Swede 55 Registry

This registry assigns boats to construction and sail numbers, further known or presumed year of construction. The sail numbers were assigned international consecutional by Fisksätra. Clearly identified sail numbers are marked bold. Some information is current, other based on old sources and rumors. In case you know more, please send a note. Your help contributes to improve this register. Last update: December 10, 2023

https://youtube.com/watch?v=vZaDutPPFxg%3Fsi%3DRsLiLxQyi66ntrJq

Boats by Fisksätra Varv 1976 – 79

year of construction Sail #
hull colornamelocatedremarks
1976 S 1 (lost)redSweedy, Spilhaus IIKiel/Germany, Guernsey, Capetown/South Africa 1989-91Demo boat in Kiel. Seriously sailed raced boat in South Africa, sank while anchored off Flat Island northeast of Mauritius 1991 after contact with reef.
1976 SWE 2 whiteCarina III, Swedeheart, Immola, Slanka Frun, ArwenStockholm/SwedenTestsailed by På Kryss & Till Rors magazine in Summer 1976, successfully raced in Sweden in early years
1976 or 77 S 3redElisaStockholm/SwedenMast extended by 2 m, headstay moved forward
1977 S 4, FIN 10481whitePrillan, Sweda, AldaStockholm/Sweden, Turku/Finland since 2006Extensively refurbished recently, actively raced, Line honors and first Gotland Runt 2008
1977 L 1085, GER 5, DEN 5white dark blueSo LongEspoo/Finland, Kiel/Germany, Troense/DenmarkSold via Swedesail. Hull painted dark blue in Nineties by first german owner. Succession of 4 owners
1976 white LotusDering Harbour, Long Island/USA
now south of GB
Boat # 6 ? US Reg. # 617263, bought November 2007 in US, brought as deck freight to Southampton 2009, apparenty sold to next owner
1977   no details regarding boat 7
1977 S 8
NOR 9091
whiteGeila III, AxeStockholm/Sweden; Oslo, then Bergen/NorwaySold via Swedesail
1977 US 9whiteJavelin, RosinaWest Palm Beach/Florida; Lake Champlain/Vermont USA; New York Waters/USABlack aluminum spar & boom. Modified rig geometry. Beached ahead of Sandy Hook island, New Jersey in 2019. Damages supposedly repaired by next owner.
1977 S 10whiteVilda MatildaStockholm
1977 US 11white, dark blue, blackCorsairBrooklin/Maine USA, Fairport/Cleveland, Mentor/Ohio Lake ErieInspired the wooden Swede 55-replica “Vortex”
1977 S 11, POR 8224white, dark blueHera, MysticCaribbean/USA; Lisbon/PortugalSunk in Caribbean, salvaged. Blue hull after extensive refit in late Eigthies, sailing in Portugal
1977 US 12whiteSaud, Tumlare, Sigrid II, SkyeCaribbean, Woods Hole/USA, Buzzard’s Bay, Cape Town/South Africa since 2015Steering bar replaced by column, third Swede 55 brought to Cape Town
1977 USA 93416white, dark blueExcalibur, SurpriseAnnapolis – Maryland, Seattle – Washington/USA, Bussards Bay/USAProbably boat # 12, new spar with enlarged sail area in 2007 extensively refurbuished, painted dark blue in 2022
1977 S 14, F 16232, DEN 14whiteCalypso, Santé Montpellier, As, CalypsoAntibes, Port Carmargue, La Grande Motte/Montpellier, France; Limfjord/DenmarkProbably boat # 13, five owners, extensively refurbished, teak clad deck and deckhouse, mahogany footrail
1977
(damaged)
whiteTianaBeverly/Massachsetts USAdamaged hull, for sale
1977 S 15whiteSciroccoStockholmSuccessfully raced in Stockholm waters
1978 US 57476white, redThe ContessaSeattle/Washington, Alameda/San FranciscoPossibly boat 16
1978 US 17, US 8915 (lost)whiteTemptress, BirdSan Francisco, lost in Glacier Bay/AlaskaBoat shown in Nautical Quarterly issue 6 spring 1979, successfully sailed San Francisco – Hawaii Race 1982, disappeared in a gale during a singlehanded cruise in Oct/Nov. 99 in GlacierBay/Alaska
1978 S 18whiteColumella II, So Long, Skuggfaxe, MiramisUppsala, Resarö, Vaxholm , Saltsjöbaden (Stockholm waters)/Sweden
1978 or 79 Z 19whiteEosSteinach, Bodensee/ Switzerland, now german seaboard of Baltic SeaFor years the only Swede 55 on Lake Constance, run by sporty and well known swiss owner, then northern germany, for sale
1979 ITA 20whiteViveka, SparnoccioGenoa, then Jesolo/Italy, Croatia, Västervik/SwedenRepeatedly particiated in Barcolana Race
1978 or 79 S 21white, dark blueCarinaAdriatic Sea, Tunesia, Croatia, Ravenna, Port Grimaud, Helsinki/FinlandSuccession of five owners, obtained teak deck and dark blue hull in 1997, extensively refurbished in Finland
1979 G 22whiteSiloahAdriatic Sea, then Portoferraio/ElbaFreshwater tanks installed behind backrests in main cabin. Stored on the hard 1989-2019, presumably in Sweden recently
1979 S 25whiteElisabeth IINorrtälje/Sweden
1979 G 25, DEN25whiteKaniga,
ES
Kiel-Schilksee, Kopperby/Germany; Öresund/DenmarkSuccession of 4 owners, extensive refit in Skive in same manner as Calypso
1979 G 26,K 26whiteValhöllfirst german owner; british owner, now second british owner, River Itchen /SouthamptonRepeated Atlantic crossings in the hands of first british owner, refurbished in 2019/20
1979 G 27whiteGamle Swedegerman seaboard of Baltic SeaLast Fisksätra manufactured Swede 55 in autumn 1979, launched May 1980

Here you find more on Fisksätra Varv.

Southafrican newspaper Cape Times of September 17, 1991 covering the loss of first Swede 55

Swede 55 by two other builders

year of construction sail # hull colornamelocatedremarks
1978 L 5155whiteSusaija, Suveren, QuintusFinland, now Stockholm areaFisksätra hull & deck of 1978 acquired by finish boatbuilder 1985, completed in different manner until 1987, deck and deckhouses covered with teak and mahogany, shorter single spreader spar, different interiour layout and finish.
1989 US 50718whiteVortexBrooklin, Maine/USABuilt by Steve White of Brooklin Boat Yard, slightly altered cold moulded wooden replica, raced in Cabibbean and local waters.

Swede 55 by successor ACVA Båt 1980 ≈ 84

year of construction sail #hull colornamelocatedremarks
# 28   Probably built by ACVA Båt, no details regarding boat 28
1982 US 42434whiteCounterpoint, Spilhaus IIIChesapeake Bay/USA, Capetown/South AfricaBuilt by ACVA Båt, probably boat 28 or 29, won Annapolis – Bermuda race 1986, aquired by Southafrican owner who lost his first Swede 55 at a reef near Mauritius, actively raced from Cape Town
1983 S 30whiteFast LaneSolna, Nacka, Stockholm/SwedenBuilt by ACVA Båt, crossed the Atlantic twice
1980 K 31
(seized & donated)
whiteSiri Louise, Peix’ Agulha, Escuteiros Maritimos, Almirante Warington Baden-PowellPonta Delgada, Azores Islands/PortugalProbably built by ACVA Båt, seized at Azores Islands on the route from Caribbean to Europe, donated to Sea Scouts in Ponta Delgada, possibly boat # 28 or 33?
1981 US 32whiteFlying CloudGuam/USABuilt by ACVA Båt
1982 or 83? # 33   built by ACVA Båt, no details regarding boat 33
1984 US 34light blue, dark blueDie Nadel, Kyte, OhanaSan Diego, Port Washington, San Francisco/USABuilt by ACVA Båt. Hull colour changed from light blue Gelcoat to dark blue later, aft overhang cut off recently

I also heard about a Swede 55 with sail number N 2 (N for Norway) owned by a Norwegian-English couple. The boat sailed charter trips in the Caribbean for a while, was seen in Bonifacio in Corsica in the eighties or nineties. Possibly boat no. 23, 28 or 33.

The video below shows Cheyenne, built 2006-7 moved by 100 square metres on a carbon mast with swept spreaders. Ballast ratio 57 percent. Uncluttered deck, no runners, tiller steering. A daysailer with comfort for a weekend and the annual summer cruise.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=vZaDutPPFxg%3Fsi%3DRsLiLxQyi66ntrJq
Variants with longer spar since 1989

Apart from the Fisksätra Varv, ACVA Båt, the Finnish and American constructions, there are four other Swede 55 variants by different boat builders. Here you find more on Swedesails involvement which brought Niña to Northern Germany and later Universal Heartbeat via Northern Germany back to Sweden.

year of construction sail #hull color namelocatedremarks
1989 Swede 75 # 1/S 1, GER 1whiteNiñaStockholm, German seabord of the BalticBuilt by Crown Yacht AB, currently second owner, carbon spar upgrade
1989 Swede 75 # 2, K 9953whiteUniversal HartbeatHamble/England, German seabord of the Baltic, Bankeryd Lake Vättern/Sweden Built by Crown Yacht AB, numerous races in England & Scotland (Three Peaks Race), currently third owner
2006-7 Swede 52whiteCheyenneStockholm/SwedenBuilt as mostly empty and lightweight Daysailer by Sören Lund/Göran Lundgren. Due to the length named Swede 52. Allegedly built in Gotland/Sweden
Swede 75 Special whiteBirgitLångedrag near Gothenburg/SwedenModified Swede 75, with different wooden superstructure, cockpit and stern

Thanks to Michael K. Bottles, Charles Churchill, Noah Dater, Norbert Deicke, John Harding, Lars Klok, Börje Larsson, Mario Steiner (†), Ulf Torberger, Lars Wickenberg, Steven White and Juha-Pekka Vuorinen.

Swede 55 Introduction, Knud Reimers, Swede 55 Forerunners, Swede 55 Development, Swede 55 Design, Swede 55 Cabins, Swede 55 Successors, 52/58 ft newbuild

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