Class 0DisplacementCruiser/Racer

Swan 62

Nautor Swan · German Frers · 2001

Updated

The Swan 62 is a 18.85 m displacement racing yacht designed by German Frers and built by Nautor Swan, first launched in 2001. It races in Class 0.

Swan 62 - German Frers - Nautor SwanP 22.93 mLOA 18.85 m

Length

18.85 m

61′ 10″

Beam

5.33 m

Draft

2.98 m

Displacement

31.3 t

Sail area

211 m²

This design does not carry a Race Edge. The speeds below still come from measured boats.

On the podium

Where a Swan 62 finishes when she goes racing.

On the podium

15%

of 20 starts by 3 boats

Wins

5%

Wins5%1
Seconds0%0
Thirds10%2
Off the podium85%17

Read from 20 starts by 3 boats between 2024 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.

Recent regattas

The latest events where a Swan 62 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.

  • ItalyRolex Swan Cup2026
  • ItalyRolex Swan Cup2024

Raced one we are missing?

Report a regatta

Round the buoys, or offshore

A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.

Round the buoys

—

Not enough data yet: 3 races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.

Offshore & coastal

12%

of these races end on the podium

17 races over 10 NM

Who she races against

The designs a Swan 62 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.

This design aheadRival ahead
Swan 60133%ahead in 8 of 24 meetings, 12 races
Swan 6019%ahead in 6 of 32 meetings, 8 racesalmost always behind
Swan 65 (Frers)25%ahead in 5 of 20 meetings, 8 races
Swan 6888%ahead in 7 of 8 meetings, 4 races
Swan 6612%ahead in 1 of 8 meetings, 4 races
Swan 8056%ahead in 9 of 16 meetings, 4 races
Swan 7812%ahead in 2 of 16 meetings, 4 racesalmost always behind

Some of the boats it races against

How the Swan 62 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.

Swan 62 vs Swan 60ahead 19% of 32 head-to-heads
Swan 62 vs Swan 601ahead 33% of 24 head-to-heads
Swan 62 vs Swan 65 (Frers)ahead 25% of 20 head-to-heads
Swan 62 vs Swan 80ahead 56% of 16 head-to-heads
Swan 62 vs Swan 78ahead 12% of 16 head-to-heads

Speed at every angle

The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.

3691230°60°90°120°150°WIND11.2

Upwind VMG

6.80

38°

Beam reach

10.34

90°

Broad reach

11.11

135°

Downwind VMG

9.24

170°

Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.

Where it wins and where it pays

Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.

This is a light-air boat. Early-season racing and morning breezes play to its strengths; once it pipes up the fleet comes back to it.

Where it gains

Its best ground is on the beat in a strong breeze, where it goes better than its measurements say it should, and by a margin worth having.

Where it pays

It falls short off the wind when it blows, giving away time it never gets back. That is a displacement hull working to its designed speed.

Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.

True wind
Upwind+0.02 kn
Beam reach+0.24 kn
Broad reach+0.20 kn
Downwind+0.04 kn

Full width is 1.2 kn either way.

At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the beam reach.

How fast is a Swan 62

Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.

Angle6 kn10 kn14 kn20 kn
Beat VMG3.975.636.446.80
52°6.158.319.149.48
60°6.578.629.389.73
75°6.968.969.6410.11
90°6.978.969.6910.34
110°6.869.2410.1110.78
120°6.739.1810.1111.19
135°6.008.699.8411.11
150°5.027.609.2510.37
Run VMG4.346.588.059.24

How they are set up

The range each sail spans across the fleet.

Mainsail93 m² – 101 m²
Headsail94 m² – 120 m²
Gennaker267 m² – 345 m²

Nearly all carry a folding propeller. A bowsprit is standard across the fleet. Crew weight is declared around 900 kg.

Rigging

Swan 62 rig and sail dimensions

A Swan 62 carries 23.00 m of mainsail hoist on a 7.18 m boom, a forestay 24.60 m above the deck and a 8.24 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 3 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.

Rig

Mainsail hoistP23.00 m22.85 – 24.00
Boom lengthE7.18 m7.05 – 7.25
Forestay heightIG24.60 m24.60 – 25.80
Fore triangle baseJ7.18 m7.18 – 7.18
Spinnaker hoistISP25.00 m25.00 – 25.80
BowspritTPS8.24 m8.22 – 8.24
Boom above deckBAS2.13 m2.04 – 2.13

Sails

Mainsail95.5 m²92.8 – 101.1
Headsail115.8 m²94.2 – 120.0
Gennaker345.4 m²266.7 – 345.4

The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 267 to 345 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.