TECHNICAL Swedestar 370


l Price £258,500 l LOA 11.3m (37ft 1in) l LWL 10m (32ft 10in) l Beam 3.43m (11ft 3in) l Draught 1.85m (6ft) l Displacement 6,200kg (13,670 lb) l Ballast 2,600kg (5,730 lb) l Sail area 76.7m2


(826sq ft)


l Engine 28hp l Diesel 100 lit (22 gal) l Water 260 lit (57 gal) l Displ/length 172.94 l Sail area/displ 23.12 l Ballast ratio (%) 42 l RCD category A l STIX 39 l Designer Håkan Södergren l Builder Lidköpings Båtsnickeri l Contact SD Marine l Tel 023 8045 7278 l Website www.sdmarine.co.uk


1 2 3 THREE ALTERNATIVE CHOICES


Arcona 370 £170,000 The Estonian-built 370 is Arcona’s most successful model, with a less powerful sail plan and a similar layout on deck and below


HR 372 £257,175 (€290,000) We loved the 372 and weren’t at all surprised when she was awarded European Yacht of the Year. Top choice


Used X-37 (2007) about £177,000 Stiff, quick and powerful Danish cruiser- racer with an excellent reputation. She could be a bit lively for cruising


BELOW DECK


CHART TABLE The Swedestar’s chart table feels very snug and fits me, at least, like a glove. Adjustments could be made to accommodate instrumentation and there’s plenty of stowage for navigational paraphernalia, including almanacs and pilot books. Add a flexible day/night light and it’s as good as it


9


GALLEY The L-shaped format and lack of bracing means, without a galley strap, it’s not easy to use in a seaway. There’s a fair amount of work space, stowage is good, likewise ventilation, and the lighting is first-rate. The coachroof windows are also at the perfect height for the cook to survey the


/10 9 /10


HEADS The lighting is top- notch, helped by the white, easy-to-clean décor, and the coachroof portlight ventilates well. Bracing on the toilet is good and there’s a wet locker behind it. There’s no shower head bracket and the shower sump drains via a limber hole into the bilge, which saves a pump but risks clogging the bilge strum


8


LIVING BELOW Forward of the companionway the layout is tried, tested and successful. The forward cabin is excellent, the saloon is spacious and comfortable and has reasonable stowage. The three-cabin layout is a non-starter, hence the score, so I’d go for two cabins, more stowage and a bigger heads.


/10 6 /10


100-POINT BOAT TEST 100-POINT BOAT TEST


The UK’s most comprehensive yacht tests


10.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0


-0.2 -0.4


stability 130.76°


20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 Angle of vanishing


Heel angle (degrees) 15°


30° 10


Boatspeed (knots)


8


True wind 4


2 90° 6 45°


True wind (degrees)


60° Maximum G/Z 59.92°


75°


7 6 5 4 3


8 9


10 11 12


150° 180° 165° 135°


105°


120°


TOTAL SCORE


The 370 makes an impressive début. The quality of craftsmanship is up to Swedish standards and the mahogany is beautifully finished, but she needs a few refinements to justify her place in the luxury bracket. The conventional deck layout works well and the helm feels fabulous. I feel she’s too thoroughbred for cruising. The sailplan is huge and the boat is light so, despite a decent ballast ratio, you’ll be reefing in anything over a Force 3. For most of us, the cruiser-racer


80


GZ (m)


Windforce


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7