Karl Einar Sjögren X

Historical:

(Unedited translation) – X was built by Lövholmsvarvet, Lövholmen Stockholm for manufacturer Harry Lychou, who wanted something extraordinary for the 1912 Olympic regatta, the Games of the V Olympiad. In front of it was a debate about sailing as an Olympic sport. The organizers seriously considered deleting it, partly with regard to the poor participation during the London Olympics in 1908, and partly due to uncertainty about whether the Swedes would make it to the event. August Plym was asked about the matter by Swedish journalists and replied that he assumed that the Olympic Committee consisted of men who were capable of deciding the matter themselves. Well, it would eventually be sailing and the committee assigned something surprising to KSSS and not to any national Swedish organization to arrange the competitions.

The Olympic medals were at stake in the R-classes, but in addition, a number of other classes started, among them 50 sqm racers. That’s where X belonged. She also did great luck and ran away like a steamboat. Yes, she was so successful that she came to be called the Silver Thief.

In 1916, Lychou sold the boat to Messrs. Per Rinman and Karl Steen in SS Brunnsviken. These sold the boat on in 1918 to an exiled Russian prince via a boulevard at NK. But the prince hurriedly got rid of the boat after certain events in his homeland. He put the cow to Argentina for good. X was then laid up a few years before she was sold in the autumn of 1922 to August Andersson in Nyköping.

One dark autumn evening in 1968, the cousins ​​Hats Hådell and Tomas Järnmark sat at a place of business in the said town and talked about GYS and old yachts. Then one of the city’s “village flags” (Hådell’s own words) enters the arena, listens to the conversation and puts in: “I know where there is such an old boat down on the shipyard with such a strange old sail”. Hådell & Järnmark were totally uninterested, rather a little annoyed by the new post. But God forbid the city flag stood on it. The next day he dragged the said gentlemen with him to Nyköpings SS’s shipyard. They were amazed at what they saw. X was discovered and bought in cash for SEK 4,000 which was paid by GYS treasurer Björn Enquist.

A consortium of ten shareholders was formed for X conservation. Many and stormy meetings were held but nothing happened to the benefit of the boat. One cool day, Messrs. Stor-Johan and Bokis snuck down to the GYS shipyard where X now lay. They began to pry and tear at the dead wood, which was, to say the least, rotten and hidden by nailed-on copper plates. It turned out as it did, suddenly the keel bolts were visible, significantly damaged by rust. Just as they were doing, the keel fell flat against the concrete floor. When the cost proposal for the renovation was ready, the interest of many of the consortium members quickly cooled. But in 1972 the work took off. 90 percent of the underwater body was replaced and Boki’s brother made new keel bolts. The following year, a new deck of wide mahogany planks was laid. Later, another part has been done and today X sails completely in original condition. one of the most extreme racers built in our country. Is praise enough to praise such an effort?

Much is known thanks to a benevolent fate. During The Scandal Beauty Trophy Race at Riddarfjärden in 1973, an elderly gentleman came forward and asked if the boat with the name X in the transom was built in 1912? The answer was short: “Yes”. – “Then it’s the boat I was a guest on 1916-18”. His name was Johan Magnusson, Jonne. He had a lot to tell about the boat and unique pictures. He is the one who told about the Russian prince. That story has also been confirmed by Harry Lychou’s daughter Mejt. Jonne died in 1978 at the age of 90.

Stefan “Bokis” Andersson sold the X in 2001 to a new GYS consortium consisting of Lars Björk, Johan Haasum and Sven Matton. The new owners came to refresh her and sail her as in the old days. Since 2005 she is owned by Sven Matton.

Read more about X on skumslev.se and the book “Pure beauties” by Bengt Jörnstedt and Malcolm Hanes.

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

• Guardian/Owner: (1910-1927) – 1912 Harry Lychou
• Guardian/Owner: (1916) – Per Rinman and Karl Steen in SS Brunnsviken
• Guardian/Owner: (1918) – Nameless Russian prince
• Guardian/Owner: (1922) – August “Ern-Anders” Andersson in Nyköping
• Guardian/Owner: (1935) – S. Hansson, P-A Jansson, B. Lönnbäck, Y Karlsson
• Guardian/Owner: (1937) – Benkt Blom, Bertil “Blomberg” Bergström, Martin Hultgren, Harry “Kikarn” Carlsson
• Guardian/Owner: (1963) – Henry Hultgren and Ulf Nilsson
• Guardian/Owner: (1968) – Ulo Vellet
• Guardian/Owner: (1969) – Consortium in Nyköping
• Guardian/Owner: (1969) – GYS consortium with ten partners. Mats Hådell, Tomas Järnmark,
  Björn Enquist, Stor-Johan, Stefan “Bokis” Andersson and others.
• Guardian/Owner: (1972) – Stefan “Bokis” Andersson
• Guardian/Owner: (2001) – GYS Consortium. Lars Björk, Johan Haasum, Sven Matton
• Guardian/Owner: (2005) – Sven Matton

Resources:

Sail Yacht Society – https://sailyachtsociety.se/