Sweden 50 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Because the Sweden 50 was built to order across a nearly decade-long production run, layout configurations vary considerably. The four-cabin, six-to-eight-berth arrangement described in the builder's literature appears most consistently, centering on a generous saloon with a well-placed nav station and a galley sized for serious offshore provisioning. The forward owner's cabin is typically large by the standards of the era, while two aft cabins — often used as a dedicated skipper's quarters and a guest cabin — give the boat genuine liveaboard or charter flexibility. Some examples were configured with a more open three-cabin arrangement that enlarges the saloon at the expense of one aft cabin, and these turn up occasionally among boats that spent their lives as private cruising yachts rather than semi-professional charter vessels. Wing-keel variants exist alongside the standard deep fin-keel configuration, so draft matters when evaluating a specific boat — the deep fin draws noticeably more water than the wing-keel alternative and will restrict access to shallower anchorages.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

The Volvo Penta diesel inboard is standard across the model, and most examples have received at least one engine service overhaul or component refresh given the age of the fleet. Shaft drive is universal, which simplifies long-term maintenance compared with saildrive alternatives common on later Scandinavian cruisers. Masthead sloop rig was fitted from the factory, and running rigging on brokerage examples is frequently in mixed condition — some original components replaced piecemeal, others long overdue. Roller-furling headsails are essentially universal on boats now available; original hanked-on arrangements have nearly all been converted. Furling mainsails appear on a meaningful portion of examples, added by owners prioritizing short-handed sailing ease. Autopilot upgrades, chart plotters, AIS, and radar are commonly found and reflect the successive owners' offshore ambitions rather than factory spec. Watermakers appear on boats with bluewater histories, and upgraded battery banks with solar or wind charging are a frequent owner addition on vessels that have spent extended time at anchor. The teak deck noted in the original specification is worth examining closely on any candidate boat — teak decks of this vintage are often tired, with recaulking or full replacement a significant but not uncommon cost item.

What to Inspect

The sandwich fibreglass construction that gives this boat its comfort and insulation properties also demands careful osmotic assessment. Osmotic blistering in sandwich hulls can be difficult to detect without professional moisture metering, and any survey should include systematic readings across the hull bottom, particularly around keel attachments and through-hull fittings. The fin keel attachment is a structural priority: lead keels bolted through a fibreglass sump can develop weeping at the joint over decades, and checking for staining, soft gelcoat, or movement at the keel-to-hull interface is non-negotiable before purchase. The teak deck, where fitted, is worth probing at its edges and around deck hardware for delamination from the underlying fibreglass — water trapped beneath teak planking can migrate into the sandwich core and cause localized rot in the balsa or foam layer. Below decks, the mahogany joinery should be examined for signs of sustained dampness: darkening at the base of bulkheads, softness around the keel sump, and any mildew presence behind berth cushions. The Volvo Penta engine has a well-documented service history in the market, and hours logged against service records will indicate whether raw-water cooling components, impellers, and heat exchangers have been maintained on schedule. Standing rigging on a boat of this production era is likely on its third or fourth replacement cycle at minimum; any wire showing fishhook strands, corrosion at swage fittings, or toggle wear warrants immediate replacement regardless of apparent visual condition. The wing-keel variant deserves particular attention to the keel-hull junction given the more complex geometry involved.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Sweden 50 is not a common sight in brokerage listings, which reflects both the relatively modest production numbers across its nine-year run and the tendency of owners to keep well-found examples in long-term use. When boats do come to market they appear most frequently in Northern European waters — Scandinavia, the UK, and the Baltic — consistent with the boat's Swedish origins and the preferences of its original buyer base. Examples are also found in the Mediterranean and, less commonly, in North American Atlantic coast markets, typically among boats that completed transatlantic passages and settled in new homeports. Condition and refit history vary widely: a thoroughly maintained example with recent standing rigging, a fresh engine service, and updated electronics represents strong value in the bluewater cruiser segment, while a neglected boat can carry a long list of deferred costs that erode any apparent price advantage.

Before making an offer, confirm:

• Independent survey including systematic hull moisture readings and keel-joint inspection
• Keel type (fin vs wing) and exact draft confirmed against intended cruising grounds
• Full engine service history and hours, with raw-water cooling components recently replaced
• Condition of teak deck and any underlying core moisture where fitted
• Age and inspection record of standing rigging and chainplates
• Watermaker, battery bank, and charging system if bluewater use is intended
• Running rigging condition evaluated by a rigger familiar with masthead sloops of this vintage