Like England, Sweden is a country with many miles of coastline and a rich boating history. It is therefore not surprising that Sweden has been well supplied with good designers, boat builders and craftsmen. The geography and designers have also left their mark on the boats created here.
Roughly speaking, it can be said that the Swedish south and west coasts have produced more robust and relatively wider types of boats, while the east coast, with its sheltered archipelagos, has produced somewhat more slender vessels.
SQUARE METRES
The Square Metreis probably the most famous example of a boat type designed for Swedish conditions. The rule came in 1908 and was an immediate success, partly in conflict with the then newly created international rule. Critics and supporters were divided according to the marine conditions, with the west coast, with its more open sea, becoming a stronghold for the R-rule and the Square Metres being celebrated on the east coast with more sheltered conditions. But economics also came into play and the R-boats were expensive to build, while the new Swedish rule initially made it possible to build fast, cheaper boats suitable for the archipelagos. Gradually, however, even the Square Metres became more
