Olin Stephens as a Royal Ocean Racing Club rule cruiser-racer and sold in the United States as the Palmer Johnson 43. These solid fibreglass sloops with wood trim reward careful inspection, and the used fleet shows clear patterns in layout and equipment that a buyer should understand before negotiating.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common configuration afloat, though both layout variants appear. Ex-charter examples are common and worth a closer look for wear. The standard plan sleeps eight: a bow V-berth, two settee and two pilot berths in the main saloon, and an aft cabin with singles. The L-shaped galley to starboard forward of the companionway and the port-side navigation station define the interior, with the head just aft of the bow cabin. Limited accommodation by modern standards is the trade-off for the boat's racing roots.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, teak decks, autopilot, asymmetric spinnaker, cockpit shower, radar, and chartplotter are commonly fitted. Electric winches and a dodger are often seen. Buyers should weigh the power and energy cluster — commonly fitted autopilots and often-seen electric winches reduce crew load, while lithium batteries appear only as occasional owner upgrades. For sail handling and canvas, the asymmetric spinnaker and dodger dominate; a furling main and bimini are less common. Navigation is covered by the common radar and chartplotter. Comfort items like air conditioning and hot water are infrequent upgrades, so judge climate suitability accordingly.
What to Inspect
Runn's steering failure halfway across the Atlantic in 1969 remains the headline concern: the original skeg-supported rudder and the triple-wheel helm controls with trim tab are points of vulnerability. Inspect the rudder stock and quadrant thoroughly. A watertight bulkhead separates the forepeak from the anchor locker, so verify its integrity. On restored examples, confirm whether teak decks and engine have been replaced, as on Runn four years prior to her refit, and check the bow modification for a double anchor roller that doubles as a bowsprit mount. Runn's hull was structurally sound and free from osmosis, a benchmark for survey expectations.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Swan 43 include the United States, Italy, Türkiye, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. When viewing, check the trim-tab steering gear and rudder, confirm teak deck and engine replacement history, verify the watertight bulkhead, and assess layout wear on ex-charter boats. A concise buyer checklist:
- Inspect skeg-hung rudder and triple-wheel trim-tab steering
- Verify watertight forepeak bulkhead
- Confirm teak decks and engine replacement records
- Review ex-charter wear if applicable
- Match equipment tier to intended use (common vs occasional upgrades)
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Swan 43. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 8 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25 | 1 | $192,281 | — |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $148,640 | -22.7% |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $775,568 | +421.8% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $160,049 | -79.4% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $59,000 | -63.1% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $93,227 | +58.0% |
| May 26 | 1 | $70,000 | -24.9% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $52,000 | -25.7% |
Where they're listed
Swan 43 listings appear across 6 countries. United States has the most listings with 7 (46.7%), followed by Italy and Turkey.
Country view
15 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $59,000 | 7 | 2 | 46.7% |
| Italy | $93,227 | 3 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Turkey | $105,000 | 2 | 0 | 13.3% |
| Spain | $1,488,137 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
| Netherlands | $192,281 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
| Portugal | $192,281 | 1 | 0 | 6.7% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dufour Classic 43 | 43' | $ 87,400 | 33 | 3 |
| Slocum 43 | 42.5' | $ 105,000 | 27 | 2 |
| Hans Christian 43 | 42.62' | $ 119,000 | 23 | 2 |
| Swan 43You are here | — | $ 92,857 | 15 | 2 |
| Contest Yachts 43 | 42.65' | $ 186,454 | 13 | 5 |
| Baltic 43 | 43.34' | $ 145,667 | 9 | 0 |