fivepointfive - April 2023

1970s. Bernhard bought his US built Evolution boat in 2014.
According to Bernhard the fleet of the Classics are concentrated
in Germany, Italy and France.
Mats Nelson, the contact person for the class in Sweden,
is the current owner of three boats; two of which he has made
extensive renovation work on: Cirrus S 46 (an Ohlson design) and
Wildcat S 58 (a Luders design) and the third Arunga, ex AUS 28,
is waiting to be renovated. Of the 12 to 13 boats that still exist in
Sweden around three quarters are for sale.
TOP
Christina Stenberg presented TOP, The Ohlson Project, reviving
the design work of her father, Einar Ohlson and her uncle Carl-
Eric Ohlson. The work of the brothers forms a part of the Swedish
yacht design and boat building history. Einar and Carl-Eric
Ohlson were the only 5.5 Metre designers to win a medal at each
Olympics. Bronze in 1952 (Sweden), Gold in 1956 (Sweden).
Silver in 1960 (Denmark). Five of the boats in the 1960 Olympics
were designed by the Ohlsons: Denmark, Argentina, Sweden,
UK and Portugal. Silver medal in 1964 (Sweden). Six of the boats
at the 1964 Olympics were designed by the Ohlson brothers:
Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, UK, Denmark and the Soviet Union.
Bronze in 1968 (United Kingdom).
One of the five videos that the Ohlson project team has
produced focuses on the 5.5 Metre Olympic era. The video is
shown on www.OhlsonYachts.com/videos. The legendary sail
racer, Johan ‘Jussi’ Gullichsen, from Finland, was interviewed by
the team in 2019 and he said, “The Ohlson brothers were quite
conservative in their design work, long-keeled and rather longhulled
boats. Very accurate. If you got an Ohlson boat you knew it
was going extremely fast. Now you just have to be able to sail it.”
Filip Blomquist, a young Finnish sailor, began racing in
International 5.5 Metre Classic events in 2017. He gave a
presentation about why classic 5.5 Metres are seeing a lot of
interest in Finland.
Sandhamn Regatta 1965. S33 Ran IV (ex Nova) an Ohlson design, S38
Wasa II Sundelin brothers, S24 Bagatell (ex Rush V). Photo: Curt Almgren
A key factor in the success of the 5.5 Metre sailing class
in Finland is the strong sense of community and camaraderie
shared by its participants. This supportive network has fostered
an environment where sailors of all experience levels can thrive,
engage in competitive racing events, and further develop their
skills. Additionally, the growing interest in the 5.5 Metre can be
attributed to the dedication and involvement of enthusiasts in
building and maintaining the boats, ensuring the preservation of
the beauty and legacy of the classic 5.5 Metre. As a result, the
5.5 Metre continues to expand and evolve throughout Finland.
After the presentations we discussed different aspects with
the audience: Why does the 5.5 Metre still attracts the world’s
best sailors? How can we contribute to attract more sail racers,
particularly from Sweden? Is there enough interest in Sweden to
restart the Swedish 5.5 Metre association?
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APRIL 2023 • fivepointfive • 59