Skerry Cruiser
30 - m ² - Schärenkreuzer are the most widely used member of a class of sports sailboats ( Sw: " skärgårdskryssare "). The number refers to the sail area of - nominally - 30 sqm; they are also called simply " thirties ".
Schärenkreuzer are characterized by - measured at the fuselage length - relatively small sail area and moderate displacement, but good handling and high hull speed. Kenner but they particularly appreciate for their timeless and elegant lines.
They were developed in the second half of the 19th century on the Baltic coast of Sweden, to meet the local very different wind and wave conditions meet. Compared with the then usual sports boats, the high rig also responded to gentle breezes in the lee of the archipelago, the short keel secured maneuverability, the sleek hull shape in combination with the long overhangs reduced the braking effect. At the same time, however, the effective length of waterline and thus the hull speed lengthened at heel. So sporty sailing was possible. By today's standards, the " thirties " are considered untertakelt, due to the narrow lines they are in principle not to slide and the space under the deck is barely larger than that of a half as long Daysailers. Praised be against it - besides the beauty - the price continuity and the achievable rate on the wind.
As in the period before the First World War in the measurement of the R- yachts of the trend to heavier (and therefore to purchase and operate expensive) loomed designs, beat sailors in Sweden as an alternative, only to use the sail area for the division into racing classes; otherwise, the designers should be free hand to develop as fast as possible to keep boats ( class design ). 1908 seven Schärenkreuzer classes were from the Royal Swedish Sailing Federation defined and admitted ( 1925: nine classes of 15 m² in ) with upwind areas from 30 to 150 m².
The result of the uncompromising simple scheme was a series of elegant and very fast racing yachts, where, however, the limits of the boat-building were reached soon, as the ever-lengthening, but still very narrow hulls were able to get over in a seaway. Thus, the building regulations in 1925 were fundamentally changed: who wanted to make his yacht longer had to raise even speed inflammatory parameters ( displacement as Schiffsmaß, trunk width, etc. ). 1920 - Antwerp - were the 30s and the 40s Schärenkreuzer Olympic classes. 1930, the measurement of the sail area was changed. Later, since no significant changes were decided, this design class has been effectively "frozen" at the stage the elegant lines of the 1920s. Especially in the Swedish Baltic Sea area, the smaller the Schärenkreuzer were - as expected from their initiators - a kind of "people's boat."
After the First World War, the German sailors were trying to get out of the isolation of the German Reich and put increasingly on Schärenkreuzer. In the 30s, the English designer and publicist Uffa Fox made these sports boats in the UK and overseas popular. The influential L. Francis Herreshoff in the United States was enthusiastic about it. End of the 30s sailed in Sweden about 500 of these yachts, in Germany about 100, about 20 in England and 25 in the United States.
After the Second World War, however, slowed increased comfort wishes of many sailors the growth of the class. For easy care, comparatively inexpensive plastic boats with standing height, sanitary room and pantry provide more convenience with significantly shorter length. However, the end of the 60s there was a marked revival, particularly on Lake Constance. There is also the 22er Schärenkreuzer high popularity. 1970, a road worthy twist on the classic 30 - m ² archipelago cruiser has been proposed in Gothenburg; It was under the designation "S -30" made a success, and to 1979.
Since the designer still has a free hand, ships of this class can have a length of 11-13 m; The width is generally around 2 m, they displace about 2-3 tons. A peculiarity of the measurement formula of 1930 causes a thirties actually ( legally) can have a close-hauled sail area of 50 m².