vinylester resins, laid up as solid laminate below the waterline and 20mm balsa sandwich above. The deck is also 20mm balsa sandwich with solid laminate and backing plates beneath high-load areas, and hull and deck are fixed and fastened together. The keel is lead and the rudder stock is 73mm of solid aluminium with self-aligning Jefa bearings top and bottom and a closed-cell foam-filled rudder.


Sailplan She has a keel-stepped, 9/10


fractional rig by Seldén, with a pair of swept-back spreaders. Tindra had a blade jib and, with chainplates outboard, anything overlapping more than 110% is a non-starter. Swedestar also offers a self-tacking jib, which would cut down on both sail area and crew work. Tindra had just had her German-


style mainsheet replaced with a simple 6:1 mainsheet. It’s less of a trip hazard on the sidedecks and much quicker to ease in a gust.


Deck layout The helm position is protected by


coamings to keep out water on the sidedecks, the pushpit is perfectly position to rest an elbow while tweaking the 1.2m-diameter wheel. Forward of the main traveller


there are two 4ft 5in cockpit benches with great backrests if you’re facing aft. Beneath them is some shallow stowage but the lion’s share is in the two quarter lockers. She has a cleverly designed two-part cockpit table. The first part clips onto the binnacle, which is fine for two. A second section clips onto the first, supported by a leg that fits into a socket in the cockpit sole,


extending seating to four or six. It’s a bit fiddly but the flexibility is handy. The sidedecks are wide and clear.


Lines lead below the coachroof through individual ducts to banks of clutches, stainless steel grabrails run as far as the shrouds and there’s an aluminium toerail further forward. The anchor locker has no lock, so pitching in heavy seas could be interesting. Aft of the recessed furler, the anchor locker is quite small but has a hawse pipe through to a secondary chain locker below.


Under power Tindra has a two-blade folding prop


on a saildrive, driven by a 29hp Volvo Penta D1-30 diesel engine. At 2,000rpm she cruised at 6 knots and flat out, at a curiously low 2,700rpm, she clocked 7.2 knots. She turns in her own length forward and within two boat lengths astern. Steering astern, she’s firm in the hand but never uncontrollable. Engine access is quite good,


through side-hinged companionway steps and a panel in the port aft cabin, though a mirror would help you to check the raw water inlet. W


Performance fans will love the Swedestar 370 and she’ll certainly rattle through the miles, but she might not be the most relaxing boat to sail


Engine access is good, through side-hinged steps and panels


YM’s 100-POINT RESULTS UNDER SAIL


PERFORMANCE In the right hands, this would be a blisteringly quick boat but we didn’t get close to her limits. Even with our restricted sailplan and my unfamiliarity with her, we spent most of the time logging speeds between 7 and 9 knots. She isn’t quite as intuitive to sail as some other Swedish


9 /10


AT THE HELM The narrow transom makes for an extremely comfortable helm experience. The low-profile coachroof gives unobstructed views forward and you have several sail controls close to hand. The Jefa steering system feels excellent but, perhaps harshly, she loses a mark for her very slightly woolly


9 ON DECK /10


DECK LAYOUT The helm position is excellent, the cockpit is simple and effective and the coamings keep it comfortable and dry. Sidedecks are wide and clear and hand-holds are where they should be. She needs a permanent bow roller, a windlass, an anchor locker latch and a gas bottle in the quarter locker rather than the anchor locker.


8 /10


SAILPLAN She has an easily managed sailplan and everything on deck is specified to handle the load with ease, but the fact that she has more power than the comparable X-Yacht flags up an issue for cruisers. With her narrow beam and rounded stern she’ll fly in light airs, but having two reefs in a Force 4? That seems wrong.


7 BUILD


DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION There’s a retro feel about Södergren’s Swedestar, evoking some Van de Stadt designs, and she’s certainly a looker. The price paid in headroom isn’t too severe. She’s very well built in all respects but, bearing in mind her market, she lacks a few refinements, such as drawers on


/10


runners and soft-


8 /10


MAINTENANCE With the exception of the raw water filter, one of the most frequently checked components, engine access for maintenance is good. The seacocks are fairly easy to get at throughout the boat and saloon sole panels allow access to the keelbolts. You can’t easily get at the chainplates and steering quadrant access from below is


7


‘To mitigate her brute strength, she is stiffer than most... possibly too powerful for two-handed use despite an impressive ballast ratio’


Take a video tour of the Swedestar 370 at:


/10


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