Swede 55 sailor and Swedesail founder Erdmann Braschos – Foto Swedesail
Tempted by the advantages of composite boatbuildung materials by SP-Systems (today named Gurit) I founded SWEDESAIL in 1991. A swedish boatbuilder had relaunched the cruising squaremetre yachts S30 as Swede 41 and Swede 55 as Swede 75 in advanced lightweight construction. Test sailing the boat with clients in May 1992 at Kiel-Schilksee, Swede 75 impressed with performance equal to empty top notch racers preparing for the MAIOR Admiral’s Cup selections.
Swede 55 in lightweight composite construction
30 sqm cruising squaremetre boat Lotus – Foto Erdmann Braschos
Swede 75-Promotion in German Magazine Seglerzeitung 1994
Sailing since childhood I became familiar with offshore sailing in the seventies aboard a 30 sqm boat type Lotus: 39 x 7 x 5 ft draft, 5.700 lbs (12 x 2.15 x 1.50 m draft, 2.6 t). Crossing the Skagerrak, navigating around the exposed southwestern coast of Norway to Stavanger or a speedy three day sprint from the German seaboard to Åaland isles were embossing adventures. 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 boatbuilders contributed to the renaissance of classic yachting in Germany and Switzerland.
Chapters for book published by bluewater sailor Wilfried Erdmann 1992/1995
Contributions to EYD published 2003 © W.W. Norton & Company
I sold the Swede 75 prototype, some Swede 41 newbuilds to Germany and the mediterranean, secondhand Swede 55s from Scandinavia, a Super Swede 53 and boldly opened a branch in 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.
First hand sailors advice for buyers and owners
Disappointed with the quality and timeliness of my collegues in Sweden, I stopped selling new boats in 1997 in order to focus on my journalistic career and own Swede 55. Today, I am advising sailors considering such a boat, purchasers and owners with regard to repairs, maintenance and support all the way to the later sale. This consultancy is based on decades of experience with 30 and 55 sqm cruising skerrycruisers, my on hands operation of my 55 and knowledge of the industry.