bacchant sailboat

Hello mr. Wettenberg,

In the Wooden Boat of december I found an advertisement about Bacchant II, the famous Knud Reimers design, now for sale in the US. On the site of the broker, Emerald Yacht Ship Group, you will find many nice pictures of Bacchant II as well as a comprehensive description.

The price they ask is rather substantial but perhaps there will be some interest in Sweden. At least it might give a clue about the development of the value of famous skerrycruisers, which might support enthousiasm in Sweden for these beautiful yachts. Sometimes I think that a consortium of well to do Swedes should be found, to preserve this example of Swedish heritage within the Swedish borders. If this will not be possible, you at least could download some very nice pictures of Bacchant and put them on the SSKF-site. It is a pity that Bacchant is financially out of my reach, but anyhow she would be to much of a handful for my wife and me. So we stick to Gazell, 4 metres shorter and one third of the displacement��

We look forward to news from Sweden regarding Bacchant!

All the best and God Jul!

Maarten Lampe

SK40 S62 GAZELL

• Register / Login

A password will be e-mailed to you

Reset Password

BACCHANT IV

More information, image gallery, floor plans.

Use the form below to contact us!

Still ravishing at 77, a beauty for the ages goes home

S he is a ravishing beauty, but I remember her with a sense of dread. She is a sailboat, and worthy in every way of the feminine pronoun, but she could be cruel.

Cruel, I mean, on the race course, where her grace masked a habit of ruthlessly breaking hearts.

She was almost always the oldest boat and the only wooden boat in fleets of synthetic hulls flaunting ever higher tech. Yet she could win any long-distance race, and the broken hearts in her wake included those of many an owner of state-of-the-art racing yachts.

She had a quirk, an inability to sail effectively upwind, that gave her rivals false hope. When a race started with headwinds, we would watch her struggling, sagging off to leeward and astern. As she faded into the mist, naive crewmembers would declare her defeated, her position hopeless. I knew better. I knew that if the wind shifted, she would be back to haunt us.

As the wind faired and freshened, that sense of dread would set in, validated when the top of her spinnaker rose over the horizon far astern, followed not long after by the disheartening sight of her one-of-a-kind hull.

When she passed us, no matter how aggressive the sea state, she would be moving as smoothly as a rowing shell on the Hudson River-a 64-foot-long rowing shell with a tall mast.

That was Bacchant, a boat whose life story has always been fascinating but now has a new chapter that is the stuff of sailing fairy tales: After spending half of her life in America, she is returning to the Swedish port where she was born 77 years ago.

Bacchant was designed by Knud Reimers and built in 1936 in Saltsjobaden, Sweden, for the noted Scandinavian racing sailor Eric Lundberg. Sixty-four feet long and narrow with a beam of only 9 feet 10 inches, she was classified as a 75 Square Meter. The design, gorgeously executed in Honduras mahogany (legend has it that all of the planks came from a single tree), was so advanced that Uffa Fox, then the reigning guru of high-performance yacht design, featured the boat in his classic book Sail and Power .

Twenty years later, a Cleveland, Ohio, sailor named Jere Sullivan was perusing the book when he happened on the pages about Bacchant . What he saw was so arresting that he remembers the beginning page number (238) to this day. "That was the most beautiful thing I ever saw," he said. "I just fell in love with her lines."

Fast forward another 24 years. Sullivan, now a Wisconsin resident, is reading SAILING Magazine and in a Palmer Johnson brokerage ad sees a listing for a 64-foot 75 Square Meter yacht. It turns out to be Bacchant, and she's on the Great Lakes. Sullivan buys her in a heartbeat.

That was in 1980, and it marked the start of another chapter in the Bacchant story. Soon after, the story acquired a colorful new character when Sullivan persuaded Bill Emery, the big, gruff manager of services at the Palmer Johnson boatyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, to work for him as Bacchant 's boat captain, chief engineer and maintenance major domo.

Emery had his work cut out for him. All of the boat's exterior mahogany-topsides, coachhouse, cockpit-was finished bright. Maintaining and renewing the varnish to the standard Sullivan wanted was a never-ending imperative.

During the sailing season, the boat resided in its slip protected by a fitted canvas cover reaching from cabintop to boottop. In winter, she was ensconced in what Emery called a "humidor," hermetically sealed in a shed with the temperature kept at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity at 80 percent. Once a year, she received an added coat of varnish. Every few years, the brightwork was stripped down to bare wood and multiple coats of new varnish applied.

Emery supervised the modifications that turned a lightweight boat designed for one-design competition into an offshore warrior. A second rudder was installed aft of the small original rudder attached to the keel. Lifelines, bulwarks, hull reinforcements and teak decks were added, along with a diesel engine.

The new Bacchant became a force in long-distance racing. She went on to be the overall winner of two Chicago-Mackinac Races, section winner in numerous Mac races and was one of several boats that broke the Mackinac Race elapsed time record in 1987.

Her secret? Sullivan and Emery agree it is the effortless way she parts the water. "She moved through the water with no disturbance whatsoever, never a hint of a quarter wave," Sullivan said. Or as Emery put it: "She didn't bruise the water."

The rounded bow sections that account for her poor beating ability become a positive factor off the wind when they meld with the soft, fluid lines that enable the hull to slip through the water with minimal drag. "Knud Reimers was 20 years ahead of Olin Stephens in reducing wetted surface," Emery said.

Bacchant 's shapely form was kind to those who sailed her. Not only was her motion easy, but her crew was spared the butt-numbing indignity of having to ride the windward rail. High bulwarks made that impractical, but there was no point to it anyway. "The boat was so narrow that even if you tried to hike out you were on the wrong side of the lead," Emery said. So when they weren't tucked into the comfortable berths below, Bacchant 's pampered sailors sat in the deep cockpit or reclined on deck tucked between the cabinhouse and bulwarks.

I can testify to Bacchant 's graceful demeanor under sail. Pulling off one of her amazing come-from-behind feats, she once sailed past us in the Straits of Mackinac in conditions so boisterous that our boat was lurching from broach to broach. Rubbing it in, Emery said later, "You must have been tank testing your spinnaker pole and boom." Meanwhile, Bacchant , flying her biggest spinnaker, cruised by as if she were on rails, Sullivan steering with one hand on the tiller.

After sailing the boat in 25 Mackinac races, Sullivan, well into his ninth decade, thought it was time to retire Bacchant from racing and listed her for sale. Several would-be buyers didn't blink at the asking price but bailed out when Emery explained the maintenance protocol. Bacchant languished under her summer cover and in her winter humidor.

Then came Magnus Adlercreutz to write the latest chapter in the Bacchant story. He is a scion of a sailing family that has lived in and around the boat's birthplace, Saltsjobaden, for many generations. His father's uncle, in fact, helped build Bacchant in the Plyms Neglingvarvet yard. In bringing her home as her new owner, Adlercreutz said, he will race her and see to it that every square inch of her peerless brightwork will be cared for in the style to which the boat is accustomed.

At a reception in August marking Bacchant 's departure for Sweden, the gracious Adlercreutz actually thanked Jere Sullivan for letting him buy the boat.

I've never heard a boat buyer say anything like that before. That's the effect Bacchant has on people who appreciate truly beautiful sailboats.

Also in Full and By

• How a ‘beautiful sport’ uplifts the lives of some special new sailors
• The daysailer has sailed a long way since Captain Nat invented it
• A sailor’s best friend is always aboard to help
• The best thing about the new BVIs is what’s old—the wind and sea
• The sea is not kind to sailors on boats that fly
• Bold-sailor image will survive a bit of caution in race decisions
• A wacky idea turned brilliant, and Walter was there to see it
• Better sail smart and fast, your fans are watching
• An old sailboat and Old Glory dignify a powerboat parade
• A brilliant invention is energizing sailing—it’s called a bowsprit

Also from Bill Schanen

Visit our Popular Forums

• Monohull Sailboats
• Multihull Sailboats
• Powered Boats
• General Sailing
• Antares Yachts
• Fountaine Pajot
• Lagoon Catamarans

Cruising Business

• Boat Classifieds
• General Classifieds
• Crew Positions
• Commercial Posts
• Vendor Spotlight

Life Aboard a Boat

• Provisioning: Food & Drink
• Families, Kids, & Pets Afloat
• Recreation, Entertainment, & Fun
• Boat Ownership & Making a Living
• Liveaboard's Forum

Seamanship, Navigation & Boat Handling

• Seamanship & Boat Handling
• Training, Licensing, & Certification
• Health, Safety, & Related Gear
• Rules of the Road, Regulations, & Red Tape

Engineering & Systems

• Const. / Maint. / Refit
• Product / Service Reviews
• Electronics: Comms / AV
• Electrical: Batts / Gen / Solar
• Lithium Power Systems
• Engines & Propulsion
• Propellers & Drive Systems
• Plumbing / Fixtures
• Deck Hdw: Rigging / Sails
• Aux. Equipment & Dinghy
• Anchoring & Mooring

Photo Categories

• Member Galleries
• Life Onboard
• Sailing in the Wind
• Power Boats
• Cruising Destinations
• Maint. & Boat Building
• Marine Life
• Scuba Diving & Divers
• General Photos

Recent Photos

Listing Categories

• African Cats
• view more »
• Crew Wanted
• Crew Available
• Enhance Your Account
• Meet the Mods
• Meet the Advisors
• Signup for The Daily Cruiser Email

> > Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 28-03-2008, 11:03   Boat: Bacchant IV 36 "TRIO" of my Bacchant IV.   28-03-2008, 11:11   Boat: 1980 Endeavour 43 (Ketch) 28-03-2008, 11:14   Boat: Bacchant IV 36 "TRIO" 12-03-2009, 07:10   . There a proberly abut 5 i mostely in god condition. My one got en nye 1 M taller then standard bot the bom has bin liftede 30 cm. She got at new steringpedistal a jofa 100 so I got a littet more space in the coopit. I love saling he, but she i a bit of a hand i harbortrips in strong , i am saling whith 3 small and me whife is not a keen saler     12-03-2009, 07:15   Boat: '75 Hunter 27 SD . 02-11-2016, 02:21   Boat: Southerly 115 Most of it is in Swedish (and Danish) but you are most welcome to contribute. is fine in posts. I'd be really keen to read the story how TRIO found her way to Texas! 02-11-2016, 04:15   Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt) Thread Tools Rate This Thread : Posting Rules post new threads post replies post attachments edit your posts is are code is are are are Similar Threads Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post dblue Monohull Sailboats 5 11-10-2009 14:22 TaoJones Marine Electronics 17 30-10-2007 00:16 Sonny Monohull Sailboats 1 21-12-2006 15:15 kimberlite General Sailing Forum 1 19-08-2005 05:27 - - - - - - - Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. AMERICA'S CUP CLASSIFIEDS NEWSLETTERS SUBMIT NEWS Bacchant, Skargards 75 took line honors in the AF Offshore Race , finish in Sandhamn, Sweden 430 IMAGES Bacchant SK-75 SailboatData.com Bacchant Bacchant, 1986 Chicago to Mackinac Race Bacchant No3 Bacchant IV COMMENTS BACCHANT IV A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls. Knud Reimers "Bacchant" becomes "Old Goat" boat SSYC QUEEN'S CUP 1984 PHRF Div 1 1st 1st overall 1985 PHRF Div 1 1st 1st overall 1986 PHRF Div 1 1st 1988 IMS Div 1 1st 1st overall Silve Trophy ... Designed by Knud Reimers and built by Plyms, Bacchant was a continuation of Reimer's innovative light displacement designs in the 22 and 30 square meter classes ... Bacchant Write an Article. Covering news on classic yachting worldwide is a tall ask and with your input Classic Yacht Info can expose stories from your own back yard. We are keen to hear about everything from local regattas and classic events to a local restoration or yachting adventure. Pictures are welcome and ideal for making the article more engaging. Review of Bacchant IV The Bacchant IV has been built with different keel alternatives. Full keel. One option is a long keel. A full keel provide a better directional stability than a similar boat with a fin keel; on the other hand, better directional stability means also that the boat is more difficult to handle in a harbour with less space. The keel is made of lead. Bacchant IV Bacchant IV is a 35′ 8″ / 10.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Knud Reimers and built by Västerås Hardplast between 1964 and 1986. ... The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more. Formula. D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³ D: Displacement of the boat in pounds ... Knud H. Reimers SK-75 BACCHANT Bacchant was commissioned by Eric Lundgren in 1936, an avid racing sailor, she was to be an evolution of the 75 square meter class which was popular in Sweden during the 20′s and 30′s. Designed by Knud Reimers and built by Plyms, Bacchant was a continuation of Reimer's innovative light displacement designs in the 22 and 30 square meter ... Review of Bacchant II The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Bacchant II is about 269 kg/cm, alternatively 1508 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 269 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1508 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch. No3 Bacchant IV "It was blowing hard... she was elegantly slipping along, with soft lightness through the short Baltic chop" Nardi's Nods - By Federico Nardi of Cantiere Navale Dell Argentario. Translated by James Robinson Taylor Years ago during a race series in Sandhamn, one of the many islands off Stockholm, a Bacchant iv The Bacchant iv is a 35.7ft masthead sloop designed by Knud H Reimers and built in fiberglass between 1964 and 1986. 80 units have been built. The Bacchant iv is a heavy sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. Bacchant Toggle navigation. HOME; NEWS; YACHT REGISTER; VIDEOS; 10 CLASS; SUBSCRIBE; PARTNERS; Historical Contributions. Scott Satrom on Albert Stanton Chesebrough INVADER; Susan Henriquez on International Yacht Restoration School (Newport, Rhode Island USA); Craig Davis on ClassicSailboats.Org; Robert Albrecht on Theodore D. Wells KARINA; Pascal Lalanne on Bruce King SIGNE; Peter Noyes on L. Francis ... Bacchant IV 36ft Sailboat Bacchant IV 36ft Sailboat. I recently purchased a 1968 Bacchant IV and was wondering if there were any others in the USA. 27-03-2008, 10:44 #2: GordMay. Senior Cruiser . Join Date: Mar 2003. Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W. Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt) Posts: 50,519 1985 Bacchant IV, EUR 29.500,- 1985 Bacchant IV, EUR 29.500,-. All thru-hulls and sea-cocks (TruDesign) replaced (Öckero, Sweden: 2022). Motor Volvo Penta MD11c (1985). Freshwater cooled since installation. Start motor, seawater pump and exhaust bend (Oslo, Norway: 2022) have been replaced in recent years. All components of entire cooling circuit upgraded and renovated: new ... Famous 75 Square Metre Yacht Bacchant for Sale Famous 75 Square Metre Yacht Bacchant for Sale. Hello mr. Wettenberg, In the Wooden Boat of december I found an advertisement about Bacchant II, the famous Knud Reimers design, now for sale in the US. On the site of the broker, Emerald Yacht Ship Group, ... 1970 Bacchant IV, EUR 11.399,- Bacchant IV is a beautiful and well-sailing family cruiser in the 30' class, it is a classic on the water - and it is a solid and safe boat to be on board - even when the wind picks up. The boat is traditionally furnished with a navigation table at the descent on the BB side and a pantry to starboard. BACCHANT IV Blue Water Surf Value Rank (BWSVR) 2220. Capsize Comfort Value Rank (CCVR) 1976 Sloop Bacchant IV 35 Sloop for sale View pictures & full details of a Sloop built in 1976 by Sloop Bacchant IV 35 and available for sale. Still ravishing at 77, a beauty for the ages goes home Bacchant languished under her summer cover and in her winter humidor. Then came Magnus Adlercreutz to write the latest chapter in the Bacchant story. He is a scion of a sailing family that has lived in and around the boat's birthplace, Saltsjobaden, for many generations. His father's uncle, in fact, helped build Bacchant in the Plyms ... Västeras Hardplast Tillberga Bacchant IV Västeras Hardplast Tillberga Manufacturer. Bacchant IV Model. 10.76 m x 2.78 m Length x Width. 1.50 m Draft. 6'000 kg Displacement. GRP Material. Wheel control Steering. Long Keel Keel Type. Classic Sailing Yacht/Bacchant IV (Zweden) S-spant View pictures and details of this boat or search for more Classic Sailing Yacht/Bacchant IV (Zweden) boats for sale on boats.com. 1967 Classic Sailing Yacht/Bacchant IV (Zweden) S-spant, Leeuwarden Netherlands - boats.com Bacchant IV Picture Boat: Bacchant IV 36 "TRIO" Posts: 9 Images: 2. Bacchant IV Picture. Should anyone be interested ,this is a photo of my Bacchant IV. Attached Thumbnails 28-03-2008, 11:11 #2: S/V Elusive. Senior Cruiser. Join Date: Apr 2006. Location: California. Boat: 1980 Endeavour 43 (Ketch) Posts: 2,457 Bacchant, Skargards 75 took line honors in the AF Offshore Race Sail World - The world's largest sailing news network; sail and sailing, cruising, boating news Missing Wooden Yacht Bacchant has been racing on the Lakes for decades. There was an old Q-boat that raced many years ago...Hope. IIRC it was painted, not finished bright. IDK what became of it. stayoutofthemiddle Super Anarchist. 1,424 79 Chicago. Apr 9, 2018; Thread starter #6 Bacchant! That's the one. catamaran gulet powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht