Wooden Ships Comments on this 40′ Bermudan Centreboard Ketch Built in Gävle, Sweden by brothers Tord and Targe Larsson. Launched in 1956. Built to an American ketch design, she is an unusual boat on this side of the Atlantic. Centreboard design with very shallow draft allowing access to shallow bays and canals. After her launch, the Larsson brothers with wife and partner sailed through the European canals to the Mediterranean, then across the Atlantic to the West Indies before returning to Europe, arriving in Falmouth in August 1959. Targe Larsson married his partner Mariane aboard the boat in 1960. In 1991, the boat was tracked down by Targe and Marianes son who proposed to his then girlfriend aboard her as a nod to his family history with the boat. Purchased in 2002 by the current owner, a major refit took place betweenwhere all the original iron frames were replaced in laminated oak, removing and replacing the interior along the way with complete new joinery. More recently she had a new teak over plywood deck in 2023 and all new standing rigging in 2026. The boat has been a labour of love for the owner, helping him though grief after the untimely passing of his wife. This interesting design has a very shallow draft of only 3’ with a centreplate taking the draft to 6’6” when fully lowered. Her rig is unmistakably of American origin being a fairly standard ketch but with a ‘mule sail’ set between the lasts on a Harken furler giving a large area of low aspect sail for terrific off wind power. The staysail is set on a boom and both headsails have Harken furlers making this boat very easy to single hand. Her shallow draft is ideal for going through the canals, what better way to explore Europe and reach the Mediterranean sunshine! 6 berths including a double in the forecabin and aft cabin. Her interior is delightful with all new varnished mahogany joinery giving her an beautiful feel below decks. 2026 survey available. Sensibly priced due to the owners personal circumstances meaning a quick sale is required. Length on Deck 40’ Length Overall 47’ Beam 11’3” Draft 3’ / 6’6” Construction Hull Double planked hull with staggered seams. Oak used in the first 5 planks up from the keel and mahogany thereafter. Total thickness of 1.5”. Laminated oak frames with steamed intermediate timbers all copper rivet fastened. The laminated frames were fitted by the current owner to replace the original steel frames. This work was done over a period of 5 winters between. New transom in 2005. Oak keel with an aperture for the cast iron centreboard. Stainless centreboard pin renewed in 2024. Centreboard raised and lowered with a manual bronze winch inside the cabin. Internal ballast of securely fastened lead blocks under the cabin sole. Decks and Cockpit Complete new deck structure laid over 2 winters, finished in spring 2025. Oak deck beams with a 12mm layer of marine plywood. Swept teak deck glued over the plywood joggled to a scrubbed teak king plank. Varnished mahogany covering boards set on low oak stanchions with a varnished mahogany capping rail. Bronze cleats and fairleads. Self draining centre cockpit with scrubbed teak cockpit sole and thwarts. Lockers beneath the thwarts. Wheel steering on a central binnacle. Mechanical connection between wheel and rudder. Laminated oak davits in the Scandinavian style bolted to the aft deck. Superstructure Varnished mahogany coamings with bronze portlights and windows. Coachroof lifts to a doghouse aft plus a separate coachroof over the aft cabin. Sheathed marine plywood coachroof decks on laminated spruce deck beams. Varnished grab rails. Bronze dorade vents with varnished teak dorade boxes. Bronze forehatch with a varnished teak butterfly skylight in the coachroof. Rig Spars Bermudan ketch rig on deck stepped painted alloy Sparlight masts. Main mast supported below the coachroof with oak compression posts onto a galvanised mast step in the bilge to spread the load. Rigged with a roller furling sail between the masts, known as a mule sail, or sometimes a gollywobbler. This type of sail is more commonly seen on a schooner rig so this is quite an unusual rig design. Its luff stretches from the lower section of the mizzen mast up to the head of the main mast and is sheeted to the head of the mizzen. Alloy slab reefing booms with lazy jacks and StackPack systems on main and mizzen. Alloy staysail boom with a single sheet makes for simple handling. Fixed bowsprit of moderate length to carry the jib. Standing and Running Rigging Stainless steel standing rigging all new in 2026. Internal galvanised chain plates. Varnished wooden blocks. Running rigging largely replaced in 2026. Harken MkIII roller furling systems on staysail and jib. Harken furling system also on the gollywobbler/mule sail between mizzen and main mast head so this sail can be easily furled when required. Sails Mainsail, mizzen, staysail, jib and gollywobbler/mule sail from SKB Sails. Spinnaker from Pole Sails. Winches Pair of bronze self tailing cockpit sheet winches. Pair of non-self tailing cockpit sheet winches. Pair of bronze mainsheet winches on coachroof deck. Pair of Tuffnel mast winches. Machinery Engine Yanmar 55hp 4JH4E installed new in ? Fixed 3 blade centreline bronze propeller gives ? Tanks 50 gallon stainless steel tank in the engine space. Racor fuel filter with well laid out valves to select the feed tank. 2 x 50 gallon stainless steel water tanks under the saloon settee berths Batteries and Electrics 2 x 110ah domestic batteries. 1 x 126ah engine start battery. Victron Phoenix 30 amp battery charger. Installed shore power system with 240 volt sockets around the cabin. Accommodation Berths and Headroom 6 berths including a double in the forecabin and aft cabin plus 2 single settee berths in the saloon. Berths approximately 1.95m in length. 2.03m headroom in the doghouse. General Description Stunning interior with varnished mahogany joinery finished to a high standard offering a comfortable and elegant space. Steps down over the engine box into the doghouse area. Galley to port, heads and chart desk to starboard. Chart desk faces outboard under the side deck with a heads compartment just forward of this. Mechanism to raise and lower the centreplate at the base of the companion steps built into the joinery. Port side passageway going forward into the saloon. Varnished dropleaf lahogany saloon table with a settee berth either side. Elegant mahogany joinery with lockers under the side decks. Wood burning stove against the forward bulkhead, insulated from the joinery with a copper lining around the stove. Cabin heating system from a diesel fired Eberspacher D4 hot air heater. Port side door into the forecabin with a double berth to starboard and a small seating area to port. Aft cabin with port side companion hatch. Large double berth with comfortable sitting headroom and ample portlights making the aft cabin a light and airy space. Galley Techimpex 2 burner gas stove with oven and grill. Single ceramic sink with hot and cold pressurised water. Corian work tops with smart varnished mahogany lockers. Specially fitted out lockers for crockery and cutlery. Gas bottle in a varnished locker at the forward end of the coachroof. Heads Tecma electric sea toilet discharges directly overboard. Single hand basin with hot and cold pressurised water set in a varnished mahogany work top. Equipment Contest 130 steering compass Simrad CX44 chart plotter/radar display in the cockpit Simrad AP20 autopilot. Chain drive to steering mechanism Simrad DS34 chart plotter/radar display by the chart desk Simrad log/sounder Simrad wind indicator ICOM IC-M505 DSC VHF radio Simpson Lawrence Sea Tiger electric anchor windlass 45lb CQR anchor with 3/8” galvanised chain Danforth kedge anchor Mooring warps Fenders Viking 6 person liferaft Life ring 2 x fire extinguishers 1 x fire blanket Auto fire extinguisher in the engine space Whale Gusher 30 manual bilge pump Auto electric bilge pump 1200GPH Auto electric bilge pump 2000GPH Plastimo safety ladder Bunk and berth cushions Wood burning cabin stove Eberspacher D4 diesel fired hot air cabin heater Techimpex 2 burner gas stove with oven and grill Gas bottle 10 litre calorifier tank Tecma electric sea toilet 2 x 110ah batteries 1 x 126ah battery Victron Phoenix 12 volt/30amp battery charger 240 volt sockets around the cabin Mainsail, mizzen, staysail, jib and gollywobbler/mule sail from SKB Sails Spinnaker from Pole Sails Pair of bronze self tailing cockpit sheet winches Pair of non-self tailing cockpit sheet winches Pair of bronze mainsheet winches on coachroof deck Pair of Tuffnel mast winches Harken MkIII roller furling on staysail, jib and gollywobbler Sail covers for min and mizzen Clinker rowing dinghy Johnson 2.5hp 4 stroke outboard engine Teak boarding steps Davits over the stern Ensign and staff
This 1956 Larsson Bermudan Centreboard Ketch is listed for sale in Cornwall, England. With a 40ft layout, inboard engine setup and used condition, this boat is suited to buyers looking for sail options in this location. View full details, photos and specifications for reference RB698167 on Rightboat.