From its high-performance ClubSwan boats that dominate the race course to its Swan Maxi superyachts that marry comfort and seaworthiness, the name Nautor Swan is synonymous with sailing prowess in yachting circles. However, the Finnish shipyard took a new tack in recent years. In 2021, it introduced its power boat range, now led by the newly launched flagship, the 23.2m Swan Arrow.
With sleek exteriors, an indoor/outdoor deckhouse that can be entirely air-conditioned for use in balmy Asian waters, a comfortable interior with multiple layout options, and an extendable cockpit platform that puts guests close to the water, the Swan Arrow seems to have hit a bullseye.
If a Swan sailing yacht is going to compete in the racing circuit, it only makes sense to have a worthy chase boat to support it. The initial Swan powerboat offerings were the 13.2m Swan Shadow, followed up by the 13m OverShadow, a sportier version with inboard engines, which debuted at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2023. Both feature sleek exteriors by Jarkko Jämsén, Swan’s resident Motor Yacht Division designer.
When Nautor Swan started designing its first powerboat, the builder envisioned it simply being a beautiful chase boat to go alongside its Swan sailboats, but the response after the launch proved there was an appetite for a standalone dayboat under the Nautor Swan marque – whether owners had a Swan sailing yacht or not. As the chase boat/dayboat market is growing, it was only natural that a bigger version would be in the cards.
Leonardo Ferragamo, Nautor Swan President, said: “We thought they both needed a bigger sister, and the market was pushing us in this direction. This is how Swan Arrow was born, strongly enhancing the unique identity that we have created in our powerboats that embody the core elements of Nautor Swan’s iconic DNA: performance, quality, elegance.”
However, the Swan Arrow is no mere chase boat, but a luxe dayboat that can also welcome guests comfortably for overnight stays. Jämsén was called upon once again to create the exterior of the Swan Arrow, while Axel de Beaufort and JPM Design’s Ioanna Marinopoulos were responsible for the interior design of hull number one.
The brief to the designers was to create a sporty yet elegant yacht with a contemporary design, refined lines and voluminous interiors. It should be an ‘open’ yacht that is still well suited to extended cruising in all climates.
The timeless, elegant exterior of the Arrow has strong classical Swan DNA with a plumb bow that is reminiscent of its sailing yachts. Jämsén aimed to keep the exterior lines as clean and pure as possible, and the sleek, seakindly hull is topped by a glass-encircled superstructure and a sharply raked windscreen.
Fabio Marcellino, Power Boats Chief Technical & Operations Officer at Nautor Group, explained: “The aesthetic request was to have a low windshield but a closed and protected front area. We designed the front glass in two colours: black in the lower part and ultra-clear in the upper part, all in one piece of glass, so no junctions are visible.”
This design trick creates excellent sightlines for the captain while maintaining a sleek exterior profile. Jämsén answered the last item in the brief by creating a glass-enclosed superstructure, which can be entirely open to the elements or closed off like a typical main saloon you might find on a larger yacht.
“Everybody wants to have an open boat, but when the weather is too hot or cold or windy, you’d really like to be able to close it down, so we wanted an open boat feeling but one that you can enclose and have a solid structure,” Jämsén said. “You can blast the A/C and have the comfort of the cabin boat, but with the possibility to spend time outside.”
The full-height doors slide open and windows at the side descend to open the Arrow right up. “The doors at the stern and the side slide open and stack on top of each other – all six panels rest against the mullion,” Jämsén said.
This creates a seamless effect, so when the boat is in open mode you don’t notice the doors at all, and she feels truly open with a lovely cross breeze from three sides. There were classification challenges to make this glass superstructure a reality, Marcellino notes.
“One challenge that arose during the build was dealing with the notified body to get the main deck [registered] as completely an ‘open deck’,” he said. “We solved this task by designing in a new and unconventional way that the deck traps water.”
Another of the innovations on board is the split-level main deck, which culminates in a big, extending platform just three steps down from the main saloon. The beach-club platform is nearly 5m long and, when the bulwarks are extended, 7m wide, creating an expansive area for on-water living. The opening terraces create a beach area of about 50sqm, which Marcellino described as “a real terrace on the sea”.
Nautor Swan sought to hide as much technical equipment as possible, so the mooring equipment in the beach area is covered when not in use, as is the mooring winch on the bow. Sleekly integrated utilitarian features are plentiful elsewhere, too. There are flush cleats and fairleads, a hidden anchor, hidden wipers on the windshield, and hidden curtains in the saloon.
For the interior, Marinopoulos was involved from the outset. “It was a thrilling challenge to merge aesthetics with performance and create something with a strong personality that was luxurious yet approachable,” said the Greek designer.
“The interior of the Arrow is a combination of timeless elegance with a touch of casual approach and a splash of bespoke nautical details. As the main deck was designed to be completely open to the surrounding seascape, my goal was to connect the upper and lower decks without making them feel like two separate areas.”
The result is an elegant, casual beach villa atmosphere where one can connect to the sea and feel relaxed. Marinopoulos achieved this by utilising soft cotton fabrics and organic raffia wallpaper on the walls, creating a luxurious but cosy ambience below decks. Honduran mahogany in a high-gloss lacquer gives a rich look to the furniture.
This is paired by natural and sustainable Indonesian teak for floorings, polished nickel for all the metal elements and linen fabric for the upholstered fixed panels. Camel-coloured leather and soft cotton fabrics enhance the visual appeal. All the light fixtures on board are designed by Marinopoulos, while two fixtures on the desk in the master cabin are inspired by traditional maritime lights.
“The combination of nickel and wood serves as a striking foundation, beautifully balancing masculinity and comfort,” she said. “One cool innovation that I particularly enjoyed is the use of nickel metal to join the flooring, as opposed to the typical teak deck rubber. This unique choice captures attention at first sight.”
Hull one showcases the standard layout, which has a full-beam owner’s cabin aft and a VIP cabin forward. Amidships is a lounge and galley. On an optional lower-deck layout, the lounge can be closed off to become a third guest cabin with twin beds.
It should go without saying, but like all Swans, the Arrow is a born performer. “The way Arrow cruises is outstanding – fast, dry, stable and very well trimmed,” Marcellino said. She can be powered by twin 1,000hp engines for a top speed of 27 knots, or go all out by adding a third engine to reach 37 knots.
Nautor Swan might be known for its sailing craft, but after the Swan Arrow, the builder seems to be on a straight shot for success in the motoryacht sector, too.
nautorswan.com
simpsonmarine.com
This article was first seen on YachtStyle.co
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