The modern cruising version of the Square Metre Boat of the seventies, also known as Cruising Skärgårdskryssare like S30 and Swede 55, is an interesting boat. It is a clever merge of agile and enjoyable sailing with comfort for a family or friends aboard.
It is easy to maintain and durable. In the nineties they were relaunched in advanced lightweight sandwich construction. This prompted me to found Swedesail in 1991.
Tempted by the advantages of composite bodybuilding materials by SP-Systems (today named Gurit), a Swedish boat builder then relaunched the S30 as Swede 41 and Swede 55 as Swede 75 in advanced lightweight construction. Demo sailing the prototype with clients in May 1992 off Kiel-Schilksee, the boat impressed with performance similar to empty top-notch racers preparing for the MAIOR Admiral’s Cup selections.
Agile and fun to sail boats
Half as wide as common boats: 30 m2 cruising square metre boat Type Lotus – Foto Swedesail
Sailing since childhood, I became familiar with sailing dinghies and offshore sailing in the seventies aboard a 30 m2 cruising version type Lotus: 39 × 7 × 5 ft draft, 5,700 lbs (12 × 2.15 × 1.50 m draft, 2.6 t). Crossing the Skagerrak, navigating around the exposed southwestern coast of Norway to Stavanger and a three-day sprint from the German seaboard to Åaland archipelago was fascinating.
Then it was time for a boat with full headroom, a restroom instead of a bucket and a reliable inboard engine, Swede 55. In the nineties, I published about square metre boats and the international rule/metre boats. My articles on boat restoration, naval architects, sailors, and boat builders contributed to the renaissance of classic yachting in Germany and Switzerland.
Swede 41 and Swede 75
Super Swede 53 under construction 1984 in Hergla/Tunisia. Swedesail sold this boat later to Germay – Foto Swedesail
Contributions to a book edited by the famous bluewater sailor Wilfried Erdmann in 1992 and 1995
I sold the Swede 75 prototype, some Swede 41 new builds to Germany and the Mediterranean, secondhand Swede 55s from Scandinavia, a Super Swede 53 to Germany and boldly opened a branch at 405 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, named Swedesail North America. The 71st floor of the Chrysler building, uptown New York, was a good Adress, where a real estate man conducted a more profitable business.
Advice for buyers and boat owners
Contributions to Encyclopedia of Yacht Designers by W.W. Norton & Company New York 2003
Unhappy with the boats supplied in Sweden, I stopped selling in 1997 and took care of the delivered boats. Giving up this attempt was not easy. I focussed on my work as an author, copywriter, journalist, and Gamle Swede. For a couple of years, I have been advising sailors considering a new or secondhand boat and owners regarding repair, maintenance, or alterations. I am helping as well with preparing the sale of the yacht. This work is based on decades of experience with 30 and 55 m2 Cruising SQM boats, hands on operation of my boat and knowledge of the industry. I am working straightforward: focused on what the client wants to achieve.
Photo on top by Michael Amme: Swede 55 Gamle Swede with a double reefed mainsail and storm jib. Updated July 12, 25.→ Subscribe Newsletter and you won’t miss future articles.
