ARISTARCHOS

Nautor's Swan has only ever built one 131. Aristarchos left the Finnish yard in 2006, and the builder itself still calls her the largest Swan ever launched. German Frers gave her the long, low profile of the family, and close to a thousand square metres of sail turn that hull into something that moves with real authority. The dark blue topsides and teak decks make her easy to pick out in any anchorage.

The unusual part is the layout. A yacht of forty metres usually squeezes in four or five cabins. Aristarchos keeps to three, so each one is generous. Across the full width of the hull sits the owner's suite, unusual in having a pair of double beds, with wardrobes you can step into; a double cabin and a twin complete the plan. The interior design is the work of the Rhoades Young studio. With eight guests at most, nobody fights for space, which matters on a sailing boat where the cockpit and the deck are where everyone spends the day. Lunch is served at a table under the cockpit awning.

She spends her seasons in Greece and cruises the Greek islands. That suits her: the summer north wind in the Aegean, which can make a week on a motor yacht uncomfortable, is exactly what a big, powerful sloop like this wants. A day crossing between the Cyclades under full sail is the heart of the experience, and a jet tender handles the trips ashore.

She is right for experienced sailors, or for couples and friends who want to feel a big yacht heel and accelerate. She is less right for larger groups: three cabins mean two couples and a pair of children or friends, not three families. Families with small children should also think about life on a sloop that heels under sail. And anyone who wants a long list of motorised toys and a flat sun deck should look at a motor yacht instead.