SWY 390 vs HR 36
Last reviewed: · Vadim Nareyko
SWY 390 vs HR 36 - Norlin/Östmann aft-cockpit (1991–1998, ~47, 11.88×3.87) versus Frers centre-cockpit (1989–2003, ~602). FairHelm fork: sportier coastal helm and thinner listing pool versus deeper Nordic resale and protected cockpit living. Soft decks and standing-rigging age matter more than the badge - haul both before deposit.
Ownership study
While you still sort only by "about twelve metres", the seller already puts another Hallberg-Rassy on the table. On two cards the HR 36 shares one name and a close length, yet the stern in the photos lives differently: one has a platform and a different life in the aft cabin, the other a older cut. In the same metre class a Sweden Yachts 390 with the cockpit aft sometimes appears. That is no longer an argument about centimetres; it is a fork of liquidity and helm.
The SWY 390 is an aft-cockpit boat by Peter Norlin and Jens Östmann, years 1991-1998, about 47 hulls. Length about 11.88 m, beam about 3.87 m, displacement about 7.6 t. The builder's plate often shows a Volvo MD2040 at about 40 hp; "50 hp" in the listing is more often a later swap. If the card shows years 2010-2018, beam 3.55 m, or an end-of-series "to 2006" from a reference site, check the plate on the boat: 3.55 m is already the typical beam of the neighbouring HR 36, and years after 1998 for this series need the hull, not someone else's table.
The HR 36 is a centre-cockpit Germán Frers boat, 1989-2003, about 602 hulls per the yard's previous-models page. Beam about 3.55 m, lightship about 7.5 t. Under one name live Mk I and Mk II: the step in the transom and aft cabin changes daily life more than the length line. Until the plate and the stern in the photos are read, two "HR 36" boats cannot be treated as interchangeable.
Under way the difference is heard before the numbers: the SWY more often asks for hands and attention from the open stern; the HR more often keeps the crew behind the coachroof and sells to people who recognise the badge in the marina. So the thin SWY pool lengthens both the search and the exit, while on the HR it is not the "name" that breaks price but an unchecked Mk and condition.
If you can haul both before a deposit, start with the HR stern and hull number: Mk I is not Mk II by feel or in photos. Walk the teak with your fingers. On both hulls look for water at the deck entries of the standing rigging (the wires that hold the mast) and marks at the chainplates (the metal fittings that take the load into the hull). On the SWY add your own list: which keel that hull carries, engine hours, and the age of the saildrive rubber diaphragm (saildrive: the leg with the propeller exits through the bottom; the seal around that leg is a timed consumable). If the power plate is no longer an MD2040, read the bed for fresh sealant. Prove the rigging with invoices. At sea, not in a LOA table, it becomes clear which helm you are paying liquidity for.
A year of ownership here turns on liquidity. A rare SWY is cheaper to "know" on the pontoon but dearer to sell again; an HR returns to the market more easily if the Mk is proven and the teak is not a surprise, and without that a "deep pool" does not save the price. Into the year band go berth, insurance, winter after haul-out, and a reserve for deck and rigging; a full teak campaign sits outside it. Convert your euros in the ownership calculator; the SEK columns below only give an order of magnitude for the class.
We do not promise a purchase price or an "ideal" survey. Laminate, the keel on that SWY, teak scope, and system age are read only on a hauled hull. Sea time and an independent surveyor are not replaced by this text.
When to pick which
SWY 390
Buyers take the Sweden Yachts 390 when they will pay for the helm on an open stern with a thin market: about 47 hulls in the series against the deep Hallberg-Rassy pool. Before money, match years 1991-1998 on the plate, do not trust years 2010-2018 or beam 3.55 m from another table, demand invoices for teak and rigging, and compare power to the factory norm, not to "50 hp" from the ad.
HR 36
The Hallberg-Rassy HR 36 suits those who care more about northern liquidity, familiar parts, and a protected centre cockpit. Before deposit: separate Mk I from Mk II by transom and plate; on the hard, score teak and chainplates; rigging age by invoice, not by word of mouth.
Baltic ownership cost bands
| Cost theme | SWY 390 band (SEK) | HR 36 band (SEK) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berth + insurance | 34 000–76 000 | 30 000–70 000 | ~11–11.9 m class |
| Winter ashore after haul-out | 12 000–30 000 | 12 000–28 000 | SWY draft can cost more |
| Teak / deck reserve | 16 000–50 000 | 15 000–45 000 | plugs vs fastenings |
| Rigging reserve | 10 000–28 000 | 10 000–30 000 | wire or rod on invoices |
| Systems / engine | 12 000–40 000 | 8 000–28 000 | saildrive / Volvo packs |
| Planning total | ~95 000–250 000 | ~80 000–200 000 | excluding major teak campaigns |
Planning bands for routine SWY 390 / HR 36 ownership in the Baltic from model Dual-write annual tables and class practice, not an offer from your marina. Major teak work and an unchecked Mk leave the annual band harder than badge shine.
Comparison table
| Category | SWY 390 | HR 36 |
|---|---|---|
| Length overall | 11.88 m | 10.87 m |
| Beam | 3.87 m | 3.55 m |
| Production years | 1991–1998 | 1989–2003 |
| Overview | When a mechanic opens the engine bay of this Sweden Yachts 390, their gaze bypasses surface polish and settles on the foundation and saildrive flange. Peter Norlin drew this model as a cruiser-racer, and the installation reflects that balance. | Oiled teak, the familiar Hallberg-Rassy HR 36 name, a newer plotter - and you already want to believe the boat is ready for July. |
| Typical issues | Q: How do I read the year if a table says 2010–2018? A: Match the year on this boat's builder plate to the contract. Model window for this hull is 1991–1998; a catalogue line may not match the plate. | Q: Is the HR 36 name in the ad headline enough? A: No. Look at how the stern is built in the photos and whether a hull number is listed; do not trust a length figure alone. Length in the headline is marketing shorthand, not a series proof. Q: Does osmosis risk remain? A: Osmosis is moisture that lifts blisters under the outer plastic skin. |
Explore each boat
Common questions
- SWY 390 or HR 36 for Baltic ownership?
- Pick the SWY 390 (Norlin/Östmann, 1991–1998, ~47) when aft-cockpit helm feel matters more than Hallberg-Rassy listing depth. Pick the HR 36 (Frers, 1989–2003, ~602) when centre-cockpit living and easier Nordic resale win. The fork is cockpit living and market depth, not LOA alone.
- What years and designers should I verify on the plate?
- SWY 390: Peter Norlin / Jens Östmann, 1991–1998, about 47 hulls at 11.88×3.87 m. Reject 2010–2018 years and beam 3.55 m. HR 36: Germán Frers, 1989–2003, about 602 hulls; confirm Mk I versus Mk II.
- Are these two the same centre-cockpit living pattern?
- No. The SWY 390 is an aft-cockpit cruiser. The HR 36 is a protected centre-cockpit Frers design. Cross-shop only if you are honest about which cockpit living pattern and resale depth you want.
- What should a survey prioritise on these two?
- Teak fasteners or plugs, chainplates on the HR, deck joints on the SWY, standing-rigging age, and winter-storage history usually move the price more than brochure pedigree.
- How do annual Baltic ownership costs compare?
- Plan berth, insurance, winter storage, teak or deck reserves, and rigging reserves in the bands on this page. The SWY band often sits a little higher; major teak campaigns sit outside the annual band for both.