Nautor Swan 65

Iconic S&S Swan 65, a true ocean greyhound with capabilities far beyond most modern yachts, CHOUCAS III is known as one of the most elegant classic S&S Swan yachts of all the time and benefits of Rondal furling masts.

 

FURTHER BROKER’S COMMENTS:

 

On 1st June 1973, at 79 Madison Avenue in New York, Sparkman and Stephens finish the design nr. 2110. Under this design the most well-known high quality yard soon start the production of what will be then better known as the Nautor’s Swan 65. This is the beginning of a myth.

 

Arguably one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable yachts of all time, the evergreen classic Swan 65, designed by S&S as one of their most successful Swan designs and built as only Nautor in Finland can, CHOUCAS III offers sparkling sailing together with build quality that is never to be repeated. Perfect for serious cruising, these yachts also shine in the Regatta circuit and are rare to the brokerage market.  CHOUCAS III was launched in 1980 and she has been under her current ownership for the past 36 years.

 

She is hull number 34 of the series which began in 1973 and ended in 1989 with 41 hulls launched. She is fitted with a ketch rig.

 

Timeless design still much sought after as the vessel that three times made its mark in the Whitbread Round the World (now Volvo Ocean).

 

Swan 65 named Sayula II won the first-ever Whitbread Round the World Race in 1974. Another Swan 65, King’s Legend took second place in the 1978 running of the Whitbread Round the World Race, finishing behind an aluminium boat named Flyer. That same year, the race’s first female captain finished fifth in a Swan 65 named ADC Accutrac. Quite a pedigree!

 

DESIGNER’S COMMENTS:

 

In hull form and general character, the Swan 65 clearly typifies a successful development under the IOR. She has proven to be an excellent cruising boat and it appears that the success of the class is based on the preference of the cruising owner rather than the racing owner.

 

Although the very happy result of the Round the World Race is convincing the evidence that the boat is not slow, two major factors in Sayula’s Round the World win were her strength and her controllability.

 

The major thrust of our design effort was to use the already successful Dora (e.d. design 2089 won the 1979 Fastnet Race) as a starting point for a slightly larger design and to modify that design in terms of displacement and structure so as to adopt it to fiberglass construction in such a way as to provide an extremely strong hull. Clearly these objectives were met and if the racing success of the 65 has been less than that of Dora, I think it is largely because of the conservative rig which is better adapted to cruising than to racing.

 

Most of the 65’s carry the standard ketch rig. The several that have been built with a single masted rig have not been engaged in very much competition.

 

Her interior seems both practical and attractive. She has good headroom throughout and the owner’s stateroom is generously roomy, the two guest staterooms are also roomy, and the forepeak can be used by one or two paid hands or guests. The location of the galley aft and the chart table adjacent to the companionway seems to have worked out well. Cockpit space is generous and the deck over all is both comfortable and practical. The Volvo auxiliary, an MD32, provides excellent performance under power.

 

While there may be some feeling that the divided keel and skeg arrangement is undesirable for cruising, I personally do not accept this criticism, feeling rather that when the skeg and rudder are adequate size and the other characteristics of the boat are in balance, one can get excellent control with a relatively shirt keel. In turn, the short keel which minimizes wetted surface permits good performance in light as well heavy weather with a small rig, which is ideal from the cruising man’s point of view. This seems to me the right way to design a modern auxiliary, whether intended primarily for cruising or for racing.

 

OLIN J. STEPHENS II

 

CONSTRUCTION

 

RCD Status:

• RCD Status: Our understanding is that the yacht is exempt from the essential safety requirements of Directive 94/25EC (Recreational Craft Directive) as she was built and placed into use within the EU prior to 1998.

 

Hull Construction:

• GRP laminate hull construction
• The hull is built of single skin construction. A high proportion of the fibres are unidirectional, giving a stiff laminate with excellent strength and fatigue properties.
• AWL Grip Navy Blue with gold stripes painted -  2008

 

Deck & Superstructure Construction:

• GRP deck and superstructure construction
• Teak decking to side decks, cockpit and coachroof top – 2002
• Rondal Flush Hatches– replaced 2002

 

Keel & Rudder:

• Aft-swept fin keel and full skeg-hung rudder
• The fin keel with keel ballast is cast lead alloyed with antimony.
• Cast-in keel bolts are of high-tensile stainless steel.
• Rudder - Foam-filled fibre glass constructed with a high tensile tubular stainless steel stock
• Chain actuator for the autopilot

 

MACHINERY

 

Engine & gearbox:

• Nanni Diesel N4.140, 4-cylinder, direct injected, turbo charged diesel engine producing 135hp – 2019
• Engine control via single lever control
• Freshwater cooling with heat exchanger and raw water intake and strainer.

 

Engine Service & Maintenance:

• Engine hours – approx. 100 as of beginning 2021
• Date of last engine service – at 50 engine hours

 

Generator:

• Westerbeke 10.4BTD, 10KVA generator – new Mitsubishi engine 2017

 

Generator Service & Maintenance:

• Generator hours – approx. 2100 as of beginning 2021
• Date of last engine service – January 2021

 

 

Propulsion & Steering:

• Shaft drive with stainless steel shaft driving supported by p-bracket
• 4-bladed Maxprop folding propeller
• Nautor helm pedestal with cable steering controlled by hide covered stainless steel wheel
• Steering cables replaced

 

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

 

Voltage systems:

• 24v DC service battery circuits.
• 12v DC engine and generator start circuit
• DC & AC panel at navigation area with battery monitor system.
• 220vAC supplied by shore-power or generator

 

Battery Banks:

• 8x 6vDC batteries connected in parallel in two 24vDC services battery banks – 2018
• 2 x 12v engine start batteries
• 1 x 12v generator start battery

 

Charging:

• 24vDC Victron Energy battery charger and inverter

 

Inverter:

• Through the Victron battery charger and inverter 24vDC to 220vDC
• 24vDC to 12vDC inverter

 

Alternators:

• 12 V 120 Amp for the engine start batteries

 

Other Electrical:

• 220v AC shore-power supply

 

PLUMBING & GAS SYSTEMS

 

Fresh Water:

• Pressurised hot & cold water system using 24v DC pressure pump assisted by pressure accumulator
• Water heated engine driven calorifier with 220v AC immersion element in well-insulated 100 litres hot water tank.
• Hot & cold pressurised water supplies to galley and heads.
• 24vDC 100 lt/h watermaker – 2018

 

Bilge Pumps:

• 2x Electric bilge pump 50L/min
• Manual bilge pump
• Electric shower drain pumps

 

TANKAGE

 

Fuel:

• Approx. 900 litres fuel capacity in four stainless steel tanks – overhauled 2020

 

Fresh Water:

• 800 litres fresh water capacity

 

Holding tank:

• 2x blackwater holding tanks

 

 

NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

 

In Cockpit:

• Simrad GPS charplotter on the steering wheel
• Furuno Radar
• Raymarine autopilot control
• Raymarine LOG, depth and eco – not working
• Danforth Constellation steering compass

 

At Chart Table:

• Clock & barometer

 

Communications Equipment:

• DSC VHF

 

DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT

 

Galley:

• 3-burner stainless steel gimballed gas stove with oven
• Top opening refrigeration with access from below
• Deep top opening freezer
• 2x Stainless steel sinks with hot & cold water supply.
• Manual fresh and salt water supplies
• Microwave oven
• Freezer
• Washing machine

 

Heads:

• Electric marine heads
• Hot & cold pressurised showers

 

Lighting:

• Halogen interior lighting with extra reading lights over berths.

 

Entertainment:

• LCD TV in saloon

 

Airconditioning:

• Reverse cycle air conditioning throughout

 

ACCOMMODATION

Summary of Accommodation:

• 9 berths in 4 cabins plus saloon.
• 3 heads compartments.
• Burma teak interior joinery made up of faced marine plywood with solid teak where appropriate
• Teak battening to exposed hull sides.
• Teak soleboards
• White vinyl headlinings with teak trim
• Upholstery in cloth

 

Description of Accommodation from Forward:

 

Forward Crew Cabin

• V-berth with fold-up pipecots and storage bins beneath. Access to deck through deckhead hatch.

 

Forward Cabins

• Port guest cabin with upper and lower berths, lockers and drawers. 
• Starboard guest cabin with double berth may also be pulled out larger size, lockers and drawers. 

 

Forward Heads

• Heads aft of forward cabin with sink and lockers and heads and shower.

 

Saloon:

• Amiships. U-shaped settee to port-side with upper pilot berth bunk with folding leaf dining table. Cupboards, lockers and shelving outboard. Settee opposite to starboard side with TV

 

Galley

• Aft of saloon to port U shape galley. Twin stainless steel sinks. Gimballed stove and refrigeration. Stowage in lockers and cupboards and dishwasher.

 

Chart Table

• Located at the aft end of the saloon to starboard. Forward facing chart table with seat and full sized chart table. Lockers and drawers for stowage of charts and equipment. Space for navigation instruments. AC & DC panel.

 

Aft Heads

• Manual marine heads. Wash basin and a shower pan with teak grating. Sink equipped with hot and warm water with manual and pressure water as well as a hand-held shower spray nozzle.

 

Aft Cabin

• The aft cabin/master aft stateroom has a double berth to port and a single berth to starboard. Settee between bunks. Hanging lockers and further stowage in drawers and cupboards.

 

DECK EQUIPMENT

Rig:

• Ketch keel stepped aluminium anodised masts
• Rondal hydraulic Furling Masthead rig with 2-sets of inline spreaders
• Rondal hydraulic Furling Mizzen with 1-set of inline spreader
• Stainless steel standing rigging
• Rondal Hydraulic furling genoa
• Rondal Hydraulic furling staysail 
• 24vDC Electro-hydraulic adjuster for main and mizzen mast furlers
• 24vDC Electro-hydraulic adjuster for genoa and staysail furlers
• 24vDC Electro-hydraulic adjuster for Andersen winches
• Manual hydraulic adjuster for vang and backstays
• Aluminium rigging screw protectors
• Genoa and staysail tracks

 

Winches:

• All winches recently replaced
• 5x Andersen Hydraulic winches
• 5x Andersen winches
• 2x Andersen winches on Mizzen mast

 

Sails:

• Tri-radial dacron mizzen furling main
• Crosscut Furling dacron main
• Crosscut furling Genoa
• Crosscut furling staysail

 

General:

• Stainless steel pushpit, pulpit and guardrail stanchions with side exits.
• Swimming ladder
• Cockpit shower
• Dorade vents with stainless steel dorade pulpits

 

Anchoring & Mooring:

• 24v 1500w electric anchor windlass
• Anchor
• 150metres of 10mm Ø chain
• Mooring warps and fenders

 

Covers, Cushions & Canvas:

• Main cockpit and central cockpit awning
• Sprayhood
• Bimini Cockpit

 

Tender and outboard engine:

• Zodiac 3 metres rigid hull tender – 2017
• Yamaha 6hp 4 stroke outboard engine – 2020

 

SAFTEY EQUIPMENT:

 

General note on safety equipment: Any safety equipment such as liferafts, Epirbs, fire extinguishers and flares etc. are usually personal to the current owner(s) and if being left on-board as part of the sale of a used vessel may require routine servicing, replacement, or changing to meet a new owners specific needs.