Beefed-up Classic Sailing Yacht With a Finnish Pedigree Sold for Pennies

Elegant lines, racer-inspired performance, and a Finnish pedigree: the beautifully named Aspiration has what it takes to pass the test of time, and it did. It’s been around for almost four decades and is still going strong, ready for new adventures.

Aspiration’s launch marked a milestone for the globally acclaimed Nautor Swan. Named Zoom at the time, this was the biggest and most powerful Swan ever built. It followed in the footsteps of the legendary Swan 36 and Swan 38 that put this Finnish shipyard on the map.

Aspiration was one of German Frers’ creations. Frers joined Nautor Swan in the 1980s after the famous Ron Holland. Frers would later help the Finnish builder enter a new league with the design of the Swan 45 in 2001 and the ClubSwan42 in 2005. Decades prior, the Swan 86-001 also made waves in the industry.

As a Swan 86-001, Aspiration combined a 26-meter (86 feet) length with a generous 76 GT volume. It stood out as a skillful mix between a high-performance racer and a lavish cruiser. In other words, it was equally powerful and comfortable. Designed to accommodate a small party of six and a small four-people crew, Aspiration flaunts the formal elegance of a classic-style sailboat with an abundance of glossy wood and sophisticated textures.

One of the two cockpits is a larger one placed at the center, specifically designed to fit a large dining table for luxury al-fresco meals. This is one of the features that take Aspiration into high-end cruiser territory, along with the surprisingly spacious master suite located aft and the ample salon with separate dining and lounging sections.

At the same time, this sailing beauty was equipped for effortless handling, including an optional “wing keel.” It claims to hit 10 knots (11.5 mph) smoothly and cover more than 1,000 nautical miles with ease.

A decade ago, the Finnish yacht underwent a major refit. That’s when it got a new engine and a new mainsail, along with full rig service. A couple of years later, it was upgraded with modern navigation instruments, better air conditioning systems, and a new headsail. All of this came as a result of the yacht’s most recent owner’s willingness to invest in his classic yacht.

These types of upgrades usually help a lot with increasing a yacht’s market value, but even at $795,000 (Aspiration’s last asking price), this classic racer-cruiser was a steal. Time will tell whether the new owner will also choose to upgrade his 1988 sailing yacht – after all, it’s been a while since the last refit.

Even without further refits, Aspiration remains one of the beautiful boats that reflect the “cruiser-racer” style that became synonymous with the Nautor Swan craftsmanship.