These are the queens of the already fast, beautiful and spectacular skerry cruisers, the largest possible boat according to class rules for skerry cruisers. This formula was conceived in 1908 at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm in order to create fast racing yachts for the waters around the Stockholm archipelago. It was primarily also a reaction to the international rule for metre-class yachts which had been brought in a year prior. In principle, the skerry cruiser formula gave designers greater freedom compared to metre yachts. Some designers such as Zake Westin and Gustav Estlander from Finland exhausted all potential and created some truly radical designs. In 1923, Westin designed a 40 m2 skerry cruiser which was 15 metres long, yet just 1.70 metres wide.
Such designs did not contribute to the long-term popularity of the skerry cruisers as they were structurally questionable and not particularly seaworthy. From 1916, the Swedish Sailing Federation worked on modifying the formula of the "mother" of skerry cruisers, however the final version was only approved in 1925. It specified a minimum freeboard, minimum hull thickness, maximum length and other details. This secured the existance of the "skerries" to this day.
After 1925, extremely beautiful and fast - yet also seaworthy - skerry cruisers were built. The 150 m2 skerry cruisers built prior to this date can be counted on one hand: they include the "Singoalla", designed in 1919 by Gustav Estlander, 23.94 metres long and 3.31 metres wide. She was not seaworthy enough for her striking length and only sailed for three summers; however she was the number one topic of conversation amongst Swedish sailors during this time! She was destroyed by a fire in 1923.
The "Ingun" was also built in 1919, based on a design by Zake Westin, 21.12 by 3.04 metres. She was built for Alrik Sundén-Cullberg, chairman of the Hansa insurance group (now Trygg Hansa), who sailed her throughout his life. At his behest, she was destroyed in the early 1950s following his death. "Beatrice Aurore" appeared in 1920, 22 metres long and 3.30 metres wide. She still sails to this day.
A comparably moderate Iversen design measuring 25 metres long and four metres wide was an example of a 150-m2 skerry cruiser created after the rule change in 1925. Such designs are ideal as regatta and cruise yachts; likely faster than a 12-m-R yacht but can be sailed by a very small crew. The hull offers plenty of space for a comfortable interior.
