51 Nautor Swan 1982 Boat for Sale

Pirate Smile Boat | 51' Nautor Swan 1982

1982 NAUTOR SWAN 51 High-Performance Bluewater Cruiser · Swan World Cup Winning Design · Good Condition

THE VESSEL
This magnificent 1982 Nautor Swan 51 is one of the most respected bluewater cruising and racing sailboat designs ever built. A Swan World Cup winner with an undeniable racing pedigree, she is equally at home on extended offshore passages as she is hosting family and friends at the dock or on anchor. Designed by the legendary Germán Frers and built by Finland's Nautor Swan, widely considered the finest production sailboat builder in the world, this vessel represents a rare opportunity to own a piece of sailing history in a very well maintained condition.

KEY FEATURES
Easy to sail and very comfortable offshore, this Swan 51 is as relevant today as she was when she first left the Nautor yard. The interior space is huge and the wood is beautiful. She is a bluewater passage vessel that is great not just for extended cruising, but also a fantastic day sailing vessel. It’s large interior layout makes this Swan 51 a serious liveaboard candidate.

MECHANICAL CONDITION
Propulsion is provided by a Perkins M90 90 HP diesel engine, one of the most trusted and reliable marine diesels ever produced. Perkins diesels are legendary in the marine world for their simplicity, durability, and ease of maintenance. This engine has been well maintained throughout its 4,400 hours of service and starts instantly without pre-heat, a strong indicator of good mechanical condition.

RECENT MAINTENANCE
* Last haul out: October 2025, fresh bottom paint
* Last survey: 2020
* Engine: Perkins M90, 90 HP, 4,400 hours, well maintained, instant start
* Parts and extras: Comes with a well-rounded sail inventory, extra lines, and an extensive inventory of spare parts
* Vessel fully detailed: March 2026

ACCOMMODATIONS & LAYOUT
The Swan 51 offers generous and well-thought-out accommodations for extended cruising and liveaboard use.

Salon
The main salon is a very large, open, single-level living and dining space featuring a full galley, large port-side straight couch, large starboard-side U-shape couch surrounds a beautiful high-gloss teakwood dining table, and a dedicated navigation station. It is bright, comfortable, and well-suited for both passage-making and entertaining at anchor or at the dock.

Galley
* Full-size refrigerator
* Large double sink
* Gimbal oven with gas stovetop
* Microwave
* Large countertops with ample storage and drawers throughout
* Fresh water making system

Navigation Station
* B&G Hercules electronics suite
* Chartplotter
* Autopilot
* Depth sounder
* Furuno radar

Forward Accommodations
* Two bunks to port
* Separate two-bunk cabin to starboard
* Large forward head with new Raritan electric head and modern controller switch

Aft Master Cabin
* Large full-beam aft master cabin
* Master berth and separate mates berth
* Full private head with original Baby Blake hand-pump head retained for offshore reliability

A note on the heads: The forward head has been upgraded to a modern Raritan electric unit with a contemporary controller for everyday comfort and ease of use. The aft head retains the original Baby Blake manual pump head — a deliberate choice because the Baby Blake is legendary among offshore sailors for its bulletproof mechanical simplicity. Should an electric head ever fail at sea, the Baby Blake requires no electricity, no electronics, and no special tools — just a hand pump.

COCKPIT & DECK
The large exterior sailing cockpit offers excellent visibility in all directions and is one of the finest features of the Swan 51. It is a spacious, comfortable, and well-protected space that works equally well for focused offshore sailing, relaxed daysailing, and entertaining family and friends at anchor or at the dock. The teak decks throughout are a hallmark of the Swan build quality — beautiful, durable, and sure-footed underway.

SPECIFICATIONS & EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

TANKAGE
* Fuel: 100 gallons (two tanks)
* Water: 200 gallons (multiple integrated hull tanks)
* Holding: approx. 20 gallons

HULL & BUILD QUALITY
* Hand-laid fiberglass hull, thick and rigid construction
* Deep bilge, solid keel — optimized for offshore stability and performance
* Integrated hull water tank system — preserves full structural integrity of hull ribs
* Teak decks throughout
* original Swan craftsmanship
* Warm teak and holly interior joinery throughout

PERFORMANCE & DESIGN
* Swan World Cup winning design
* Designed by Germán Frers — one of sailing's most celebrated naval architects
* Built by Nautor Swan, Finland — widely regarded as the world's finest production sailboat builder
* High-performance bluewater cruiser with proven racing pedigree – Fast, well-balanced, and easy to sail
* Three-blade folding propeller that folds flush when sailing for minimal drag

ENGINE
* Perkins M90 90 HP diesel known for legendary reliability
* 4,400 hours, well maintained, instant start, no pre-heat required

SAILS & DECK GEAR
* Well-rounded sail inventory included
* Extra lines included
* Extensive spare parts inventory included

CONDITION SUMMARY
* Fresh bottom paint — October 2025 haul-out
* Full vessel detail — March 2026
* New Raritan forward head and controller — spring 2025
* Engine well maintained — 4,400 hours, instant start
* Well-rounded sail inventory, extra lines, and spare parts included
* Water maker aboard
* Two fuel tanks for redundancy
* Baby Blake aft head retained for bulletproof offshore reliability

PERFORMANCE & SAILING
The Swan 51 design is a proven high-performance bluewater cruiser with a distinguished racing record for the brand, including the Swan World Cup. The Swan 51 is known throughout the sailing community for being fast, well-balanced, and easy to sail — a rare combination that makes her equally suited to short-handed offshore passages and fully-crewed racing. Her folding three-blade propeller retracts cleanly when sailing, reducing drag to an absolute minimum and delivering performance closer to a dedicated racing yacht than a typical cruising sailboat.

BUILD QUALITY & CONSTRUCTION
Nautor Swan built the Swan 51 using a robust, hand-laid fiberglass hull with a solid keel construction and deep bilge design optimized for offshore stability and performance. The hull laminate is thick, rigid, and exceptionally well engineered, built to handle sustained bluewater passage-making in demanding conditions. The hull form is designed for a combination of upwind efficiency and downwind stability, making her fast, balanced, and confidence-inspiring in all points of sail.

The teak decks are a hallmark of Swan craftsmanship — laid with care and precision, they provide both beauty and excellent non-slip footing underway. Below decks, the interior joinery is finished in the warm, traditional teak and holly that Swan is famous for, crafted to a standard that simply cannot be found in modern production boats. Storage throughout the vessel is thoughtfully and smartly designed, making excellent use of every cubic foot of the hull.

A particularly noteworthy design feature of this vessel is the integrated water tank system. Rather than cutting through hull ribs to install a single large tank which would compromise the structural integrity of the hull, the designer placed multiple water tanks between the hull ribs and connected them together. This preserves the full stiffness and integrity of the hull while providing 200 gallons of water capacity. It is a uniquely elegant engineering solution that speaks directly to the Swan philosophy of building boats right, not just building them fast.

DESIGNER & BUILDER HERITAGE
Germán Frers is one of the most celebrated naval architects in sailing history. Born in Argentina and trained under his father, also a distinguished yacht designer, Frers built his international reputation designing grand prix ocean racers and high-performance cruising yachts for some of the world's most prestigious builders. His designs are known for their perfect balance of speed, seakeeping, and comfort — blending racing performance with blue-water capability in a way few designers have matched. The Swan 51 is widely regarded as one of his most successful and enduring designs.

Nautor Swan was founded in 1966 in Pietarsaari, Finland, by Pekka Koskenkyla. From the very beginning, the company set out to build the finest offshore sailing yachts in the world — and by most measures, they succeeded. Swan yachts are hand-built to exacting standards, using the highest quality materials, and are renowned throughout the sailing world for their structural integrity, fit and finish, and long-term durability. Decades after they left the yard, Swan hulls remain among the most sought-after vessels on the brokerage market, a testament to the quality of their construction.

Listed by PURCELL YACHTSTHIS BOAT IS SUBJECT TO AN EXCLUSIVE LISTING AGREEMENT WITH PURCELL YACHTS 310-266-6856 AND IS NOT OFFERED FOR SALE BY DENISON YACHTING - SAN FRANCISCO. Denison Yachting - San Francisco is merely providing this information in an effort to represent you as a buyer in the purchase of this vessel.

Denison Yacht Sales offers the details of this yacht in good faith but can’t guarantee the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of this boat for sale. This yacht for sale is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal from that yacht market without notice. She is offered as a convenience by this yacht broker to its clients and is not intended to convey direct representation of a specific yacht for sale.