Nautor Swan 60, MARIE BLUE

Broker’s Comments

MARIE BLUE is a well-maintained Swan 60, suitable for worldwide cruising or regattas. Her present owner has looked after her for the last 20 years and has used her lightly during his ownership. The Swan 60 is a very beautiful yacht, over 30 were built which indicates her popularity. MARIE BLUE is number 003 of the series. She has a 4-cabin layout, with owner aft, two guest cabins and a focsle / crew cabin forward. Features particular to this yacht include the aft entrance to the aft cabin and the fourth head area forward for the crew cabin. On deck she has a large centre cockpit for guests and steering cockpit aft with single destroyer type wheel.

MARIE BLUE was bought by her current European owner 20 years ago in the USA (in 2003). During his ownership he has enjoyed her and upgraded her constantly. The yacht had a new deck in 2010 and in autumn 2018 she was upgraded for an Atlantic crossing and Caribbean season. The preparation for the Atlantic round led to major overhaul and renewal of many systems and parts, including new rod rigging, new B&G navigation system, plus upgraded com equipment, sails, electrical equipment and ocean safety gear.

In April 2019 she was in Martinique and later based in Long Island and then Rhode Island. There she had rudder bearing changed winter 2019 and got stuck there with Covid. In late summer 2020 the owner sailed to the Azores. Then in March / April 2021 up to Holland – the yacht was for the first time in her owner’s home country!

Owner’s Comments

After many years of inland sailing on the Waddensea in Holland, and my retirement nearing, we started to seriously consider a lifelong wish to sail the oceans. From the start, the boat had to be a Swan, with its magical mystique of superb quality and beautiful lines. Our initial choice was the Swan 56, big enough and manageable by a family. We even visited the Pietersaarie yard and were very impressed by seeing the workmanship and quality of built up close.

Hoping to find a young used model we visited several brokers and met our future captain on his Swan 56. He reiterated that if he had to advise his owner again, it would have been the same boat but a 60 footer. With just this extra length the boat becomes so much more comfortable and sturdy. “I will sail a Swan 60 by German Frers anywhere in the world, in any condition”.

Shortly thereafter we met our ship then 7 years old in Miami at the Nautor brokerage and made the deal! And as it happened, the captain joined us after his 56 owner stopped cruising.

Notwithstanding her length and roominess, she can be easily handled by a small crew. After several years with our captain and Atlantic crossings, our captain retired and we were on our own. With then teenage children we could easily handle Marie Blue in all parts of the Caribe, Northeast coast USA, and pretty much all parts of the Mediterranean sea and Greek and Turkish waters. And in the initial years we participated in several Swan regattas in the Caribe, in Newport and in Porto Cervo. Great events with bonding of crews and competitors!

With my advancing age I need to start thinking about a life less full of sailing and caring for this beautiful Swan. And my children now married with small children and careers to pursue are not in a position (yet!) to dedicate themselves fully to our Swan.

They, as I, will miss the beautiful anchorages and the immense views of the ocean. I, moreover, will miss the serene quietness of the teak panelled saloon in which one can so nicely relax.