Design and Construction
Reimers gave the Swede 55 a length-to-beam ratio of 5.43, which makes her slimmer than every comparable design in the reference set anchor. That narrow hull, paired with a displacement-length ratio of 127, puts her in the "light racers" category, and she carries less displacement than 86 percent of similar sailboats. The 9,036 pounds of lead ballast sits at a 38 percent ballast ratio, higher than 62 percent of her peers, and the fin keel was offered in more than one configuration — one lead fin drawing about 6.43 to 6.73 feet depending on load, another about 6.99 to 7.29 feet, both deep enough to restrict her to major marinas. The solid fiberglass hull and deck carry a U.S. Coast Guard measurement of 14 gross tons and 12.5 net tons.
Rig and Handling
The boat is a fractional sloop carrying 694 square feet of sail area, yielding a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.1 on the ISO reference sail and 19.7 with a 135 percent genoa. That places her faster than 24 percent of similar designs in light wind, while her theoretical hull speed is 8.3 knots and her calculated maximum under power is about 5.5 knots. The wetted bottom surface measures roughly 484 square feet, and the immersion rate is about 1,306 pounds per inch. Period data lists halyard and sheet dimensions in detail — the mainsheet runs 131 feet at 5/8 inch, genoa sheets 52.5 feet at 5/8 inch — confirming a conventionally rigged, manually handled sail plan without powered assists.
Accommodations
Below, the Swede 55 was laid out with seven berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. Tankage splits between 18.5 gallons of galley freshwater and 43.6 gallons dedicated to the bathroom and deck shower, with a 19.5-gallon diesel tank serving the original Volvo Penta MD11C two-cylinder 27 horsepower or optional MD17C three-cylinder 35 horsepower, both turning a Volvo Penta Saildrive 110 S. The Motion Comfort Ratio of 28.8 means she is more comfortable than 27 percent of similar designs — a firm, rather than plush, motion profile consistent with the light-racer categorization.
Known Issues
The known constraints are operational rather than forensic: the deep fin keels limit the boat to major-marina access, and the saildrive transmission aboard a 1975–1985 build demands inspection of its seals as it ages.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership centers on a small, well-documented class — 35 boats whose data was compiled from the original Gamle Swede and other sisters over decades. The original engine options and saildrive remain the defining mechanical identifiers, and the detailed rig dimension tables suggest a class with careful measurement discipline rather than casual modification.
The Verdict
The Swede 55 is a purposeful Reimers design: narrow, light, and ballasted for stiffness, built in small numbers with consistent documentation. She rewards an owner who values a classic fractional rig and a seakindly if firm motion, and who can accept her draft and saildrive maintenance as the price of the profile.
Pros
- Slimmer than all comparable designs at a 5.43 length-to-beam ratio
- Ballast ratio of 38 percent, higher than 62 percent of peers
- Documented class data from 35 hulls over decades
Cons
- Deep fin keel restricts her to major marinas
- Saildrive transmission requires age-aware seal inspection
- Motion Comfort Ratio beats only 27 percent of similar boats
