BLACK SWAN Yacht Charter — 40.2m Camper & Nicholsons sailing yacht for 10 guests, with a crew of 6
- Length
- 40.2 m
- Guests
- 10
- Cabins
- 4
- Crew
- 6
- Builder
- Camper & Nicholsons
- Year
- 1898
40.2m · Camper & Nicholsons · sailing yacht
BLACK SWAN at a glance
BLACK SWAN is a 40.2m Camper & Nicholsons sailing yacht launched in 1898, sleeping 10 guests in 4 cabins with a crew of 6. Her charter season is Winter 2026 in the West Mediterranean.
- Length
- 40.2 m
- Guests
- 10
- Cabins
- 4
- Crew
- 6
- Builder
- Camper & Nicholsons
- Year
- 1898
Blue Ocean Club overview
Camper & Nicholsons launched her in 1898
Camper & Nicholsons launched BLACK SWAN in 1898, with a refit listed for 2018.
She measures 40.2 m in length, 6.8 m across the beam, 4.1 m of draft.
She has a listed cruising speed of 10 knots.
01 · On deck
Outdoor shower for 10 guests
On deck: Outdoor shower.
The outdoor spaces serve up to 10 guests.
02 · Where she cruises
the Balearic Islands. Winter 2026
BLACK SWAN is offered for charter in the West Mediterranean.
Winter 2026: Balearic Islands, Campania, Corsica & Sardinia and French Riviera.
Interiors
BLACK SWAN interiors
The photo set shows “Dining Detail”.
Listed on board: air conditioning, tv saloon and wi-fi.
Smoking policy: no smoking.
Accommodation
4 cabins
BLACK SWAN sleeps 10 guests in 4 cabins.
Water toys
BLACK SWAN water toys and tenders
Every item below is listed for BLACK SWAN.
Paddle and sail
Kayaks
Skis and boards
Kneeboard · Wakeboard · Water skis - adult · Water skis - child
Towables and inflatables
Tube - towable
More on board
Beach games
Diving
Diving equipment
- Snorkeling Equipment
- Underwater still camera
- Underwater video
- Diving insured: No
Route inspiration · Winter 2026
Journeys in the Balearic Islands
Winter 2026: Balearic Islands, Campania and Corsica & Sardinia. These routes follow waters this yacht is listed for.
On board
Amenities and equipment
As listed for this yacht.
Listed amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Outdoor shower
- Indoor audio system
- TV saloon
- Wi-Fi
About the yacht
About BLACK SWAN
Description as supplied.
Black Swan was designed by Charles E. Nicholson and built at the esteemed Camper & Nicholsons Gosport shipyard. Black Swan represents one of the most important classic sailing yachts from our heritage, and is a vessel admired by yacht afficionados around the world.
Launched in 1899 and refitted multiple times to ensure her continued seaworthiness, the 40.2m sailing yacht Black Swan presents an incredible opportunity to charter a piece of maritime history and a verifiable icon of the classic fleet.
Black Swan began life as Brynhild, a design commissioned by John Selwin Calverly who had heard of Nicholsons’ success designing small racing yachts and his desire to conceive a larger vessel. The brief was for a yacht that was an all-rounder, not designed for racing but able to participate in the handicap classes. Unconstrained by any rating rule and able to design a yacht that truly reflected his ideas on yacht design, Nicholson excelled.
After Calverly’s death, Brynhild was quickly acquired by a new owner and proceeded to change hands several times through the 1920s and ‘30s. An engine was installed, and then in 1937 she was converted from a yawl to a ketch and renamed Black Swan.
After World War II, Black Swan was sold to George Guérin who had her refitted at Camper & Nicholsons with John Nicholson, son of Charles E. Nicholson, managing the work. In 1958 Guérin sold Black Swan to Felix Mechoulam and she stayed in the Mechoulam family’s ownership for some 40 years. Black Swan was sold again in the early 1990s and underwent a significant refit at the Beconcini yard in La Spezia. Financial troubles then resulted in her being seized by the bank and laid up in La Spezia from 2008 to 2015.
Edouard Poullain her current owner, a passionate yachtsman for classic yachts, recognised Black Swan as a unique opportunity to save this historical yacht and under his ownership she is sailing again.
Black Swan offers accommodation for six guests in three double cabins. Her traditional yachting style runs throughout the interior, and there’s space to dine both within the saloon and on the foredeck.
Black Swan is a rare and important turn of the century yacht which is a welcome addition to the classic charter fleet.
Particulars
BLACK SWAN specifications
- Length
- 40.2 m
- Length (ft)
- 132 ft
- Beam
- 6.8 m
- Draft
- 4.1 m
- Category
- Sailing
- Hull
- Monohull
- Builder
- Camper & Nicholsons
- Year launched
- 1898
- Refit
- 2018
- Guests (sleeping)
- 10
- Cabins
- 4
- Crew
- 6
- Crew language
- French
- Engine
- 2 X GM 6 1.7 diesel 280 HP each 2 X 24 HP Onan in soundproof boxes
- Cruising speed
- 10 kn
- Fuel (maximum)
- 30 l/h
- Cruising speed (km/h)
- 18.5 km/h
- Voltage
- 12/24 DC 240 AC
- VAT registered
- No
- USA duty
- No
- Smoking
- No smoking
- Prior name
- BRYNHILD
Photographs courtesy of the yacht's charter management
Cruising Areas
BLACK SWAN is on the charter shortlist for these coasts. A listing is a cruising area, not a home port.
BLACK SWAN charter rate & availability
| Season | Period | Weekly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Winter 2026 | Balearic Islands, Campania, Corsica & Sardinia, French Riviera, Amalfi Coast, Lazio, North Africa, Sicily & Aeolian Islands, South of France, Spain, Tuscany | €42,000 per week |
The published rate and availability are confirmed for the requested dates.
Need the cost structure first? Read the Blue Ocean Club guide to base charter fees, APA and taxes.
Who BLACK SWAN suits
Stepping aboard BLACK SWAN, guests discover a 40.2 m Camper & Nicholsons sailing yacht built in 1898 and refitted in 2018. She is wonderfully suited to family gatherings or groups of friends, welcoming 10 guests overnight across 4 cabins. With an attentive crew of 6, life on the water is relaxed and well supported. Onboard amenities such as air conditioning and wi-fi provide everyday comfort, while kayaks and a wakeboard keep guests active in quiet anchorages.
When considered alongside comparable yachts in Sicily & Aeolian Islands, she stands out naturally. Her length is similar to nearby options, yet she accommodates more guests than most alternatives of her size. While her build year is older, carrying genuine maritime history under sail, her weekly rate is lower, making her an attractive choice for clients seeking authentic seafaring character.
The best time to charter her is May, as cruising begins in the West Mediterranean. This period brings pleasant temperatures and steady westerly winds across Sicily & Aeolian Islands and the Amalfi Coast, while keeping bays far quieter. For winter 2026 itineraries, she navigates through Spain, Corsica & Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands during November and December.
Written by Blue Ocean Club from this yacht's listed particulars and checked against them line by line. The yacht's own description is shown separately on this page.
What a week aboard BLACK SWAN costs all-in
Our planning estimate, built on the listed weekly rate shown in the rate section. APA, tax and gratuity are typical figures; your charter contract sets the final amounts.
- Charter fee per guest per night
- €600
- Weekly rate ÷ 10 guests ÷ 7 nights, before APA, tax and gratuity.
- Nearest airports · Sicily & Aeolian Islands
- Catania (CTA) and Palermo (PMO)
- Milazzo, the usual departure port for the Aeolian Islands, is about 2 hours by road from Catania; Palermo's marinas are about 35 minutes from Palermo airport.
- Typical extras
- APA 25% (typical for sailing yachts and catamarans), gratuity 10%, Italian VAT 22%.
- Can be reduced pro rata for documented time outside EU waters.
| Charter fee (listed rate) | €42,000 |
| Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) (25%) | €10,500 |
| Italian VAT (22%) | €9,200 |
| Crew gratuity (customary) (10%) | €4,200 |
| Estimated all-in week | ≈ €65,900 |
The APA is an advance for fuel, food, drinks, berths and similar running costs; unspent APA is returned. Some yachts are offered on all-inclusive terms, in which case the APA line does not apply. Delivery fees, if any, are extra. How charter costs work.
BLACK SWAN and similar yachts in Sicily & the Aeolian Islands
| Yacht | Length | Guests | Built | Weekly rate from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACK SWAN (this yacht)Camper & Nicholsons | 40.2 m | 10 | 1898 | €42,000 |
| MES AMISFitzroy | 44.3 m | 10 | 2007 | $115,000 |
| MATA MUAScheepswerf Friesland | 38.5 m | 9 | 1993 | €50,000 |
| RIANASilyon Yachts | 42 m | 10 | 2007 | €70,000 |
| HERITAGE MPerini Navi | 33.5 m | 8 | 2000 | €45,000 |
Same type of yacht, listed for Sicily & the Aeolian Islands, closest in length, guests, rate and age. Rates of the other yachts as listed on 31 October 2026; open each yacht for its current rate.
Cruising Sicily & the Aeolian Islands: when to go and where to anchor
Best time
The charter season runs from May to October. July and August bring settled, warm weather and light breezes, but anchorages and ports are crowded. May, June, September, and October offer quieter cruising grounds with pleasant temperatures and steady westerly or northwesterly winds. Scirocco winds from the south-east can develop occasionally, generating uncomfortable swells in exposed southern anchorages, while late summer can bring isolated afternoon squalls.
Practical tips
- Anchoring restrictions and exclusion zones are established by Capitaneria di Porto ordinances rather than a regional marine park; consult local maritime notices before dropping anchor.
- Milazzo, the usual departure port for the Aeolian Islands, is about 2 hours by road from Catania; Palermo's marinas are about 35 minutes from Palermo airport.
- Stock primary provisions at base marinas in Milazzo or Palermo, as island supermarkets on Salina and Lipari have smaller inventories and limited dockside access.
Anchorages to know
- Cala degli Zimmari (Panarea)This sandy bay south of Panarea offers secure holding in northwesterly winds, serving as an authorised anchorage near restricted Cala Junco.
- Porto Pignataro (Lipari)Located north of Lipari town, this sheltered harbour provides marina berths and safe holding, alternative to the restricted waters of Marina Corta.
- Pollara (Salina)A circular bay beneath volcanic cliffs on Salina's western coast, providing sheltered day anchorage over sand and rock in calm summer conditions.
- Sciara del Fuoco (Stromboli)Yachts can drift offshore in deep water to observe Stromboli's nocturnal eruptions, adhering to local maritime authority exclusion distances.
Also listed
Listed with BLACK SWAN
Enhance your charter with Blue Ocean Concierge.
Every booking includes a dedicated concierge manager. Add any of the following — or anything else you can imagine — to shape a truly bespoke week.
- Private jet & helicopter transfers
- Michelin-trained private chef
- Sommelier-curated wine provisioning
- On-board yoga & spa therapists
- VIP beach club & restaurant access
- Photographer & videographer
- Bespoke shore excursions
- Live musicians & DJs
- Anniversary, proposal & celebration staging
- Chauffeured cars & discreet security
- Marine biologist for the children
- 24/7 personal concierge manager
BLACK SWAN yacht gallery
Photographs courtesy of the yacht's charter management
BLACK SWAN: your questions, answered
The most common questions we receive about chartering BLACK SWAN. For anything specific to your dates, guest list or itinerary, message us directly.