Gavin Brady’s BMW Oracle Racing crew take wide stances as they roll to windward on the first run of their match against Magnus Holmberg. (Dan Ljungsvik)
Event:Swedish Match Cup Boat: DS 37 Match Racer
Designer: Jacob Vierö, 1991
The DS 37 One-Design Match-Racer is considered a next-to-perfect boat for match-racing. It is fast and nimble, thus a challenge to its crew of five, not least in rough weather. It was designed specifically for match-racing by a Danish design team in 1991.
The boats used in Marstrand are owned by different yacht clubs and companies in Denmark, and gathered together for large events. Two of the boats are used by the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club in the training of new Swedish match-racing teams. These two boats are also for hire as part of a conference program in the GKSS’s clubhouse.
Hull and deck are of a very strong sandwich construction, with hand-laid fiberglass and NGA gel coat over the top. The keel is made of galvanized steel, and doubles as the lifting point for the boat, which is light enough to be lifted by a single point on a 2-ton crane.