Author: admin

Historical:

Rosina is a beautiful example of the Knud Reimers designed Swede 55. Conceived as a fast ocean cruising boat, the Swede 55 shines as a day-sailor, racer or cruiser. The current owner has done all three over the last ten years of ownership. She has a great race record, including multiple wins. Rosina has outstanding speed in most conditions and is particularly fast and stable on a reach or downwind regularly seeing double digit speeds. She is easily handled and often sailed on and off her mooring single handed. Don’t be scared of the overall length – Rosina is well behaved and loads are lighter than most big boats. She turns on a dime and is very responsive with a well balanced helm. Rosina is also a great cruiser – the long overhangs provide ample storage space and the below decks layout is well thought out. She is capable in all conditions and Swede 55’s have sailed and raced all over the world successfully.

When the current owners were searching for a new sailboat, they were looking for a fast, classic looking sailboat built of fiberglass. The Swede 55 is one of the few classic fiberglass sailboats with a PHRF rating under 100. You get the elegance of a swept shear and long overhangs, but the performance of a much more modern boat. The design has stood the test of time.

Rosina has received extensive updating throughout the years and has spent 11 years in fresh water. Her beautifully updated mast, larger sail plan, mainsail track system and sail handling controls separate her from other Swede 55s.

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner: (1977) –

Swede Sail – Swede 55 was conceived in 1975 by naval architect Knud Hjelmberg Reimers in Stockholm/Sweden as a derivate of the traditional square metre boat. Since the early Twentieth Century the square metre boat is admired for its beauty, speed and joy to sail. Inspired by the elegance of the precursing class Swede 55, should suit better to the requirements of a family, providing more comfort.- Swede Sail

Twenty-seven Swede 55 Fisksätra’s were manufactured from 1976 to autumn 1979. Most of the Swede 55 went to Sweden, Finland, three to Germany, one to Switzerland/Lake Constance, one to Italy, some to the Mediterranean and USA. Fisksaetra belonged to the Swedish Business Conglomerate Gylling, which withdrew from Fisksaetra in 1979.

Possibly six Swede 55s were built from 1982 – 84 by a successor named Aqva Båt in Nyköping using the original mould, among them Counterpoint. This boat has been sailing since 1992 in Capetown/South Africa as Spilhaus III. So from 1976 to 84 a total of 33 Swede 55 were built.

Swede 55 Registry

Historical:

Designed by Knud Reimers, best known for his design of square meter class yachts and the Udell International, at request of some of members of the KSSS Stockholms Royal Swedish Yacht Club.

Reimers designed the Swede 55 as a cruising ocean racing square meter yacht. The Swede 55’s design has an elevated freeboard, a comfortable center-cockpit, a nominal sail area of 55 square meters and additional volume below deck. She was inspired by Rolly Taskers “Siska”, a Knud Reimers 40 square meter boat modified for the Sydney-Hobart Race.

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

Owner: (xxxx-2014) – Alex Bocconcelli, Woods Hole
Owner: (2014-current) – Eugene Blank, Royal Cape Yacht Club

Comments

Eugene Blank – October 18, 2015

I am the current owner of the pictured sailboat, she is named Skye and in the Royal Cape Yacht Club, South Africa at present. I purchased her from Alex Bocconcelli in Woods Hole last year.

Admin – October 18, 2015

Thank you for the clarification….we have updated our database, and are seeking other 55s to add to the Swede 55 Register.

Eugene Blank – November 3, 2015

How would I upload the latest pictures of Skye?
Regards
Eugene Blank

Admin – November 4, 2015

Eugene – We will send you an email, and thank you for updating her profile

Historical

Vintage Classic Yacht Club – SKY was delivered in 1890 as a gaff-rigged yawl by British Thetis Ware. Built with a mahogany hull on oak frames and teak superstructure, Sky was build with the most classic and resistant materials to ensure she would stand the test of time. To maintain SKY in immaculate condition over the years, she underwent an extensive restoration in Spain carried out from 1997 to 1999. A further massive refit was carried out from 2008 to 2018 during which she received modern equipment and 27 of her oak frames were replaced.

SKY accommodates five guests in an owner’s suite and a guest cabin, both with bathroom facilities. Her elegant interiors were wholly refurbished in Honduras Mahagony and provide the optimum space for a luxury voyage. She is a timeless and absolutely unique sailing yacht that has welcomed prominent guests, including Brigitte Bardot, on board. But SKY is also a talented racing boat, that has competed in various regattas across the Mediterranean with a top speed of 14 knots.

She is equipped with new sails, a comprehensive set of navigation and communication equipment, solar panels and water maker, suitable for longer trips at sea, and is powered by a single 220hp Mercruiser diesel engine. SKY can this season be sailed in the along the Cote d*Azur and Corsica with an experienced crew around Captain Joakim Lindgren from Sweden.

Restoration:

1997-1999: During this period the yacht has been brought back to its original design, based on an extensive historical expertise by Spencer Rigging in Cowes (UK).
Complete restoration of hull, interior & all installations, carried-out by Dradisa-Vilanova in Spain under supervision of Spencer Rigging.

2003: Several changes to hull, carried-out at Ibiza in Spain.

2008-2014: Extensive restoration, bringing the boat back into excellent condition with modern equipment. Main activities during this period: Replacement of 27 oak frames.
Full overhaul of hull epoxy system with Awlgrip epoxy painting system.
Partial new teak deck, replacement of all kit. New helmsman arrangement.
Extension front side of doghouse, mainly for ventilation purposes of below-deck accommodation.
Outside exterior, new Awl Grip epoxy paint system.
All teak wood covered with 12 layers varnish. Improvement of rudder bearing arrangement. Main engine overhaul and new gearbox. Complete new propulsion shaft arrangement. Main engine has been moved forward in salon to create more living space below deck. New generator, including advanced cooling water & exhaust gas valve control system for optimum protection of generator set. Upgrade of steering system.
New pump at helmsman console and full overhaul of steering gear power pack.
Now frequency controlled for precise autopilot steering, less electrical power consumption under sail and power steering by joystick during maneuvering.
Complete overhaul of all hydraulic & manual winches.

Interior changes: new salon and galley arrangement, new toilet arrangement. Changes locker arrangement in Owner’s cabin.
Inside exterior: all mahogany interior wood colored & protected with 6 layers varnish. New painting system of hull inside & ceiling. New high power maintenance free heavy duty Rolls batteries.
Total installed power about 1000Ah @ 24Vdc. Extra 230Vac/24Vdc battery charger. Complete renewal of electrical installation, with all equipment properly protected in fiberglass reinforced control boxes.
New main switchboard.
New 24Vdc distribution.
Usage of reliable PLC technology.
Totally installed cable length: about 1700mtr.
Extra 24Vdc/230Vac inverter.
Complete new chart table layout, with all navigation, communication & control equipment in new panels.

Navigation & communication:
New radar/chart plotter, new instruments, new VHF, new AIS receiver.
Improved lighting arrangement, exclusive lighting fixtures, more light in salon & cabins.
New bilge pump systems.
New compressors for fridge & freezer.
New drink water system.
New grey & black water pump systems.
New black water tank.
Complete overhaul of air conditioning systems in salon & owner’s cabin, including new circulation pumps & electronics. Ventilation exhaust for galley equipment & shower compartment.
New oven & cooking plate.
New entertainment system.

Historical:

Wooden Ships Comments

Designed by Philip Rhodes and built by Casey of Fairhaven in 1930.

Philip Rhodes was one of the most respected prolific marine architects in the USA with many famous yacht designs still sailing today. His designs included the 12m Weatherly which won the 1962 Americas Cup, little day sailers, commercial vessels and motor vessels from launches to minesweepers for the US Navy.

By 1948 he was in on the early development of grp for hull construction with the Rhodes 18 sloop and although Skal’s gaff rig was probably old fashioned by the time she was built it was probably chosen for it’s more effective performance in a reaching race. By the 1960’s Rhodes was running a large design office and remained the inspiration of the company’s work up to his last design in 1970. He died in 1974.

Skal was ordered by two well-known yachtsmen for the 1930 Bermuda Race where she came a respectable 11th out of 42 starters when she weathered some very bad conditions which forced many of the fleet to retire. They also found her to be a comfortable cruising yacht as described in Richard Henderson’s 1981 book, “Philip Rhodes and his Yacht Designs”, ‘a dry boat with little water on deck, excellent sea-keeping capability and a comfortable motion’ . Her design shows a long keel but cut-away forward to reduce wetted surface and a full brandy-glass shaped midships section which with her generous beam helps her to stand up so well to her canvas. The remarkably flat buttock lines explain why they found her to create little quarter wave with consequent reduced drag. She has the classic Rhodes sweet unexaggerated sheer line and freeboard and with relatively short ends she is a compact boat with nothing too excessive about her.

Richard F Lawrence bought her for the 1931 Transat, the second smallest yacht in the fleet. The race was famously won by the Olin Stephens designed Dorade and while she has traded on this win ever since, Skal has been largely forgotten despite coming second in the 20 day race with a crew of 8, at one stage covering 823 miles in 4 days. While Dorade took a more northerly course from the start, Skal stayed with the fleet to the south, only cutting up to the north and crossing Dorade’s track on the approach to Ireland before turning south east a little late to approach Lands End thus losing valuable time to Dorade. Approaching Plymouth she encountered near gale force winds and rain squalls but stood on still carrying her topsail and overtaking both a steamer and a steam trawler!

She remained in UK after the race and little is known of her history in that period save that she was believed to have laid in Cowes until bought there by a young naval officer, George Hepple in 1947/8. The original rig is said to have been burnt in bombing in the War and subsequently replaced as a bermudian sloop. Cmdr Heppel sailed her as a family yacht out of the Helford River until his death in 1986 when she was laid up.

In 2003 she was sold by Wooden Ships to the present French owner and sailed over to Brittany for the major refit she now required. As work progressed it became apparent that the original structure had become very tired and only an extensive rebuild would return her to her original strength and capability.

The work was carried out by Hubert Stagnol in his Benodet boatyard 2006 – 2009. In 2007 she won the Belle Plaisance Race out of Benodet finishing ahead of the great Pen Duick, another famous yacht owned by the late Eric Taberley.

She took part in the 2015 Voiles de St Tropez regatta when she once more raced against Dorade.

Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):

• Owner/Guardian: (1930-1931) George V. Smith and Hobart Ford, Rye, New York, vice-commodore of the Cruising Club of America, commissioned vessel to compete in the 1930 Transat Race.
• Owner/Guardian: (1931) Richard F. Lawrence, bought vessel to compete in the 1931 Transat, came in second to Dorade’s first place finish.
• Owner/Guardian: (1947-1986) Commander George Hepple
• Owner/Guardian: (2003) French Registry
• Owner/Guardian: (2018) Greek Registry

Resources

Philip L. Rhodes and His Yacht Designs – Page 60
Ocean Racing: The Great Blue-water Yacht Races, 1866-1935
Wooden Ships
Nowhere is Too Far: The Annals of the Cruising Club of America