start | introduction | news | catalog | swedish boatconstructors | order | contact | books | links | international | swedish

(This articel is translation from the magazine Båtliv 1997:4)

Boa tconstruction was Ruben E. Östlund's great interest besides his work as an engineconstructor. Despite short education he was a professional constructor of new engines for Atlas, Avance and Bolinders.
But he will not be remembered for just strong diesel-engines - it was the magnificant motoryachts that put his name on the map. The finacial kings of Sweden at that time put a lot of money into motoryachts, designed by Ruben Östlund.
Ivar Kreuger's 36" racingboat "Svalan" was incredibly fast for its time with a top

speed of 52 knots and powered by a 650 hp engine. The boat was built at Lidingö-warf in 1928 as a commuter with a saloon. Svalan has been rebuilt in 2001 and this mahogany muscle-boat is quite a sight - and the sound is enormous!
Among Östlund's wellknown racer, Sea Song, drawn in 1923 for Erik Åkerlund, was very successful with quite a few 1:st placings in races.

Östlund was full of ideas - a real genius of fast motorboats, always improving his constructions.

 

A fast-going boat with "steps" in the bottom was orderd by major Nils Ahlström 1929 and built at the Lidingö-warf the same year. The boat, 9,6x1,7m, was named "Budde II". She had an Hall Scott 200 Hp gasoline-engine, wich gave her the speed of 32 knots. Displacement 2,2 ton.

© 2002 Torbjörn Axner.