A while ago Richard Natmeßnig invited me for an afternoon aboard his Swede 41 Classic named Sleipnir. Having spent three unforgettable hours at the tiller of his boat on Fehmarnsund, I vividly remember this tempting experience.
Swede 41 Classic with a lot of sail area
Interested in sailing and familiar with Square Metre Boats, I found two observations irritating. First, this boat has plenty of cloth. There is a 47 m2 Code Zero. Approaching the Fehmarnsund Bridge, we try it and keep an old X-yacht behind, which I always dislike meeting in light air conditions. So the ride could not begin better for little boys like us.
Already with jib and main, the displacement/sail ratio is as strong as 5.2. With the mentioned Code Zero instead of the jib, it comes with an impressive 6. It may be interesting to note how this value comes together. Here, the sail area is offset against the displacement using the following formula: 2nd root of the sail area in m2, divided by 3rd root of the displacement in metric tons. Common cruising yachts are afloat with 3.5–4, modern boats with 4.3–5. A displacement/sail ratio of 4 in little wind is boring, 5 means hope, 6 = smile.
Displacement/sail ratio
Swede 41 Sleipnir
Molich X
S 30 original rigg
S 30 1993 rigg
Lotus
Classy 30 m2 Boat
Displacement in t
4
3,83
≈ 4
≈ 4
≈ 2,75
2,7
upwind sail area sqm main & jib
66
43
38,1
43
32
upwind sail area sqm main & Genoa
—
53
49,8
55
43
52,50
upwind sail area sqm main & Code Zero
87
—
—
—
—
—
displacement/sail ratio main & jib
5,2
4,2
4
4,13
4
—
displacement/sail ratio main & Genoa
—
4,6
4,6
4,7
4,7
5,2
displacement/sail ratio main & Code Zero
6
—
—
6 with 91 sqm Gennaker
—
—
Swede 41 Classic is a stiff boat
While it is always nice to hoist that amount of cloth, the question remains how long we can sail with it on this September day with increasing wind. Thanks to the 50 percent ballast ratio, mounted along the deep keel, Sleipnir comes with fabulous end stability. So we are knifing along the windward edge more like an R-yacht (meter class) than aboard a classic square metre boat or with one of its cruising variants like the Danish Molich X, the S 30 or a Lotus of the seventies. Sailing with that lot of cloth in a sound force 5–6 does not work with these boats. There you just lie on the side.
On Sleipnir, the deck stays at sea level even in hefty gusts. I am leaning relaxed in the comfortably upholstered cockpit, with the Baltic Sea at shoulder height. What an addicting experience.
So Sleipnir covers the usual wind spectrum from a mild breeze all the way up to a lot of wind much better than any classy square metre boat and modern cruising versions. These are somewhat undercanvassed in light winds and comparatively tender in strong winds. Thus, Sleipnir demonstrates the evolution of the boat type over the past 2 1/2 decades. I know the first plans of the boat from the nineties. At that time, it was developed alongside Swede 41 as a relaunch of the S30 with the voluminous and angular superstructure of the second generation Fisksätra series, manufactured as Swede 41 classic.
To understand how this is possible, a second look at sail physics helps, more precisely at the so-called “righting moment”. Unfortunately, it is a complicated matter to determine this value. Luckily, the Swedish mast builder Seldén offers an online calculator. I have asked several yacht designers to check its usability.
Matthias Broeker of Judel/Vjrolijk & Co points out that the calculator contains considerable inaccuracies. Especially since the focal points of buoyancy, ballast and the total weight of the individual boats are not considered. Nor is the waterline width, among other factors. According to his southern German colleague Klaus Roeder of Carpe Diem Yacht Design, it is important to consider actual gross weights rather than optimistic brochure figures when making such a comparison. Hakan Södergren, who designed the Swede 68, among others, believes that the tool is at least suitable for a rough estimate of righting moments.
Righting moment
Swede 41 Sleipnir
Molich X Meter
S 30
Lotus
classy 30 m2 Boat
Beam in mm
2,500
2,550
2,500
2,150
2,180
Draft in mm
1,780
1,600
1,500
1,500
1,500
Displacement in kgs
4,000
3,830
≈ 3,500
≈ 3,000
2,700
Ballast in kgs
1,900
1,820
1,450
1,250
1,376
modern Bulb Keel
yes
—
—
—
—
righting moment of the boat in kNm at 30° heel
19.8
15.6
14.4
10.7
11
equivalent power in kgs at 10 m lever arm (i.e. mast)
202
159
151
109
112
But what does a kilonewton meter mean? Fortunately, another calculator of the Internet helps. It shows how many kilograms of weight are needed at the end of a 1 m long lever for the respective kNm. To understand how this translates into 10 m height, I compiled in the lowest column of the considered boats: Compared to the classic Square Metre Boat and the similarly slim cruising versions like Lotus, Swede 41 is sailing with twice the righting moment. All this results in the impressive stability, even though eventually, you hardly sail at 30 degrees heel, as can be seen in the photo from demo sailing.
Deep ballast and modern rigging makes Sleipnir managable in gusty conditions – Photo Marc Bielefeld
Southern Spars carbon rig
Swede 41 predecessors like the classic square meter boat and the seventies cruising versions have filigree rigs. In my eyes, they suit this type of boat better. The sight of the chunky Southern Spars carbon mast, with which Sleipnir is rigged, does not appeal to me. But when sailing, it convinces with its backstay-less easy handling. This is made possible by the aft-inclined spreaders, which are common on today’s mainstream boats up to the current Luffe yachts.
What is very pleasant about sailing with Richard is that he says nearly nothing. He just lets you steer his toy with your mouth open, smiling and enjoying the ride. But it increases the effect and aggravates the consequences: After all, how can you leave this experience behind without a serious problem? After docking, I stumble around the east basin of Lemkenhafen in a daze, take a deep breath, and take a walk toward the ancient mill, wondering how I’m going to get to such a toy. What could I sell to finance this? And how can I introduce the new family member at home?
The charm of the past and the pleasure of today – Photo Marc Bielefeld
So looking and gawking Richards Swede 41 is okay. You admire the stylish hardware with modern Andersen Niro winches of the super fancy current Full Steel series, exquisite Spinlock stoppers, classy Harken blocks with shiny stainless-steel cheeks, the cool Loophole Barberholer. Then you better grab an ice cream at the Samoa Bar and leave that basin. Because this custom-built toy from Swedish Rosättra boat builder, in fact, a one-off, comes with a sound price tag.
Swede 41 Classic for gourmet sailing
Although Richard is a low-profile fellow with an inaccessibly seductive toy which he owns, and you won’t, he is on the other hand, a really fine chap. He usually registers for local races like Max Oertz in Neustadt or Schlank & Rank in Lemkenhafen, which I find frightening. Sleipnir is sailing upwind with 67 sqm, Gamle Swede with more than double weight is driven by 74 sqm. So to understand the consequences, we won’t need an online calculator again. Somehow Richard is around at such events, fortunately only in the harbour. He never appears at the start. So that memorable day in September, I asked Richard about his strange habit. “Oh” he states friendly and modestly with his gentle voice, “you see, I’m just a pleasure sailor”. Well, I hope that Richard just stays that fine chap he is.
Length over all
12.50 m
Length Waterline
≈ 10 m
Beam
2.50 m
Draft
≈ 1.78 m
Displacement empty
3.8 t
Displacement loaded
≈ 4 t
Ballast (Lead)
1.9 t
common upwind sail area (Main and Jib)
66 sqm
Main
40 sqm
Jib
26 sqm
Code Zero
47 sqm
Gennaker
80 sqm
Light air upwind sail area
87 sqm
Fresh water in keel
130 l
Length/Beam ratio
5 : 1
Yard/year of construction
Rosättra Varv, Norrtälje 2016 -18
Electric motor with shaft drive
2,4 kW (100 A) for 4.5 kn cruising speed, 5.4 kW (225 A) for 6 kn full speed
4 Lithium 160 Ah Batteries, range
15–20 nautical miles
Boat registry Swede 41 Classic
This overview documents the three examples of the Swede 41 Classic launched so far, similar to the S30, the Jubilee S40 and Swede 55. Identified sail numbers are marked bold.
Year of construction / sail #
hull colour
Name
Located
Remarks
2006-7/GER 1
white
Kohinoor
Stockholm, Lake Constance, Elbe near Hamburg/Germany
E-Motor, Carbon spar, 3rd owner, built by Sören Lund in Stigtomta/Sweden (third owner)
2007-8/SWE 2
white
Vitesse
Svanesund/Orust, north of Gothenburg/Sweden
13 hp Lombardini Diesel, Aluminium spar, GRP Deckhouse, built by Sören Lund in Stigtomta/Sweden 1,90 m draft, (first owner)
2016-18 (no sail number)
white
Sleipnir
Fehmarn/Northern Germany
Boat # 3, E-motor, Carbon Spar, Built by Rosättra Varv (first owner)
