6 of the best Nautor's Swan sailing yachts

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Nautor's Swan, we take a look back at some of the yard's most luxurious sailing yachts which are admired by hardcore racers and cruisers alike.

The range starts with the new ClubSwan 50, which exhibits many of the modern design trends seen in much larger Nautor's Swan sailing yachts. Built to a very specific brief, this model is a convertible sports cruiser that can easily be helmed without the need for any crew. Her elegant styling includes naval architecture developed by Juan Kouyoumdjian, the Argentinean designer who also penned Groupama 4, the winner of the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race.

The Finnish builder has delivered more than 2,000 sailing yachts over the years but one of the best Swan yachts on the water today is also the first.

The Swan 36 Tarantella was the first yacht launched by Nautor's Swan in 1966 and she was recently refitted by the yard to make her majestic return to the water. Many of her original build team members – now retired – returned to Swan in order to take on the restoration of the beloved first yacht. She sails as magnificently today as she did nearly 50 years ago.

In June 2015, Nautor’s Swan launched its first Swan 115 sailing yacht. The new Swan flagship was built for none other than Nautor's Swan chairman Leonardo Ferragamo. Following in a lineage of Ferragamo Swans named Solleone, the latest iteration builds upon the classic, understated and "unpretentious" luxury enjoyed by her owner.

Designed by German Frers, the first Swan 115 is ready for racing and comfortable for cruising, and her dark blue hull colour cuts a striking figure on the water. Hull No 2 was named Shamanna and launched in April 2016, while Hull No 3 Highland Fling splashed less than a month later. Hull No 4 in the new Swan 115 range has also been sold and features an even greater focus on high performance racing with a flush-deck design. These slight variation are sure to provide thrilling racing when all the new Swan flagships line up at a regatta in the near future.

When Swan debuted its new Swan 105RS Ti-Coyo in 2014 she proved a real showstopper thanks to her fantastic stern design. The master cabin is placed all the way aft and becomes an on-water suite when the transom folds down, creating a giant superyacht beach club. By sliding open the glass doors into the master stateroom the owners can enjoy sea views from the bed and a morning swim is just a few steps away.

The 31.69 metre Swan 105 was designed by Beiderbeck Designs with naval architecture by German Frers.

The 27.71 metre Swan 90 has been a popular series for the builder. Notable Swan 90s include Freya and Nefertiti. The Swan 90s are proven performers on the racecourse. Nefertiti, for instance, took first place in both the 2013 and 2014 Swan Caribbean Challenge Trophy at the RORC Caribbean 600 regatta.

They are also able bluewater cruisers, extremely seaworthy in transatlantic crossings and comfortable for long-range cruising. Swan is now updating this model and building a new 28.87 metre Swan 95, which it revealed in September 2014. The first Swan 95, designed by German Frers, is in build and is set to launch in 2016.

The Swan 80 maxi-cruiser is the ideal pocket sailing superyacht for the owner who wants to be able to race or cruise in style. Two cockpits allow guests to unwind and stay out of the way during racing action.

Another collaboration between Swan and German Frers, the new Swan 80 will have huge portholes in the owner's cabin down below, letting in plenty of light, and she offers multiple layout options to suit her owner. She also offers a few transom design options to personalise the yacht further and the galley is fitted out to a professional standard.