Design and Construction
Salander’s wooden hull has clinker strakes, a long keel, and a transom-hung rudder. This traditional plank-on-frame configuration combines classic wooden-boat construction with the directional stability of a full-length keel long keel with transom-hung rudder. Its solid construction places the Junior Folkboat firmly in the wooden-boat tradition, rather than among the molded or cored boats that followed.
The boat measures 5.7 meters overall, with a 4.5-meter waterline, 1.75-meter beam, and 0.9-meter draft. That makes her slender and shoal enough for easy trailer or shallow-harbor use. She displaces 695 kg and carries 275 kg of ballast in an iron keel, giving a ballast-to-displacement ratio of roughly 39.6 percent. The 302.88 pounds-per-inch immersion figure shows how little she sinks under added load for a boat of this size.
Rig and Performance
The Junior Folkboat has a fractional sloop rig carrying 14.96 square meters of sail. Against her 695 kg displacement, that produces a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.43. The resulting S# of 2.82 places her in the modest-performance band typical of a light-displacement racer of her era.
Her displacement-length ratio is 212.56 on the 4.5-meter waterline, and she is undeniably slender. The theoretical maximum hull speed is 5.15 knots. A capsize screening value of 1.99 and comfort ratio of 14.46 describe a stiff, low-volume hull intended for upright sailing rather than lounging.
Accommodations and Intended Use
This was never meant to be a cruiser with berths and a galley. The KDY 15 Sq.M. designation reflects the Junior Folkboat’s one-design racing identity rather than any emphasis on family accommodation.
Her 1.75-meter beam and 5.7-meter overall length point to a cockpit-focused day racer, while the 14.96-square-meter fractional rig is sized for a short crew. The “Juniors Bad” name and later addition of “Folke” reinforce her role as a trainer and club racer. Her appeal lies in handling and pedigree, not interior volume.
History and Lineage
Production lasted for a single season in 1929, making every surviving example an early artifact. The Junior Folkboat preceded the Nordic Folkboat and was explicitly commissioned by the Royal Danish Yacht Club before that larger design existed. The resemblance between the two was close enough for the “Folke” suffix to be added as a sign of the family connection.
As the KDY 15 Sq.M., the boat became part of Danish one-design history. The alternative name “Juniors Bad” preserves its club-racing origins.
The Verdict
The Junior Folkboat is a historically significant preamble to the Nordic Folkboat story: a clinker-planked, long-keeled fractional sloop built for junior racing under Royal Danish Yacht Club auspices during a single 1929 season.
Her numbers describe a light, stiff, narrow day racer with a modest sail plan and a hull speed just over five knots. For a collector or classic-racing enthusiast, she offers pedigree and scarcity. For anyone seeking cruising space, she offers none.
Pros
- Direct precursor to the Nordic Folkboat, commissioned by the Royal Danish Yacht Club
- Clinker wood construction, with a long keel and transom-hung rudder
- Stiff, light racing hull with a 39.6 percent ballast ratio and 1.99 capsize screen
Cons
- Single-season production in 1929 limits availability
- No cruising accommodations; designed as a junior racer
- Small 14.96 m² fractional rig suits only light crews and day sailing
