classic swedish yachts

"The New Era of Sailing Starts with A Pedigree"

Heritage Legacy

One of the holy grails in a yacht designer’s life is to find the quality of line. Lines that speak to the heart as well as to the mind. This is what turns design into art and a yacht into a legend.

Sometimes these perfect lines have already been drawn. They are called classic.

The classic Scandinavian Skerry cruiser designs had that quality of line, hence why they became so popular around the world as day-sailors.

How it all started 1907

Everything started in 1907, when the Swedish Sailing Federation established a committee to design a national racing yacht class. This created sleek designs called Skerry Cruisers. Renowned as beautiful and fast, they were easily handled and offered a superb performance and an exhilarating thrill of sailing

Just like the timeless classic lines of for example the J-class has its roots back in racing, so does the Scandinavian classic lines. And today, Classic Swedish Yachts, with its long lineage of Scandinavian designers, is the only custodian of Scandinavian classic design heritage producing new yachts.  

It begins with great wins

In 1973 Olof gathered a team of highly renowned Swedish sailors and discussed what qualities should be built into a modern classic family cruiser. These discussions resulted in what became the Swede 55/75/52 and the beginning of the company Classic Swedish Yachts. The Swede 55 successfully raced in some of the world’s most difficult ocean races and won. They not only won, but set new records in both the Transpac race and the Bermuda race, both under very harsh conditions.

Legendary Designers

Swede 41’s lines were originally drawn by Knud H Reimers, Scandinavia’s most influential yacht designer. The 1970´s so-called S30 following the Skerry cruiser rule of measurement. Olof was the one who took the lines of the S30 and together with Reimers turned it into the elegant and exhilarating day-sailor Swede 41.

Another great name was involved in refining the underwater body and designing the keel- Sven-Olof Ridder. Ridder, perhaps the most understated yacht designer in the world is the innovator of the canting keel and the much copied B&R rig identified by its swept-back spreaders and lack of a backstay. Ridder was also the man behind the “Thursday Child” who became the mother of all IMOCA 60’s. And what very few know is that Ridder was the brain behind the space-frame system on Ron Hollands perhaps most famous designs: “IMP”. The “IMP” was also one of the first to use the B&R rig.

And Håkan Södergren, one of Scandinavia’s leading yacht designers for some of the most well-known boat builders in Scandinavia, Northern Europe and USA, designed the soon to be legendary Swede 68 that was turned into 3D art by his talented son Oscar Södergren.

The only custodian of Classic Scandinavian design heritage

Just under 60 Swede yachts have been sold until today. Between 2014-2019 the company was owned by Michael Wolff from Germany. During that time the Swede 68 was developed. In 2019 the Swede 41 got nominated yacht of the year in the class "Spirit of tradition".

In February 2020 the company was taken over by Olof's friend and seasoned business developer Jonas Freeman and one of Sweden's most successful professional sailors, Thomas Blixt, stepped in as an advisor.

In 2021 the production was moved to Estonia. The decision enables Classic Swedish Yachts to continue producing exquisit woodwork, an artisan trade still strong in Estonia. It also enables production of high-quality sophisticated yachts at  competitive prices.

Photo Credit: Guido Hildebrand Yacht and Regatta Photography: Soren Hese Håkan och Oscar Södergren: www.oscarsodergren.com , www.sodergrenyachts.se Images of skerry cruiser GERD

Modern Classic

You will recognize the classic lines, yet the Swede 68 stands out with her modern details and innovative solutions. This low displacement beauty has a 7/8 carbon rig and carries 206sqm sail in main and working jib which ensures high performance even when it is really light. The performance hull and beautiful lines are combined with mahogany and teak deck, deckhouses and cockpit of the highest standard of Scandinavian craftsmanship. 

Yacht Design: Oscar Södergren & Håkan Södergren

Exterior Design

Oscar and Håkan Södergren gave the Swede 68 a modern, slim medium displacement hull with circular bottom underwater cross sections with clean diagonal lines that give both speed and beauty. The L-keel with its deep lead-distribution and the modern rudder combines righting moment with hydrodynamic lift. The sails are developed in collaboration with North Sails. For cruising the manufacturer recommends a Code 0 and a gennaker combined with main and working jib. For racing the choice of downwind sails depends on what the rules prescribe for the race in question.

Interior Design

The quality and high finishes of the exterior flows to the interior. The interior design combines the classic, beautiful wood with contemporary design features.  

The Swede 68 has two large Staterooms with en suite heads, a crew cabin, plenty of lounge areas, a working navigation station and large well equipped galley. The main salon has U-shaped sofa to port with a dinner table that can accommodate six to eight persons.  The layout can of course be adjusted to suit the owner’s requests, e.g. to get more beds.

Classic yet contemporary - the Swede 68 combines beautiful lines with modern comfort.

Interior Layout

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Style and speed in the new Classic Swedish Yachts 68

Classic Swedish Yachts 68 shows grace and pace

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Swedish Classic Yachts is delighted to announce a brand-new yacht from the board of Scandinavia’s leading yacht designer, Hakan Sodergren. Following the phenomenal success of the Swede 55 – a design that has won both the Bermuda and Transpac Races, in both cases in stormy weather and very tough sea conditions – as well as numerous round-the-cans races, Olof Hildebrandt, founder of Classic Swedish Yachts, together with Michael Wolff, long-term owner of a Swede 55, have branched into the luxury yacht market with the brand new Swede 68. She is designed for blue-water cruising but will be just as happy chartering in the Caribbean, racing in the Mediterranean or voyaging to more rugged destinations.

Hakan Sodergrenn gave the Swede 68 a modern, slim, medium-displacement hull with circular hull sections. The L-shaped keel with its deep lead distribution and the wing-section rudder combine righting moment with hydrodynamic lift; combined with an easily-handled sail plan, it makes for an intoxicating balance of speed and beauty, with the 54ft (16.2m) waterline giving a hull speed of about 15 knots – plenty for even the keenest sailor.

Contact Ian Kirkwood at [email protected] for further information or visit classicyachts.se  

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Ester: The classic Swedish racing yacht that came back from the dead

• Helen Fretter
• February 18, 2020

Ester is a revolutionary Swedish racing yacht that was built in 1901, sank in the 1930s, and raised in 2015. In 2019 she completed a four-year rebuild to race again

The phrase ‘ahead of its time’ is over-used, but in the case of Ester , a remarkable 50ft racing yacht built in 1901, it couldn’t be more apt. For a yacht that was drawn 120 years ago by Swedish designer Gunmar Mellgren, Ester bears a striking resemblance to an IACC yacht, with that flying bow and full-length toerail, while below the water she had a modern fin keel and spade rudder.

The similarities are not just aesthetic; Ester was built with the same obsessive focus on weight reduction as any modern America’s Cup boat – albeit out of oak, mahogany and steel – and a similar disregard for cost. Her original build cost 15,000 Krona – over half a million pounds today.

Ester was built to win the Tivoli Cup, a sailing competition between Sweden and Finland held at Sandhamn, in the Swedish archipelago. Bo Eriksson who, together with Per Hellgren, found and rescued the yacht, explains: “Competition between Finland and Sweden – nowadays it’s in ice hockey – but it’s always life or death! It was a big thing here. Ester was built to win one race, and they spent a lot of money – it was very, very expensive at that time.”

The rivets used are hollow and were manually drilled out. Some 17kg of metal was saved by drilling holes in rivets and screws

Ester won the 1901 Tivoli Cup, as well as pretty much everything else she entered that decade. Even by the later 1930s, having been resold and modified several times, she was still highly competitive. But one day she sank, and a piece of yachting history was presumed lost forever.

Bo Eriksson, a classic yacht aficionado, read about the legend of Ester and developed a fascination with the yacht, even hand-building a small model from drawings and photographs. “We were thinking of building a replica, but that was just a dream. The boat was for sure gone, it wasn’t in my head that we would find it,” he recalls.

However, in a bizarre twist of fate, a fisherman told him of a yacht which had caught fire and sunk outside Örnsköldsvik, in north-west Sweden, in the 1930s. Eriksson realised it could be Ester – and it was less than 2km from the front of his own house. After several years and diving explorations, the wreck was located. Ester had settled upright on the mud, rig in place, in nearly 50m of water.

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Raising the yacht was no small task; specialist divers were deployed, and the water was so murky that her exact location was only realised when one diver hit his head on her overhanging bow, having felt his way along the seabed in search of the yacht. Compressed air had to be blown into the mud to free the keel and hull.

Pushing boundaries

Ester ’s survival is remarkable, as she captures a moment in yachting history when the very best designs were reaching far ahead of the materials and technology available at the time. Ester featured radical build techniques. She was built two years before the Wright brothers made their first flight, but is constructed using hollow rivets on a metal frame for weight reduction, a technique adopted by the aeroplane industry. She displaces just 3.5 tonnes, of which 1.5 tonnes is in the keel.

“She is one of a kind,” explains Eriksson. “There were other designers designing this kind of boat, but they existed for quite a short period, only up to about 1905. They were ruled out because they became so fragile, kind of like the America’s Cup today, the yachts were going in the wrong direction so they changed the rules. And they were so lightly built so they didn’t last.”

Her gaff rig was restored to its original height after being shortened in the 1930s. The new mast was designed by Juliane Hempel with measurments taken from the original

That Ester did survive is testament to what Eriksson describes as the ‘genius’ of her designer Gunmar Mellgren, and the craftsmanship and attention to detail applied during her build. “Every detail is on purpose,” he explains. “And all together small things, tiny deck details and reinforcements, if you take them out separately each part is not so strong but together as a composite it’s very strong.”

Ester was raised in good shape. The late naval architect and yachting historian Theo Rye, who did some early design work on the project, measured her after she was lifted and was astonished to find that there was less than 7mm difference between port and starboard sides after nearly 75 years at the bottom of sea.

This is even more extraordinary considering that when Ester was originally launched, a reporter who went to see her was surprised that her lines remained true just three weeks after launching, so lightly built were similar yachts of the time.

The salinity of the Baltic Sea may have helped preserve the wood. Nevertheless, as she was raised and the wood began to dry, millimetres of planking began to peel away. Ester was going to need a complete rebuild.

The boat was carefully set up in Eriksson’s yard. In order to prevent the timbers drying out too quickly, she was placed in a shed with a bare earth floor to maintain humidity levels that would suit the yacht – but in freezing Arctic temperatures that made the restoration project even tougher for the boatbuilders.

The boat was rebuilt, piece-by-piece. The original steel keel fin was kept, but very little else. “The boat is composite built with a mild steel frame, but the frames were totally corroded away, so we made new templates and new frames and put them into the whole hull, bolted them in with the planking,” Eriksson explains.

Steel frames, knees, and cross-bracing below decks combine with steamed oak framing

“Then we made new deck beams and put them together with the new steel frames. We were cross-bracing the whole thing to stabilise the hull. Then we took the keel out, put a new keel plank in, and then we started to change the hull, plank by the plank.”

Materials were kept authentic wherever possible – stainless steel was used to upgrade the mild steel of the day, and the planking is glued together more effectively than she was. “Otherwise it’s exactly the same: mahogany and oak, and Swedish pine, and spruce or pine for the rigging,” recalls Eriksson.

“The planking is all the same dimensions, she has only seven planks per side, the garboards are 600mm wide, and it’s a single scarf joint between the planks each side. We had some fantastic 12m long mahogany planks, so that’s made a small difference. We had a better source of materials, so there was more scarfing in the original hulls than there is today.”

The original bronze rudderpost was restored for the tiller fitting

Other elements have been kept as the original, but are strikingly modern. “When I looked at the old rigging, I was surprised it was so simple, with wire loops around. It looked so old fashioned, almost like a fishing boat,” says Eriksson.

“But on second thoughts I was thinking this is absolutely genius, it’s like a modern racing boat – they have Kevlar loops or Dyneema loops on the rigging, and it’s exactly what they were doing in 1901. If you have a metal fitting on the mast it’s a breaking point on the mast. If you have a wire loop around it’s much softer, safer and lighter.”

Racing again

Four years after she was raised from the mud, Ester was relaunched in time for Monaco Classic Week in 2019, also competing at Les Voiles de St Tropez , where sailing her proved worth the two-decade wait for Eriksson.

Ester racing once again at St Tropez, where she won on the opening day

“The boom is only 50cm above the deck, so sailing her is quite physical. You have to be on your [toes] the whole time, and diving under the boom when you’re tacking and gybing. So after five or six hours you’re quite exhausted. But at the moment it’s like seeing a Ferrari in first gear. It will take years to find the full potential of the boat.

“For the first season we’ve put on a minimum of sails because we didn’t know how she would behave, so we were under-canvassed. But on a couple of days when we had wind that suited our set up we were really flying. She’s very stiff. And as soon as you come off the wind, she’s like a hot knife in butter: she’s off.”

Specification

LOA: 15.38m (50ft 4in) Beam: 3.08m (10ft 1in) Draught: 1.75m (5ft 9in) Displacement: 3.8 tonnes Sail area: 110m 2 (1,184ft 2 ) Built: 1901 (relaunched 2019) Design: Gunmar Mellgren Rebuild: Bo Eriksson

First published in the February 2020 edition of Yachting World.

Swedish Sailboat Brands (Complete List)

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

October 30, 2022

‍ Key Takeaways

• Swedish sailboats offer the richest history
• There are 22 Swedish sailboat brands that specialize in sailing
• Purchasing a Swedish sailboat could be worthwhile depending on sailing goals

‍ When looking at Swedish sailboat brands, there are plenty of options to see. But just how many Swedish sailboat brands are there?

There are 48 boat and yacht manufacturers in Sweden. Narrowing that down specifically to makers of sailboats, there are 22 Swedish brands that have sailboats in their lineup. These include Hallberg-Rassy, Maxi Yachts, Regina af Vindo and Scanmar.

According to expert sailors, a handful of Swedish sailboat brands happen to be some of the best on the market. Depending on sailors' tastes and sailing goals, this could change their opinion.

Table of contents

‍ Swedish Sailboat Brands to Check Out

Sweden has arguably some of the best sailboat brands in the world. While they have plenty of different quantities, sailors can find quality in at least one.

Depending on what sailors are interested in will determine what sailboat brand might be better. So price, type of boat, and comfort will play a role in which brand might be better than another.

Hallberg-Rassy

Hallberg-Rassy is a one of a kind sailboat brand that most sailors dream of owning. The company prides themselves on comfort, quality, and easy to handle sailboats.

They have history dating back to 1943, when Harry Hallberg opened his own yard in Kungsviken. Christoph Rassy and Hallberg never actually partnered together, but Rassy bought one of Hallberg’s boat yards when he retired.

Maxi Yachts

Maxi Yachts is a Swedish yard that has been around for ages. They design racing keel sailboats with two models to choose from.

These boats are designed by Pelle Peterson, who is a world champion and Olympic gold medalist. French Beneteau purchased 80 percent of Delphia, who owns Maxi Yachts, in 2018. Maxi is still popular among Sweden residents and in Poland.

Regina af Vindo

Regina Yachts aims to make boats with soul and to have superior quality to the finest detail. They are owned by Sweden Yachts Group, who are big names in the Swedish sailboat brands.

The company has been building boats since 1972 for every world sailor or coastal cruiser in mind. Instead of mass producing various models, they typically stick to a few designs and cater to customers’ needs.

Scanmar/Borjesson Brothers

Scanmar has an abrupt history, but the boatyard of Borjesson Brothers remains today. Nils-Erik Olofsson helped design the interiors of Scanmar boats, while Rolf Magnusson designed the hulls.

Scanmar boats were produced by Borjesson Brothers from 1975 to 1991. Today, you can still find used models of Scanmar that are excellent if in the right condition.

Marieholm Boats

Marieholm boats have most of their success dating back in the 1970’s when they built the International Folkboat. These boats were easy to sail, appealing to the eye, and had a better sail area for more performance.

The last IF-Boat was sold from their production line way back in December of 1984. However, in 2018 the company was starting up production with similar models.

Najad is a leading Swedish sailing yacht maker that wants sailors to take their sailboats all over the world. Since 1971, they have put together some of the best sailing yachts.

These can typically be handled by two people and have capabilities to go just about wherever. With a handful of models to choose from, they are an appealing option in Sweden.

Sweden Yachts

Doing any casual search for Swedish sailboat brands and sailors can find Sweden Yachts. They own a handful of boat brands but also produce their Sweden Yachts boats from 40 feet and up.

All of their hulls and interiors are built by hand by Swedish craftsmen aiming to make a one of a kind boat. They have been pushing for excellence since 1976.

Marstrom does a little bit of everything when it comes to building sailboats and other projects. In 1983, Göran Marstrom began designing boats after winning a bronze medal in the 1980 Olympics.

These sailboats happened to be the fastest on the circuit for races. Even after 10 years of hardcore sailing and rough conditions, these boats had no signs of fatigue.

Malo Yachts

Established in 1939, Malo Yachts has designed some of the most appealing sailing yachts you will find in Sweden. In conjunction with Sweden Yachts, they look to build excellent sailboats.

As an individual company, they are one of the oldest sailing yacht builders in Sweden. They continue to make Malo Yachts in various sizes up to 54 feet.

Wasa Yachts

With over 30 years of experience, Wasa Yachts has put together over 500 sailboats. They also serve as a shipyard, docking location, and various other services in Sweden.

They have plenty of models to choose from, such as the Wasa 370, 38, 41, and 420 to name a few. These are a perfect combination of quality, racing, and a family boat.

Charles and Marita Rutgersson started the family company back in 1989. When Charles was 15, he began working in Kungsviken at Harry Hallberg’s Yard.

As years went by, Charles gained valuable experience and decided to start his own company. This allowed him to make wooden interior sailboats that you could customize but also have good sailing performance.

Linjett/Rosattra

Linjett and Rosattra boatyard have a unique combination of building boats. Rosattra was originally farmland in 1886, while Linjett was the first creation of personal boats for the families associated in 1973.

Linjett continues to make sailing yachts in 34, 39, and 43 models out of the Rosattra yard. As one of the oldest shipyards in Sweden, it also provides one of the oldest brands in sailboats.

VK Yachts are one of the very few sailing yachts made up of aluminum. In fact, designer and builder Vassilis Kostoulas has sworn that aluminum is the ultimate choice for building boats.

The company is relatively new to the idea of using aluminum, as they were established in 2010. The VK 35 Aluminum Performance Sailing Yacht is their flagship sailboat, which is quite popular and has led to plenty of other boat types to be made since then.

Arcona Yachts

Arcona Yachts aims to master their craft in order to provide the best combination of a cruiser and racer sailboat. For superior quality in a Swedish sailboat brand, it does not get much better than Arcona Yachts.

The company first started in the 1970’s when founder Torgny Janson began building smaller boats. Today, they offer a handful of appealing sailing yachts for any size to imagine.

Fabola Yachts

Fabola has been making sailing yachts in Sweden since 1958. They were also the first to create non-sinkable sailing yachts.

These models include the Diva 24 DC, Diva 34 SC, Diva 40 SC, and the Campus 7.4. These boats are light, easy to handle, and are great for coastal cruising in shallow waters with a retractable keel.

Excel Yachts of Sweden

Excel Yachts has been building boats since 1909, making it one of the oldest to do it in Sweden. While they continue to manufacture boats out of their yard, they do have a few models with their name on it.

These models include the Excel 400 Classic, Excel 319, and the Excel 32. These boats were not put into production until the 1990’s.

Comfortbatar AB

The Comfortbatar is a shipyard that originated in 1964 by Kennet Albinson and with a handful of sailboats in production. It was not until the 20th century when they began making large quantities of sailboats.

The primary brand out of the yard is Comfortina, which has several different options to choose from. Their most popular models include Comfortina 35, Comfortina 39, and the Comfortina 42.

Heyman Yachts/Fantasi Yachts

Heyman Yacht Design was founded in 1991, while Celeste Yachts AB was founded in 2005. The two companies merged together in Sweden simply forming Heyman Yachts.

The company focuses on a handful of elegant styles of boats. Their flagship sailboat designs are the Fantasi 44 Classic, Fantasi 44 Pilothouse, Heyman 34 Sport, and the Celeste 36.

Oceanlake Marine AB

Oceanlake was producing and repairing boats from 2003 to 2015. The shipyard has built similar boat designs in comparison to Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group (France).

While the company does not exist anymore, they had two models that were popular among sailors. These were the Seacart 26 and the Seacart 30.

Scanyacht AB

Scanyacht AB was a shipyard that built a variety of sailboats over the years. It is unclear if they are still in business repairing boats, but they did make a handful of sailboats. These models are the Scanner 361, Scanner 391, and the Scanner 392.

Adventure Yachts

Adventure Yachts is a fairly new company in Sweden that happens to make aluminum sailboats. The founder, Bo Gummeson, had the idea after wanting to make a sailboat for him and his wife.

A lot of these boats use hydraulics, are easy to handle, and have luxury on the inside. Their most popular model is the Adventure Yachts 55.

Classic Swedish Yachts

Classic Swedish Yachts sound exactly as the name suggests. They were founded in 1907 by Olof Hildebrand, who has been a member for 70 years at the Royal Swedish Yacht Club.

The company has one of the richest histories and most elegant looking sailing yachts. They have several in the lineup to choose from, which are Swede 41, Swede 52, Swede 58, and the Swede 68.

Why Choose a Swedish Sailboat?

Depending on what the tastes and desires for sailing are going to be will determine the right boat. There are plenty of sailboats in existence to choose from, but Swedish sailboats make a great case.

Some things in life are just known to be the best at something. When it comes to sailboats, Swedish brands know what they are capable of.

It is hard to beat a Swedish sailboat brand that has been in the business for almost a century. While some do not have that much time on their resume, many of them have a rich history.

To say another way, quality craftsmanship and comfort are in their blood. When something that magical has been passed down for generations, it is hard to pass up a Swedish sailboat brand.

If a sailor’s focus is on choosing a boat that is a great cruiser, comfortable, and easy to sail, then most Swedish sailboat brands can accommodate. There are a few brands that even specialize in aluminum boats, for those that are interested in lighter and faster sailboats.

Perfect Conditions

So not only do Swedish sailboat brands have a rich history of sailing, but the location makes a huge difference. It is no wonder that these families were able to perfect their craft since they had beautiful scenery to try it out on.

The Stockholm Archipelago is a great example of sailors wanting to sail through these islands. With perfect breezes, breathtaking views, and calm waters, sailing is natural here.

What is the Market Like for Swedish Sailboat Brands?

The good thing about Sweden is that they have so many shipyards and boat brands there. This makes the market a little easier to navigate through when trying to find the right Swedish sailboat.

Through a search online, it is easy to see how boats are categorized. For Sweden, used boats range between $28,000 all the way to $3.1 million. Newer boats will fall within that range as well depending on size and brand.

It is important to find as much information about a sailboat brand before buying one. A lot of factors come into play that will affect the price such as age, condition, and the name on the boat.

How to Buy a Swedish Sailboat?

Any sailor that is interested in purchasing a Swedish sailboat from one of the brands mentioned, there are potentially some obstacles in the way of obtaining one. As with any large purchase, thoughtful time and consideration is needed.

Even though these brands are quite popular, they might not be near you or easy to find. I would recommend personally sailing one to see the condition of the boat. Calling a boat broker or visiting websites online might be the easiest method without having to physically travel to destinations blindly.

In addition, a lot of those Swedish sailboat brands make a certain amount each year or only make them if they are custom ordered. Doing research ahead of time will narrow down the process of buying a Swedish sailboat.

The location of the sailboat and whoever is interested in purchasing it might be one hoop to jump through. If a sailor is in the United States and wants a boat from Sweden, there are a few options.

They must travel to Sweden and sail the boat back, have the boat shipped to the nearest marina for pickup, or find the used version of the boat at a local marina for sale. I would recommend whichever method is easiest and cost effective.

Some locations have a hot market for Swedish sailboats.make a few phone calls or messages online can save you valuable time and money.

Making a Budget

Buying a boat is a major purchase and is even more expensive depending on your budget.

Sailors should set up a loan in advance, have an adequate amount of money  in savings, or sell other possessions to help fund the purchase.

Swedish sailboat brands cost within the same range of prices as other brands. However, a consumer’s taste will differ from one person to the next that will affect price.

Sailor smuts ask themselves what specific features they can afford to live without. Is an extra 10 or 15 feet worth several thousand dollars more? Is the storage going to be used properly to warrant the extra space?

Buying Swedish Sailboats from the Source

Swedish sailboats are fairly attractive to look at online while shopping around. A lot of Swedish sailboat websites have the ability to build a boat online and customize to the exact idea a sailor would want.

This speeds up the process when trying to find exactly the right boat. I would recommend calling the specific brand in mind to see about designing one or customizing it.

Whoever is on the phone could provide help in locating a dealer or figure out a way to ship it. This would greatly save time and money if the sailboat brand is able to work out a deal.

Looking at a Salvage Yard

If it remains difficult to find the perfect Swedish sailboat and if a sailor does not mind getting their hands dirty, a salvage yard could be the next best thing. When boats are not worth repairing to some sailors or if no one wants it anymore, then this could be a great opportunity.

It is important to understand that this route will take the longest to get out on the water depending on what a damaged boat needs. Furthermore, it will likely need to have a lot invested into it first before it could even float.

This could be one of the most rewarding experiences and make a sailor feel like they are part of the Swedish heritage from the 1900’s restoring boats. However, it is also one of the most time consuming options.

What to Look for in a Swedish Sailboat?

When searching for a Swedish sailboat brand, it is important to remain patient and not buy the first one that is seen. If it is the first time looking for sailboats, it can be overwhelming. The process does not need to be rushed, as this will likely be a big purchase.

It is important to understand what sailing goals are in place. This means short term sailing, long distance sailing, or even just for the weekend. Even if a sailor changes their mind about a sailing goal after they purchase a boat, it can still be used in a variety of ways.

Sailing goals give the purpose of sailing. This helps with narrowing down how much to spend and how long the sailing destination is going to last. If sailors can accurately answer that question, then it makes it easier to search for a Swedish sailboat.

Comfortable

Comfort can be described differently by sailors. Some might claim comfort as the sleeping arrangements, how it sails on the water, or how soft the couches are below deck.

The living space is a major difference for sailboat brands that want comfort and simplicity. Finding one that does not negatively impact comfort for performance is key.

The space on deck could also be comfortable depending on how much room there is. If there are a lot of crew members, more space always adds to comfort.

A lot of debate is had between monohulls and catamarans. Monohulls are able to right themselves back up as the motion goes back and forth. Catamarans are more stable consistently since they have two hulls.

The more stable a sailboat is, means a safer and smoother ride. Even if a catamaran were to flip, it could be used to float to safety on the other side.

Safety is a big part of choosing a sailboat. If considering a Swedish sailboat, it would be wise to consider all the options when it comes to safety. Both monohulls and catamarans have their advantages and disadvantages, so research is definitely needed.

Easy to Use

A lot of Swedish sailboat brands have the capability of being handled by one or two people. The size of the boat makes a big difference, but some experience will also play a role. Depending what the sailing goals are, it will affect this decision.

Some sailors might need a crew of several people to make things work properly on board. Having more people could make it easier to use, but obviously take up more space with supplies.

This will have to be determined before a purchase is to be even thought of. While these are simple questions, more research will likely be needed.

Craftsmanship

Swedish sailboats look similar to other sailboats, or is it the other way around? Since Sweden has a rich history of making sailboats, it could be argued that they have original designs compared to other brands.

When searching for other brands, it is difficult to pass up a Swedish brand sailboat. The craftsmanship is like no other, making it a one of a kind.

Swedish sailboat brands are competitively priced to the market needs and to other sailboats. The brand that is desired will make a difference in price on a variety of factors.

History of Sailboats in Sweden

Sweden in the early 19th century needed boats made in a crucial way through trade and war. After 1814, the demand for ships decreased specifically for war but eventually grew in demand for pleasure crafts.

As the population grew, the demand for goods and services also expanded. This meant that ships were slowly being built to help with transport. Ships would help transport wood or iron to other parts of Europe and bring back sugar, salt, and coffee.

Once the economy was somewhat stable, many shipyards began building smaller designed yachts for racing. Every now and then a sailor would come up with a design and eventually start their own business.

This pattern increased like wildfire with many sailors having their own ideas of the perfect sailboat. It was not until the last 60 years that designers began using fiberglass instead of wood to make boats. That was a revolutionary idea that other parts of the world rarely used.

As time went on, many generations of families began passing down the experience and business to their younger generations. This is why many of the popular Swedish sailboat brands still exist.

Think about Hallberg-Rassy and Malo Yachts that have an insane amount of experience and time with their brand. These are hard to replicate, making Swedish sailboats a dominant force in the industry.

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Naval Architect

Specification.

Marga was TCYE’s first 10 Metre International Rule racing yacht, measuring 51 feet (15.6m), she was built in 1910 by C. O. Liljegren, a notable Swedish naval architect who was trained by world renowned Nathaniel Herreshoff. She was built for Swedish diplomat Fredrick Forsberg to compete in the 1912 Olympic games in Gothenberg.

Her razor-sharp lines and expansive sail plan perfectly epitomise the essence of the purebred classic racing yacht, constructed with alternating wooden and steel frames of excellent quality. She has an extremely aerodynamic shape, her bow likened to the point of a pencil, with a slight downward curvature of her sides, all hinting to her ability to reach exhilarating speeds.

Although in the 1912 Olympics Marga achieved fourth place, there is ever reason to believe, based on her recent successes, that she could have brought home the gold. Every regatta she enters brings with it a new accolade, and her reputation as a fierce competitor continually precedes her.

Her long life has seen various modifications and reconstructions, whilst in Copenhagen with previous owners her gaff rig was changed to a Bermudian, and at one time she was even used as a houseboat, her companion way modified into a deck house.

She was fortuitously discovered in Italy by her current owners who undertook painstaking historical research which led to a four year, award-winning restoration. She has now been triumphantly reintroduced to the racing circuit and is now in her fourth regatta season.

“A strong hull with aggressive forms, even a little brutal, but with a sail plan more beautiful than any other Swedish yacht”. (Swedish Magazine c. 1910-1910).

Marga was designed by C.O.Liljegren and built by Hästholm Boatyard in Sweden in 1910. The first owner was the Swedish Diplomat, Consul Fredrick Forsberg. .

She took part in the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm in the 10 M I.R. class under Swedish flag. To be more precise, Marga is a 1st rule 10 M I.R. Gaff Cutter. There were only four yachts of the 10M class participating in this tournament: Gallia II of Russia; Nina of Finland; Kitty and Marga of Sweden. The overall results after 2 races (as the wind was so calm that it was not possible to finish more races) turned out to be: 1. Kitty, 2. Nina, 3. Gallia II, 4. Marga. .

These results were not very exciting for Marga, and in fairness the two races were not properly telling of her potential. This, primarily, due to the complete absence of wind and also because Marga’s crew decided for a wrong tack. Fortunately, upon further research, the archives of Swedish yacht clubs’ rare documents such as the Seglarbladet issues of 1910-1912 were found. Seglarbladet is the official magazine of the Goteborg Yacht Club. In several regattas, the name of Marga features among the very first positions and victories. The owners and the wider team heaved a sigh of relief. Marga will be fast! Her restoration has been a tribute to yachting history as it has brought back to life a very rare yacht indeed, but will also a champion of the past. .

For a number of years Marga was included in the GKSS register. Copies were found where she featured in it in 1912. Marga was also included in the 1910-1911 Lloyd’s registry with a Malta cross which represents boats built to a high standard of specification and design. .

She was still in the GKSS register in 1913 and 1914 but disappeared from the register only to return in 1919 and remains in the registers 1920, 1921, 1924 but not 1923. The registered owner of the 20s is I.W. Thurfjell, Luleå. . 1* Marga hitting the water for the first time 2* Marga in 1910 3* 1910-1911 Lloyd's Registry. Marga with a Malta Cross 4* The Goteborg Yacht Club document, the Seglarbladet in 1912 showing Marga's first positions and victories in several regattas 5* 10mR Marga's first sail in 1910 6* Seglarbladet Magazine in 1911 with Marga's original layout 7* Seglarbladet Magzine in 1911 showing Marga's interior layout, deck and more

Marga was found in Denmark in the early years of 2000 by Marco Vian, an engineer from Rome who despite of her deteriorated look, loved her hull and shape, bought her and shipped to Fiumicino (Rome, Italy) with the plan of personally restoring her. .

He soon realised that the restoration was too big an undertaking for a non-professional shipwright and in September 2010, he capitulated to the insistent proposals to purchase the yacht by the current owners. .

The current owners are keen yachtsmen and have been for several years with a great passion for classic yachts. The first yacht that was owned and restored by one of the owners, was Delfino, a 60ft Bermudian Ketch designed by J. Alden. .

When selling the bare hull to the current owners Mr Vian produced an old, creased copy of a page from an antiquated Swedish yachting magazine, or book showing Marga racing (breathtakingly, so too) with the caption in Swedish stating that Marga pictured in the magazine had been designed by Liljegren and racing in Goteborg. .

The research started from there. .

There had also been another 10m I.R. called Marga II designed by Fife in 1914 and to create more confusion in the research, she was built in the boatyard of C.O. Liljegren’s brother, but apart from having the same measurements it was clear to the project manager Enrico Zaccagni who knows enough about Fife constructions and designs to realise that this Marga was not a Fife. A third Marga seems to have been designed by Sven Abrahmson and built by Abrahamson & Borjesson in Sweden in 1912, and apparently, she is in Norway, but again featuring very different measurements. .

The 2010 restoration team had decided not to go ahead doubting Marga’s origin when Project Manager Zaccagni received the copy of a page from a magazine called Seglarbladet dated March 1911 with pictures of the boat’s interior layout, deck and more. It was clear the Marga featured in the Seglarbladet was “our” Marga. Consequentially all plans were resumed to complete her restoration thanks to this priceless page from an old magazine. It enabled the great skill of the Landini – Micelli architecture and design team to revamp the cabin, the mast and spars and the interior accommodations according to her original lines. .

After the purchase, Cantieri Tecnomar of Fiumicino (Rome, Italy) was chosen to undertake the painstaking reconstruction and restoration of Marga. The current owners had met Tecnomar many years before and had developed a relationship (with them) during the time of their ownership of Delfino and later Orianda. .

In September 2010 Marga was lying in front of the Tecnomar shed ready to begin this incredible journey of restoration. Her main dimensions are : LOA 15,59; Beam 2,77 and a draft 1,80m. Her sail area measures c. 175sqm. .

The yacht was found in very poor condition, but her keel was sound and her shape was still holding, thanks to the composite construction. .

The owners were excited at the idea of Marga taking part in the Olympic Centennial Celebrations in Stockholm in July 2012, but the yacht needed to undergo a painstaking restoration which would involve approximately 27,000 hours to complete. .

Before beginning the restoration in the boatyard efforts were dedicated to the historical research in the hope of finding drawings, images, documents that could give the owners, shipyard, and project manager a more detailed history of the yacht. It was thanks to friends with great experience of Scandinavian racing yachts, like John Lammerts van Bueren, Ian Mc.Allister, Ron Valent, David Vieira, that some documents and a few pictures were received, including the photograph of Marga racing from the antiquated Swedish yachting magazine, that enabled the restoration team to understand the boat. .

The owner then teamed up with two further interested parties, who, as close friends and expert yachtspersons with considerable racing experience joined the project with a view to start competing in the classic yacht racing circuit in the med. .

Cantieri Tecnomar of Fiumicino (Rome, Italy) was chosen to undertake the painstaking reconstruction and restoration of Marga. .

Marga made her re-launch and maiden race at “Les Voiles”in 2015.Her performance greatly improved in 2016, and is ready to compete in the years to come. .

* 2015 Les Voiles des Saint Tropez - Marga's maiden race after her re-launch

• Restoration

C.O. Liljegren 1865 – 1939 Sweden

A Swedish civil engineer and shipbuilder who designed both sailboats and motorboats. He received his theoretical education on boat and shipbuilding at the Royal Institute of Technology, and also taught himself as a shipbuilder in Gothenburg. After graduation, Liljegren traveled around England, France and Germany to study the construction of boats.

In the 1920’s he moved to the US and thus, was no longer active in Sweden.

Liljegren is famous for his daring designs such as the first “lottery yacht” for the Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS), named “Prisca”, which was built from retrieved iron in 1899 and is considered to be his masterpiece. In addition to the two 10-Metre yachts Marga and Astarte , he also designed several 6 and 8-Metre yachts.

• Skip to main content

Classic Swedish Yachts Partners with Nicholson

Nicholson Yachts of Newport, R.I., has been named the U.S. and Caribbean brokerage agent for Classic Swedish Yachts.

The sleek monohulls are admired for their stability and safety as much as for their traditional beauty and ease of handling by shorthanded crew. Rossatra Boatyard, a long-established family-run business on the Baltic Sea, is the production partner.

Rossatra, known for custom commissions and the Linjett range, will execute the Classic Swedish Yachts design brief to build the models, a combination of light, stiff sandwich construction in the hulls, carbon fiber masts, and varnished mahogany on deck.

Models of the performance cruisers and fast daysailers include the Swede 41 as well as the new Swede 57 and Swede 68. The boats are conceived in the tradition of the well-known Swedish Skerry Cruisers, also known as the Square Metre yachts, fast boats that are still much in demand. Today’s Swede models offer that pedigree with a marked improvement in liveaboard comfort for families, couples, even singlehanded sailors.

“Our ambition is to create sailing yachts, easy to sail and with the best comfort possible without sacrificing anything of safety and sailing capabilities, sensation of speed and the joy to sail a true thoroughbred,” says Olof Hildebrand, founder and majority owner of Classic Swedish Yachts.

Sleipnir , a new Swede 41, has been nominated by Classic Boat magazine for the 2018 “Spirit” Award. To cast a vote for Sleipnir log on to the magazine website. The original Swede 41 was conceived by and sailed for many years by Hildebrand, after he downsized from his Swede 55.

“In this age of high-tech applied to all aspects of the luxury lifestyle, the appeal of a fast, sleek cruiser that is also a top-class performer to the U.S. sailing demographic is clear,” says Karen Kelly Shea, president of Nicholson Yachts. “Classic Swedish Yachts speaks to the most cherished aspirations of recreational sailors, the clients that Nicholson Yachts has been proud to serve for decades.”

For queries, contact Kelly Shea at [email protected]

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