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VIDEO. The incredible rescue of a Swan 44 off the Azores!

Off the Azores, an old Swan 44 is at the mercy of strong winds and waves. A crazy storm. Portuguese Coast Guard rescuers come from the sky: we will see a spectacular rescue! Curiosity: the boat, adrift and without tree, was spotted a few days ago by a tanker 635 miles south-southeast of Bermuda.

About the Swan 44

The Swan 44 was designed by Olin Stephens and built by Nautor’s Swan and first launched in 1972. From the drawing board of Sparkman & Stephens, the Swan 44 is a very comfortable and fast yacht at sea, exceptional in upwind conditions. The hull of the Swan 44 is moderate D/L ratio 262, with the midsection not going quite flat at the centerline.

There is moderate flare to the topsides and a max beam of 13.71 feet. There is a little reverse to the canoe body to elevate the counter aft combined with enough overhang to ensure a graceful look. The bow is quite short and purposeful looking. The beam is generous and pulled into the ends without exaggeration. The transom is heavily cambered with the corners knocked off for even more grace. You have your choice of Whale Tail type or “elephant foot” keel with the deeper model giving a draft of 8.2 inches. (Keep track of the increasing draft of cruising boats as we move to the 90s). The shoal keel version of the Swan 44 has a draft of 6’9″.

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