Star Chaser is an excellent example of a Nautor Swan 51 designed by German Frers. These yachts are renowned for their fantastic sailing abilities and quality of construction, Star Chaser has been professionally maintained since new and is immaculately appointed throughout.

Star Chaser is extensively equipped for both racing and cruising, she’s safe, seaworthy and fast with a very comfortable interior fit-out. The deck layout is very practical and adapts equally well to either flying around the race course or cruising gently between islands. Star Chaser is an easy yet rewarding boat to sail and her size and design pedigree set her above most other charter yachts.

Star Chaser was first seen at the Newport Boat Show in 1981. At the time she was the first new German Frers design to appear on the US East Coast and she caused quite a stir being heralded as the ’Queen’ of the show.

Star Chaser’s first owner named her ’Perception’ and used her mainly for cruising. As Perception she covered many miles from the south coast of Newfoundland to the Caribbean. It was during this ownership that the boat took part in her first race. The Mount Desert Rock race was entered on the spur of the moment with an inventory of cruising sails and an inexperienced crew. Perception showed a clean transom to the whole fleet and recorded her first race win.

Ownership changed hands in 1986 and the name was changed from Perception to Whippoorwill. As Whippoorwill she sailed to the Caribbean again where she took part in one of the first Heineken regattas.

Star Chaser was sold on again that year and her name was changed to White Jacket. White Jacket’s owner was a very keen racer and the boat was constantly refitted and upgraded under his ownership. As White Jacket, the boat competed in all the Newport to Bermuda races, Block Island race weeks and every offshore race in the US East Coast Calendar for over a decade. She also competed in many Swan regattas and won the Prix d’Elegance trophy in 1994 and 1995. To the best of our knowledge she is still the only Swan to win this trophy twice.

Star Chaser continued to race on the US East Coast as White Jacket and then as Star until 2004 after which her owner had little time to use her and she was laid up. This lasted until 2006 when we travelled to Nantucket to collect the boat and get her ready for the next chapter in her fascinating history.