When it comes to timeless beauty in yacht design, robust and top-notch boatbuilding quality and a low level of value depreciation Scandinavian boat brands are always on the top listings both for new and used boats. One of these attractive brands is Finngulf, which stopped around 2008 - but is still highly sought after by yacht connoisseurs. Their designer is Karl-Johan – called “Kamu” – Stråhlmann. For this article we talk about his Finngulf past and the present with Saare yachts.
After having sailed the and tried out the Saare 38.2 a few weeks ago myself, I was deeply puzzled and excited: To be honest, I never really had this brand on my radar. But as soon as I understood that the Saare-designer is no one than Kamu Stråhlmann, the designer of Finngulf yachts, it all began to make sense for me.
No question that I would have to talk to the mastermind behind these two brands, so I was happy that Saare Yachts boss Niels Nielsen made a contact to the Finnish designer and he quickly accepted my request for an interview. Since my own new boat is not finished as of now, I couldn´t sail to him, so we´ve had to do it in the digital world – which wasn´t any less cordial and interesting.
Talking to yacht designer Karl-Johan “Kamu” Stråhlmann
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Kamu, just in short: Please introduce yourself to readers who aren´t familiar with your name.”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “Hi Lars, nice talking to you! Actually, you know, I am a fan of your articles and videos because they show so much more than just beautiful marketing material … so here we are finally, talking about my work, thank you!”
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “… oh wow, the pleasure is on my side. Thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate your praise, Kamu!”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “Now, to answer your questions, I live in Borgå, or Porvoo, close to Helsinki. I started doing boat and yacht design since the early nineties. Before that, I had studied naval architecture at Helsinki University of Technology. I guess you are referring to my involvement with Finngulf Yachts here, right? You see, my first ever Finngulf designs had actually been built by Saare Yachts. Back then the company was a little different from today. So, with them I have been working since 1998.”
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “I remember when I was a fresh landlubber starting to getting involved with sailing an boats, Finngulf yachts were among the top-boats I was looking at browsing the used boat platforms. I ended up with a King´s Cruiser 33, another Finnish brand, as you may now, but fancied Finngulf ever since. What do you think makes these boats so attractive even today?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “I would say it is a combination of their fine sailing capabilities, their reputation of being well-behaving yachts and of course their timeless, beautiful looks. That´s what you can see from the outside. If you do your research and actually look at those boats, you will quickly realize that they come from a respected builder with a good reputation. Finngulf boats are really well made yachts, still standing the trials of the seas today.”
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Now that you´ve outed yourself being a NO FRILLS SAILING-reader you probably know that I have test-sailed the Saare 38.2. You remember how puzzled I was by her light wind sailing capabilities? Is this something these boats have kind of inherited from their Finngulf-ancestors?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “Yes, sure! Obviously the modern-day Saare yachts are very much related to the Finngulfs. I mean, design-wise the same goals apply for both, but of course with a slightly different approach. I´d say that the Finngulfs had a little bit more emphasis on sporty feel and performance, whereas the Saare boats highlight comfort and cruising, be it around the world or in home waters. But their cousinship is undeniable. As is, by the way, the high quality of building the yachts. As I said before, Finngulf and Saare have always been built by the same shipyard.”
Bridging time to the present day
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Let´s get into details here a little in more. What makes the Saare-quality? What would you say are the Top 3 main characteristics which set a Saare apart, both as a boat and as a shipyard?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “Let´s start with the yacht design. For me, A Saare offers a very well-balanced hull with moderate displacement, but it is still keeping the fun of sailing. As you may have experienced yourself, a Saare may not look like it, but she indeed can be sailed very fast. In this, she retains her power even at the edge, but remains manageable. Her sail plan is not overly extreme, but again manageable and safe to drive. I would day that many owners of a Saare like her timeless design that doesn´t scream. It´s more understatement. Any type of cruising, be it a weekend-sail or the big circumnavigation can be sone with lots of comfort, which also a highlight. When it comes to her building quality, she is top notch engineered, robustly built. A Saare conveys reliability and safety, whin on the ocean, of course, is not an extra, but a must.”
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “When you work, how do you approach a new boat or an iteration of a new Saare?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “You see, the whole Saare range has evolved around the same concept over time. For us, the most important thing is to maintain the true feeling of a Saare in each new model or iteration. That said, each time we start working on a new boat, we go through a large number of different alternative solutions to find the best compromise. I do always work in a very close relation with the yard, and sometimes also with the end customer – Saare is a series boat, but with a string one-off character with lots of individualizations possible. This is because our owners are most often people who like to use their boats a lot. A Saare usually is not your typical “first” boat. Our clients know what they want, often bring a lot of experience. Another factor is their sailing reality, which is mostly sailing with very small crews. So our evolutionary steps evolve around these concepts. For example, the 38.2 is for most parts just a different version of the 38, but with a layout best suited for two persons, and the occasional guest.”
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “So I guess you do not find it difficult then to withstand the urge to design Mediterranean-style yachts?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “Honestly, if I´d had free reign, I would love to only design slender and beautiful yachts! But I of course understand the common urge for more space, volume on deck and below and more comfort. On the other hand, new developments in hull design aren´t always for the worse. So the useful and good ones will always have an impact on my work as well, sure. But I would say that Saare Yachts will never be radical in following new trends, but we are really trying to apply the best of new developments also. In the end, we try to serve our customer segment as well as we can.”
The revival of quality made boats
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “You briefly mentioned the typical Saare client. Who are the people opting to go for a Saare?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “For most part, these are all experienced sailors. Most of them have owned boats so that they really know what they need. We usually don´t get all too many dreamers or starters. We make boats in very high quality boats for people who understand these differences and who not only appreciate good craftsmanship but really understand why quality and sturdiness really matters out there. In this, being a small shipyard has the advantage that there is more room for customization. Also, the whole process of purchasing and planning your new boat is designed to first really listen to our customers and delve deep into what they need and what they want. And of course, we can adjust to these demands.”
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Since you´ve mentioned it, where is the 21st Century built into a Saare? And, more importantly, what do you think will be the direction for “serious” sailboats and Scandinavian-style yachts in the future? What are the main trends you find interesting here?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: “Most of all, I think it is absolutely exciting and also a bit crazy to realize how much of a deep impact the performance of offshore racing yachts has made in the last years! Naturally, many of these developments are not very practical to apply directly for the typical cruising sailor. Some may, some may not. It´s hard to predict something, so I cannot say I that I have a clear view of where this style of yachts is heading. For me, developments in sail-plans and sail handling systems have made a huge difference in the last years, and these will continue to do so. What this means for Saare or Scandinavian yachts is hard to say, but I don´t think we´ll fit foils in the near future …”
As a Scandinavian designer: Any comments on Peter Norlin?
Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Kamu, which of all your designs is your personal favorite? You know that I am building an Omega 42 right now, which was Peter Norlins favorite, so what is your personal Omega 42 out of your own range?”
Kamu Stråhlmann: smiles “I know you´d ask this. And just quickly, by the way, Peter Norlin’s boats have always been among my favorites, too! So congrats to your excellent choice and I hope you will sail by Helsinki with your Omega 42 soon! Back to your question: My dream boat in my youth was the Avance 36. A Norlin design as well, built in Finnland. You know that the “Scandinavian heritage” is closely connected to the fantastic archipelago we have. Although it can be a little cold at times, like today when I am writing this we just have 13 degrees Celsius and bit of rain. But anyway, this sailing areas means that reasonably sized boats that are easy to handle in our narrow and fairly shallow waters, with lots and lots of natural harbors will always win. Therefore, one of my personal favorites from my designs could be the Finngulf 33!”
Kamu, many thanks for taking your time to answer my questions! Also, I really appreciate that you´ve been digging through your photo-archive and provided us with these nice pictures! I´ll take your Omega 42 remark as an invitation and will absolutely give you a call when I am in approach to Helsinki area next year, that´s for sure!
Photo credit @ Kari Wilen / Finnboat with kind permission by Kamu Strahlmann
These articles could also be of interest for you:
Aboard the Saare 38.2 – complete walkthrough during Boot Duesseldorf
Sailing the Saare 38.2: No wind, but awe-inspiring performance!
What´s so special about Scandinavian yacht design anyway?
