Having made its debut as a prototype at the London Boat Show last year, the Swan 45 is back once again drawing the crowds in to Hall 2. This top class one-design has competed at some of the world’s major regattas during the last year and has really made a big hit on the racing scene including winning her class at the Sardinia Swan World Cup and third overall from over 100 yachts. The are currently 14 boats on the circuit with a fairly large contingent in the USA including Rush who’s been cleaning up at some of the country’s top regattas and the British boat McFly owned by Tony Mack who won Cowes Week.

While the 45 is primarily a performance racing boat with an option for cruising, Swan have been careful to retain the special, ‘Swan cruising feel’ including the classic teak decking, and attention to detail which makes this company’s boats stand out from the rest.

Her cockpit/deck layout design has been well thought out with the racing sailor in mind, keeping lines and fittings to a minimum. She has an interesting mainsheet arrangement – known as the German System – where the mainsheet is led forward from the winches all the way under the deck to the mast area and back along to boom. The traveller 6:1 purchase system, positioned just in front of the massive alloy wheel, is also led under deck, again to keep lines and cumbersome tracks to the minimum. To keep life simple for the racing or cruising sailor, there’s a neat easily accessible hydraulic system for the backstay and outhaul, situated adjacent to the backstay dump valve.

While there is already a strong contingent of 45s on the circuit, Swan say there are plenty more on order particularly with European championship scheduled to take place in Cowes later this year.

And the price? 582,000 Euros (approximately £378,000). For more details, visit www.swanyachts.co.uk