Swan’s CEO Giovanni Pomatti describes this as ‘an extraordinary year’, which sees the revered yard launch three new models including this Swan 88. As a clue to the scale of this Finnish yard’s current operation, its €150m order portfolio includes 30 deliveries this season alone, and it launched the first two Swan 88 hulls within two days of each other! Five more maxis were in construction when we visited – including the first two Swan 128s – and it has two further new models in the Swan 51 and Swan 80 also in build.

“Nobody else is capable of delivering this complexity and excellence,” said proud president Leonardo Ferragamo when we visited in early June. And this was all before the news broke of Nautor’s acquisition by Italian motoryacht giants San Lorenzo in a move which, we can only presume, will further increase productivity and efficiencies.

This first 88 has a pinhead mainsail, captive mainsheet and a V-boom, where number two has a winch plinth (plus square-top main). Photo: Nautor Swan

Performance cruiser

Its new Swan 88 is a voluminous performance cruiser that comes packed with hidden technology for its sub-24m rated size. Powerful yet comfortable, it is engineered to a premium quality and finish. The Swan 88 takes many of the best bits of the Swan 78 and Swan 98 and adds to them, particularly with the beach terrace and voluminous aft sections. It’s also the first Swan to be offered as a hybrid with auxiliary propulsion.

As with all Swan maxis now, it has a full carbon build using both prepreg and Sprint, which keeps displacement to 54 tonnes lightship. German Frers describes it as a slender design despite the 2m headroom this hull creates. “It’s going to be a fast boat,” says the Argentinian, particularly if the performance sailplan is taken.

“It’s also below 24m, so an 88-footer that rates as a 78 is an advantage for owners,” Frers continued.

Article continues below…

CNB 78 One Review: ‘It was beautiful sailing… an engaging experience’

Sailing the CNB 78 One contrasts a little over 10 years ago when we had a memorable sail trial on…

£2,862,148.80

ClubSwan 80 review: full-on 80ft racer

As we slipped our lines from the dock in Porto Cervo I was trying to conceal my disappointment. After being…

The 24m Load Line Length rule is measured from the waterline upwards to comply with the light MCA charter regulations. Swan was able to effectively exploit this rule by adding the after sections above the waterline – so the aft terrace and ‘beachclub’ swim platform are almost extra value items, it argues. “It’s an efficient superyacht platform in terms of management costs and ease of charter certification,” adds Pomati.

Such a design enables a larger yacht to achieve charter compliance more cost effectively, requires less crew, fewer compliance regulations and can add resale value.

A lot of deck space, including the stepped aft terrace – and particularly when you open the ‘beach club’ hinging swim platform. Photo: Nautor Swan

All aboard

A bustling launch period for the yard also makes for a busy press and client schedule of first trials. There were 15 of us aboard for our light wind trials of the first Swan 88, DreamCatcher. The difference between this and its sistership Spiip, which launched almost simultaneously, is that the latter has central hull windows and is more performance-oriented, including a high modulus rig and titanium deck gear.

DreamCatcher is also the first Swan designed from the outset to use hybrid propulsion, including a Torqeedo electric drive. Launching two of the same model simultaneously, one hybrid and one with conventional propulsion, allowed for accurate comparisons of speeds, consumption, insulation etc – see page 91 for some telling stats on that.

Beach club’ hinging swim platform. Photo: Nautor Swan

We docked out silently, using the 120kW propulsion motor to propel us at 7.5 knots at 65kW. The crew was quick to comment on what a game changer this reduction of noise and vibration brings, whether underway or silent ship at anchor. That said, you certainly know about it when the hydraulics kick in to raise sails – the whole carbon shell seems to reverberate!

The Swan 88’s mast has been brought aft and stepped centrally through the coachroof and saloon, to give a greater foretriangle area and balance to the sails. This large J area can be separated four times, by stays for the gennaker, Code, jib and staysail. DreamCatcher had a full suit of 3Dis from North Sails UK, including a more manageable pinhead mainsail sheeted to a single point controlled by a captive winch, as opposed to the optional square-top performance version.

The skirt of the 107% overlapping genoa lipped the deck nicely as we matched the true wind close-hauled in 6-7 knots at 60° true (32°A). In 18-20 knots plus, this is swapped for the inner staysail, which sets from a Future Fibres cable that stows at the mast and can be interchanged with the storm jib.

Plenty of natural light in an inviting raised saloon (despite no central hull windows on this). Variations in layout and trim help make each yacht look and feel different. Photo: Nautor Swan

With the Code 0 unfurled from a powered bowsprit furler we were up to 7.5-8 knots in the same wind strength at 90-100° to the wind, all while producing 5.3kW for around 1 knot drag, and with over a tonne of people aboard! It was very pleasant, if unsurprising to have next to no feel from the twin rudders in these light conditions, leaving little else to comment on the sailing experience.

Instead, there was a lot of focus on the numbers coming from the hybrid system, particularly with the Torqeedo reps on board.

ooking aft from the saloon, with steps either side of the companionway – a neat design which helps give privacy to the aft crew sections. Photo: Nautor Swan

Palatial spaces

The guest cockpit is described as modular with twin tables that lower to form abundant day bed space, while sizeable pins on the cockpit benches keep the suitably plush cushions in place. A good spot to stay tucked out of the wind is on the aft quarters, two steps down from deck level on a lowered beam-wide terrace. At rest, the beach club then comes into play: the vast hinged transom that helps contain the tender garage is lowered to reveal this swim platform space.

Abundant glazing above the companionway, most of which forms sliding doors that open horizontally at the touch of a button, helps provide an impressive amount of natural light to the saloon. Swan has mastered the ability to offer a large variety of styles to its interior layouts, with a tasteful selection of timbers and fabrics that can make for a completely different look and feel.

DreamCatcher, finished in full oak trim with crown-cut oak soles, has the standard layout, with a conventional master suite forward and three more en-suite guest cabins. The forward guest cabin can be swapped for an office/TV lounge (as Spiip has). This opens out the saloon and creates a bigger sense of space. For those who don’t require the extra guest space, having all this area forward of the saloon is preferable and Swan has already done another design for a prospective client with a full supersuite forward.

A very comfortable yet comparatively modest sized forward master on DreamCatcher helps allow for an extra guest cabin. Photo: Nautor Swan

The other two guest cabins are abaft the saloon, accessed via twin steps either side of the central companionway. This is a clever design feature that helps give privacy between the saloon and crew area aft. I was impressed in particular with the amount of space given to the crew area and the centralisation of the systems around the main passageway leading aft. This includes the CAN bus display for controlling the main systems, with all hard wires, manual fuses and switches in the lockers directly below.

The aft sections are where the gains of today’s modern hull shape are really felt, both outside on the beach terrace, and below decks in the galley, good size mess, and crew accommodation. This latter comprises a double for the skipper and a Pullman for the two other crew, each side of a proper navstation-cum-office desk. This is ideally located at the foot of the aft cockpit companionway steps, giving the crew private access and direct access to the sailing systems.

The extra guest cabin. Photo: Nautor Swan

Doing things properly

The Swan 88 is a large-volume, tall freeboard yacht. It may not be the sleekest Swan model and is perhaps trying to target more motorboat clientele, but it’s still a slippery and powerful yacht and I doubt anyone spending any time aboard will sniff at all that volume and deck space.

DreamCatcher is being used privately with plans to cross the Atlantic after its first season in the Med and spend time in the Caribbean. The quality and potential gains of its hybrid system are impressive, if for a considerable extra cost. The technology is nothing revolutionary, but it highlights Swan’s approach: when it decides to do something, it does it properly.

Nautor’s brains trust is formidable. To sail its latest models and see the yard in full swing helps you realise it remains at the top of this semi-custom scene.

A long bowsprit for extra sail area, plus aft terrace sections, make this a very big yacht for its length. Photo: Nautor Swan

Swan 88 specifications

LOA: 28.27m 92ft 9in
Hull length: 26.54m 87ft 1in
LWL: 24.27m 79ft 8in
Beam: 6.79m 22ft 3in Draught 4.00m 13ft 1in
Displacement: 54,100kg 119,269lb
Ballast: 15,050kg 33,179lb
Sail area (upwind): 432.7m2 4,658ft2
Fuel: 2,800lt 616gal
Water: 1,500lt 330gal
Design: German Frers, Misa Poggi, Lucio Micheletti
Builder: nautorswan.com

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.