Design and Construction
The 52 reflects the construction methods that defined Sweden Yachts during the Norlin and Östmann years. Its fiberglass hull and deck use balsa-cored sandwich construction, while the keel is lead.
Two keel alternatives were offered. The wing keel draws roughly 6.5 to 6.8 feet, depending on load, while the fin keel draws about 8.5 to 8.8 feet. Both configurations limit the yacht to major-marina access.
With a beam of just over 14 feet and an overall length north of 52 feet, the hull displaces close to 34,000 pounds and carries nearly 13,200 pounds of ballast. Its 39 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio places it firmly in the serious offshore-cruiser class. CE Class A OCEAN certification confirms that the design brief was blue-water rather than coastal sailing.
Rig and Handling
The Sweden Yachts 52 is a masthead sloop with a combined mainsail-and-jib area of 115 square meters. With a 135 percent genoa, the sail-area-to-displacement ratio rises to 23.3; using the ISO reference sail, it is 19.7.
The theoretical hull speed is 8.6 knots, with a calculated maximum near 8.2 knots. A capsize screening value of 1.76 and a motion comfort ratio of 33.8 describe a yacht tuned for offshore steadiness rather than raw acceleration.
The standing and running rig dimensions are generous for a 52-footer. Halyards are 48 meters long and 14 mm in diameter, while the mainsheet is nearly 40 meters long and 16 mm in diameter. The wetted bottom surface is about 60 square meters, a figure that helps explain the immersion rate of roughly 367 kilograms per centimeter.
Accommodations and Machinery
Below, the interior is finished in mahogany, in keeping with the yard’s other yachts of the period. The layout includes eight berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. Tankage comprises 700 liters of fresh water, 240 liters of waste water, and 185 gallons of fuel.
An optional 100-horsepower Volvo Penta TMD 31 diesel drives a shaft. Together, the tankage and berth count describe a boat planned for extended, crewed cruising rather than short-handed coastal hopping.
Verdict
The Sweden Yachts 52 is a one-of-a-kind expression of the mature Norlin-Östmann design partnership. As the only example built, it represents the yard’s ocean-class sandwich construction on a large scale. For a buyer who encounters it, the appeal lies in the specification: a lead keel, Class A certification, and a thoroughly planned cruising interior.
Pros
- The only hull built, completed in 1996 during the Norlin-Östmann partnership
- Balsa-cored fiberglass sandwich hull and deck, with a lead keel
- CE Class A OCEAN certification for offshore use
- Eight berths, with 700 liters of fresh-water capacity and 700 liters of fuel capacity
Cons
- Only one hull exists, limiting comparative ownership data
- The fin keel’s 8.5–8.8-foot draft restricts marina access
