Nautor Swan 371, TEXAS STAR

Broker’s Comments

The Swan 371 stands out as a benchmark in the world of performance cruisers. With her elegant lines, robust construction, and versatile layout, she offers a rare combination of speed, comfort, and safety. Whether you’re seeking a proven offshore passage-maker or a competitive club racer, the Swan 371 delivers the heritage and capability that only a true Swan can provide.

TEXAS STAR has been in the current owner’s care since 1986 and has been very lightly used during the summer months, docked in Greenport, Long Island, and hauled for the winter at the NYAC Yacht Club in Pelham, NY. The Swan 371 is a Ron Holland design and remains very popular, with 87 hulls built. She is a perfect boat for a couple to handle alone, or for a growing family. Her spacious interior features a main saloon, galley, dedicated nav station, forepeak, head, and aft cabin – all finished in Nautor’s famous teak, which is now difficult to obtain. Although simply specified, she has served this owner well. Her deck replacement is a major plus, as are the very low engine hours on the replacement engine. Truly a lovely Swan – well worth a trip to see her!

Owner’s Comments

TEXAS STAR, hull no. 15, was built in 1980 but was not launched for several years, as the original European owner had no time to use her. The next owner added racing sails and raced her for one season before upgrading to a larger boat. The third owner brought her to the United States and used her lightly before putting her up for sale. My wife and I saw the boat in the spring of 1986 and immediately knew she was right for us. When we married, we wanted to downsize from a larger Swan to eliminate the need for crew. She wanted the same quality she was used to—and she got it with hull no. 15. We renamed her TEXAS STAR, reflecting our Texas roots.

Soon after, we were invited to join Swan regattas in Newport. They said, “Just come and enjoy; the racing is very casual.” We arrived with a boat full of wine, all our cruising gear, and a dirty bottom. At one point, in last place during the Round the Island Race, my wife said, “Turn on the engine—I don’t want to miss the parties.” By the next Swan regatta, we had new sails, a racing crew, a place to store our cruising gear in Newport… you get the drift. We won our division in 1988.

At the NYAC Yacht Club in Pelham, NY, on Long Island Sound (1988–2019), we occasionally raced in distance events. Mostly, we would sail to Greenport, Long Island, for the summer, then explore nearby venues as well as Newport and Nantucket. New decks, floorboards, rod rigging, halyard clutches, and a Harken genoa track system and traveller were installed at Jamestown Boat Yard in 2006. We have always maintained the boat to keep her in top condition. Over the years, we focused more on day sailing in the Shelter Island/Gardiners Bay area, apart from the annual passages between Pelham and Greenport.

During that time, we modified a racing sail for regular cruising use. Our new roller-furling UK X-Drive carbon genoa (October 2019) wasn’t used until recently due to family health issues. Since 2020, our seasonal passages for winter storage have become shorter—now just across the harbor in Greenport.