Design and Construction
The 45's external form signals the break from tradition. A blister of a cabin trunk emerges from her foredeck and grows gracefully to its terminus at the cockpit; although this trunk recalls those of midsize Swans from the 1980s, it's softer and higher, and two narrow and nearly rectangular portlights on each side stretch fore and aft to disguise the trunk's height while lighting the saloon. Decks paved in honey-color teak make the boat appear dressed for a party in Newport, Porto Cervo or Long Beach, while an open transom — with a drop-in closure offered by Swan for cruising folk who need the security it provides — rounds out the profile. Structurally, the 45 uses a balsa core in the deck and topsides, and a carbon-fiber reinforced solid laminate in the bottom; in spite of Swan's progress toward high-tech composites, the company has yet to build a cored bottom. The wood shop builds a lot of the furniture outside the hull and installs it before the deck goes on, a sequence that supports the hand-rubbed satin finish belowdecks that encourages a casual approach to cruising.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck, the 45 is engineered for short-handed precision. Two sets of swept spreaders mind the mast and, combined with a full-beam staying base, eliminate the need for running backstays, while a hydraulically adjustable permanent backstay controls the tension on the forestay and bend in the carbon mast. Hidden in the bilges is a simple jacking system that lets the crew move the foot of the mast fore and aft. Most of the lines run in tunnels beneath the deck and coachroof; the genoa track snuggles closely to the trunk cabin off the beaten path between the cockpit and the foredeck, and the line that adjusts the sheet lead runs aft through fairleads on the sides of the trunk cabin. The continuous mainsheet, which prevents trimming imbalance side to side, runs from the traveler up to and along the length of the boom, angles down and outboard at the forward end to enter a tunnel, and emerges right forward of a winch on the cockpit coaming each side of the helm. The mainsheet winches and traveler are within reach of the helmsman, while the primary winches sit forward near the companionway. A 60-inch wheel bisects the after portion of the cockpit and links to a wonderfully smooth and accurate manual steering system comprising Vectran cables, a quadrant under the compass, and easy-turning sheaves; this big wheel lets the helmsman sit outboard either side of the cockpit to get the view he wants. Swan's goal for the 45 from the outset was simplicity and ease of operation, cruising or racing, and the boat actively encourages owners to steer, with provision for Group 1 or 2 helms if an owner wants to hand over.
Accommodations
Below, the 45 is offered with three different styles of interior to choose from, and the hand-rubbed satin finish is paired with an off-white vinyl overhead that brightens the interior and actually sets the teak aglow when the sun shines through the hatches and portlights. Swan provides generous fiddles on the counters and large radii on the corners of the furniture, a detail that serves both racer and cruiser. The cockpit sole is flat, roomy and generally uncluttered, which serves the cruiser as well as the racer, and a dedicated wet locker occupies the space abaft the nav station on the starboard side. Test sailors found that when standing on the high side under a press of 3DL, the missing foot brace was missed.
Known Issues
The class came under scrutiny during the Swan Cup in Sardinia when two new boats both snapped their rudders; in both cases the carbon rudder stock failed when the boats wiped out going downwind at over 20 knots. All the broken bits were taken back to Nautor's test facility at VTT Helsinki, a government-backed technical research centre in Finland, and the new stocks are still carbon but are now built to a much higher specification based on this analysis. This remains the only documented structural failure of note.
Refits and Ownership
The only additional modification to the boat since her launch has been to upgrade the mainsheet traveller system, which speaks to the maturity of the original design. The Swan 45 Class benefits from its own PRO and, at each Class event, will race multiple Windward-Leeward races on dedicated courses. A fundamental philosophy exists within the class to constrain running costs and to reward owners with pleasurable competition; racing is strictly owner driven, with a limited number of professional sailors onboard and a limited stock of new sails allowed each season, the aim being to ensure racing is close and exciting. The 45 races in class as a level boat, with adjustments taken in the form of lead correctors, and an innovative feature allows the weight of the bulb to be adjusted for IMS racing — up to 400kg can be added or removed via a specially designed access in the bulb. Nautor keeps some degree of individual choice for owners regarding deck hardware and fit out rather than enforcing a strict one-design route. Mike Urwin of RORC drew up the class rules and Carole Abbot is the class secretary; Swan have had a long standing relationship with the RORC rating office which administers the Nautor Swan Rating.
The Verdict
The Swan 45 is a rare thing: a one-design racer-cruiser that preserves individual choice in deck hardware and fit out while disciplining running costs through a tightly written class rule. Her construction — balsa-cored topsides over a solid carbon-reinforced bottom — and her owner-driven circuit make her a serious mile-eater that still feels casual below. The rudder-stock failure was real but addressed at source, and the boat has otherwise required only a traveller upgrade.
Pros
- Owner-driven one-design class with constrained running costs and close racing
- Balsa-cored deck and topsides with carbon-reinforced solid bottom laminate
- Adjustable bulb weight for IMS and level-class racing via lead correctors
- Helm-oriented cockpit with mainsheet and traveler within reach, 60-inch wheel
- Three interior styles, casual satin finish, dedicated wet locker
Cons
- Carbon rudder stocks failed downwind at over 20 knots on two new boats (since upgraded)
- No foot brace on the sole each side of the helm when heeled (tester observation)
- Open transom as built; cruising closure is an owner-fitted option
