Committed to Excellence – A Brief History of Sweden Yachts

Located in Sweden’s historical shipbuilding heartland, Sweden Yachts is yet another distinguished neighbour of our Berthon Scandinavia offices in Henån, and they have been building outstanding cruising yachts for nearly half a century**. Sweden Yachts has remained dedicated to producing high-performance cruising yachts that cater to discerning sailors who demand both elegance and seaworthiness. Their commitment to excellence has made them a leading name in Scandinavian yacht building.

The History of the Sweden Yachts Shipyard

Originally known as Sweden Boats, the origins can be traced back to 1976 with the launch of a 12 metre racing yacht named SVERIGE. Created by naval architect Peter Patterson, SVERIGE was specifically designed for the America’s Cup. Sweden Boats were concentrating on custom built yachts in the beginning, but soon switched their focus to production sailing yachts and rebranded as Sweden Yachts.

Working with renowned designers Peter Norlin and Bruce Farr, the yard developed high-quality, performance-oriented cruising yachts that quickly gained international acclaim. At its peak, the shipyard was producing between 25 and 30 hulls per year, solidifying its reputation as one of Sweden’s premier yacht builders.

Sweden Yachts continued to thrive until 2008, when the company faced unexpected financial difficulties. Under a cloud of uncertainty, the yard was declared bankrupt, bringing production to an abrupt halt. For the next decade, no new Sweden Yachts were built, leaving a void in the market for those who had come to admire the brand’s dedication to craftsmanship and performance.

In 2018, a new chapter began when the Sweden Yachts Group, which also includes Malö Yachts, CR Yachts, and Regina Yachts, announced the revival of Sweden Yachts’ production. With a renewed vision and commitment to excellence, the group set out to continue the brand’s proud tradition of building world-class sailing yachts.

Sweden Yachts’ Historical Models

Sweden Yachts’ first production model was the C34 in 1974, a continuation of the Comfort 34 originally produced by Comfort Boats. The Sweden Yachts hulls were all designed by naval architects Jens Östman and Peter Norlin, except for the Sweden Yachts 80, which was designed by German Frers.

Berthon & the Sweden Yachts Brand

Berthon’s sailing yacht brokers, across all our international offices, are experts in the Sweden Yachts range, both old and new. We have a deep appreciation for their exceptional comfort, craftsmanship, and sailing performance, all of which makes them highly sought after on the brokerage market.

Berthon Scandinavia yacht broker Birgitta Andersson, was part of the Sweden Yachts team from its early days in 1976 when SVERIGE was delivered to Newport USA, for the America’s Cup. She dedicated many years to the company, initially managing new yacht deliveries and later as a member of the sales team in the 1980s. In the 1990s, Birgitta and Ewa Enoch, the owner’s daughter, established the Sweden Yachts office in Connecticut USA. Their efforts contributed to the brand’s immense success on the East Coast, where they sold an impressive number of yachts. To this day, Birgitta remains a devoted supporter of the Sweden Yachts brand.

Alan McIlroy of Berthon International also has a long-standing passion for Sweden Yachts, with involvement in the brand spanning decades. From the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, Berthon served as the unofficial broker for pre-owned Sweden Yachts models that the yard wished to sell on. Before the company ceased production in 2008, Alan enjoyed taking part in the annual Sweden Yachts Owners’ Regattas with friends and clients. Held from Cowes at the West Solent Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight, it was such a popular event that, after production ended, Alan became very much involved in the organisation of this regatta for several years, much to the delight of Sweden Yachts owners.

Many of the Sweden Yachts we broker pass through our hands multiple times, giving us an intimate knowledge of these boats, their history, and their owners. A prime example is FANDANGO, a Sweden Yachts 42, which we are now listing for the fourth time (particulars below).

Contact your local international broker about the Sweden Yachts that are on the market. We know the brand well and always have a selection. Here is a list of Sweden Yachts for sale with Berthon today:

Sweden Yachts for Sale

Sweden Yachts 42, FANDANGO
https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/yachts-for-sale/sweden-yachts-42-fandango/
Sweden Yachts 50, BOOMERANG AF STOCKSUND
https://berthonscandinavia.se/en/yachts-for-sale/sweden-yachts-50-boomerang-af-stocksund/
Sweden Yachts 370, SABINE
https://berthonscandinavia.se/en/yachts-for-sale/sweden-yachts-370-sabine/

Sweden Yachts – Berthon’s Recent Sales

Sweden Yachts 40, VIKING CRUSADER
Sweden Yachts 42, FREYA – sold 3 times by Berthon
Sweden Yachts 45, SONGLINE
Sweden Yachts 390, DIVINE
Sweden Yachts 340, IMPULSIVE

**If you would like to learn more about the history of shipbuilding on the island of Orust, then please link to Magnus’ article from our Berthon Book 2020-2021 here: https://www.berthoninternational.com/about-berthon-international/berthon-publications/berthon-magazine/the-island-of-orust-shipbuilding-1253-and-all-that/.

Contact

UK: alan.mcilroy@berthon.co.uk
Scandinavia: magnus.kullberg@berthonscandinavia.se
Spain: simon.turner@berthoninternational.com
Berthon USA: alan.baines@berthonusa.com

About Alan McIlroy | About Magnus Kullberg | About Simon Turner | About Alan Baines | Meet the Berthon Sales Group