Dione
Design: Olle Enderlein
Built: 1959
Builder: Grönsta
Original Owner: Ola Wettergren
LOA: 15.75m / 51’8”
Beam: 4.20m / 13’10”
Draft: 2.10m /7’2”
Displacement: 17 tonnes
Hull: Mahogany planking (glued) on laminated oak frames
Deck: Teak on ply
Engine: Volvo 55hp
Current Location: Brittany, France.
From the Yacht Broker's website:
HISTORY
DIONE was built over two years, between the autumn of 1957 and the spring of 1959, for the then commodore of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Ola Wettergren. The lead designer was Olle Enderlein with significant input from Rod and Olin Stephens who were good friends of Ola Wettergren. It is no coincidence that DIONE has striking similarities to Anitra, designed by Sparkman & Stephens and the only Swedish yacht ever to win the Fastnet race.
She was built in the Grönsta Yard at Lidingo, just outside Stockholm and only ¾ mile from Ola Wettergren's house. Supervised by Mr Schold, the work was carried out by three, sixth-generation Estonian shipwrights and two Swiss cabinetmakers. Her hull planking is glued, all cut from a single Honduras mahogany tree, and fixed to laminated oak frames. The deck is teak on a plywood sub-deck. The original spruce spars were replaced with aluminium in the late 1970s. The turtle-back coach-house and hatches are teak and much of the fine interior is in walnut.
At one time DIONE was surveyed by Gustaf Plym of the Swedish boatbuilders Bengt Plym, who built many beautiful wooden boats, including Capricia and Baracuda. He wrote that DIONE is one of the best built wooden boats in the world. In his report he said: “as may have been noted I have found it difficult to avoid becoming enthusiastic about DIONE. I dare say that in my 40 years of dealing with yachts I can remember few, if any, occasions when I have come across anything like her, taking into account that she is 21 years old. I am convinced that there are no possibilities to build a yacht like DIONE in Sweden today.”
In a later survey, Mr M G Duff writes: “when one’s criteria are normal healthy design, exceptional beauty and unique standard of construction there are very few yachts to consider. DIONE is an outstanding example and we have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending her.”
In 1961 and 1963 Ola Wettergren was captain of the Swedish Admirals Cup team and brought DIONE to the Solent to race against the likes of Stormvogel, Zwerver and Outlaw. Following those appearances in the UK she features twice in the 1964 Beken book “beauty of sail”. In the Baltic during the 1960s and early 1970s DIONE and Ola Wettergren had a hugely successful racing career, winning the Round Gotland on several occasions, amongst more than 75 challenge trophies.
DIONE was designed not only to race but also as a yacht to take the Wettergren family on their summer cruises around the Stockholm Archipelago. Full size mock-ups of the interior were made at the Wettergrens house to ensure all aspects worked perfectly. Ola Wettergren writes: “for example the bunk high up was a bit too low so the girls could not sit in the bed and make their hair so I lowered it a bit.”
An interesting feature of her interior is the saloon table, which has inlay work depicting the Vasa (or Wasa), the Swedish warship built for the king that capsized and sank within 300m of the quayside on 10th August 1628. The wood used was given to Ola Wettergren by his friend, Karl Franzen, who discovered the Vasa at the bottom of Stockholm Harbour in 1954. The wood was part of a “plug” brought to the surface before the ship was raised. The other vessel depicted is the Pamier, one of the last, great, grain square riggers.
DIONE remained in her original ownership until 1976, when she was sold to Ireland. She cruised extensively, including to the south of France. In 1981 she was sold again and moved to Scotland, with cruises to Ireland and the Cantabrian coast of Spain.
In 1988 DIONE was purchased by Howard Bryan, who, with his family, cruised extensively in Scotland, Norway, Ireland and the Baltic. He took DIONE back to Stockholm on two occasions to race in the Round Gotland and other classic yacht regattas.
In 2000 she won the Scottish Offshore Championship against all comers.
In 2001 Howard Bryan and his family sailed her non-stop from Largs to northern Norway, to visit the Lofoten Islands.
In December 2004 DIONE was purchased by Jeffrey Streule. Over the winter and spring of 2004/05 she underwent a major refit. Due to a change in the owner’s plans DIONE is now very reluctantly for sale.
With her striking design and varnished mahogany hull she really is a fabulous classic yacht, attracting attention wherever she goes. Owning her is an exceptional experience.
CONSTRUCTION
DIONE has a conventional long keel displacement hull form with a lead ballast keel. The rudder is hung the full depth of the vessel.
Mahogany planking (glued) triple fastened to laminated oak frames.
Galvanised steel floors
Oak backbone with iron ballast keel
Teak deck on ply sub-deck
Hatches, coachroof, etc. In teak.
Interior in teak and walnut
DECK LAYOUT
DIONE has an incredible deep and well protected cockpit, her first owner was mindful of his family's safety while cruising as well as his racing crew. The coamings and deck joinery are teak along with her deck hatches and stylish dog-house - which is reminiscent of Sparkman & Stephens boats from this period.
The cockpit is split between crew area and helmsman's area with a basic bridgedeck, mainsheet blocks, compass binnacle and ship's wheel.
The cockpit lockers are deep (Avon dinghy stored port side) - there is a cockpit table, which when deployed could sit six comfortably and an occasional drinks table for the aft deck.
DIONE's side decks are wide and her mid and foredeck are uncluttered. Three deck hatches have covers to protect the brightwork and she has three dorades mounted on teak boxes. A liferaft is also stowed mid-deck.
ACCOMMODATION
8/9 berths in 4 cabins
Entering below deck through the companionway the dog-house or pilot house accommodates a full size chart table with endless storage drawers and quarter berth situated aft. To port is the galley with a Force Ten gas cooker and oven (new 2005). The galley area has plenty of storage space for plates and utensils. Hot water from the engine calorifier with an immersion heater provides pressurised hot water to the galley and the heads. There is a very large fridge door loading and stainless lined situated under the chart table.
The main saloon is mirrored port and starboard with comfortable settees either side of the saloon table - there is a pilot berth outboard of the settee to port and a very neat fold down berth with sprung mattress to starboard. The joinery is walnut and the deck heads are painted white making the entire boat feel warm and light.
The wc / heads and shower compartment were cmpletely refitted in 2005/6. There is a new Taylors Baby Blake toilet, custom-made shower tray, vanity mirror and wash basin - stunning teak joinery.
DIONE's forward accommodation is made up of another two separate cabins; the first one was designed to sleep 4 in racing mode and has twin bunks port and starboard with much drawer and locker space. The forepeak actually comprised of a V-berth and anchor locker; this space currently has sheets neatly stowed and is ideal for sail stowage, or extra accommodation when the boat is fully crewed.
DIONE has Eberspacher heating with vents throughout the boat including the largest hanging wardrobe.
MACHINERY
Volvo MD22, 55hp (1989/90)
Hydraulic gearbox
Two-bladed fixed prop
Fuel tank - 100 gallons
Water tank - 100 gallons
ELECTRICAL
Dedicated engine start 12v battery
Separate crank-shaft mounted alternator serves 24v system for all other applications
4 x 70 amp/h domestic batteries
RIG AND SAILS
Currently sloop rigged (originally a yawl).
Proctor alloy mast 1979
Harken furling headsail system.
Alloy spinnaker pole.
- Winches
The single main-sheet, 2 primary and 2 spinnaker winches are new (2005) all stainless steel, self-tailing Andersen winches (fabulous!)
- Sails
Fully battened main - Saturn Dacron 1991
Yankee - Saturn Dacron 1995
Genoa - Saturn Dacron 1993
Spinnaker - Saturn nylon 1992
Please note that DIONE has a new sail number, GBR 1959l, and the existing sails bear the old number, IRL 1.
ELECTRONICS
• By helm position
Dateline depth
Dateline speed
Dateline wind
• Below deck
Phillips GPS
Neco autopilot
Navtex
Stowe interfaced log/speed/depth/wind
VHF
EXTRA EQUIPMENT
Electric windlass
Liferaft
Avon tender with Yamaha Malta outboard
Boarding gates and steps
Drinks table for aft deck area
Crockery, cutlery, etc.
TV
Carpets
Canvas sun/winter cover
2005 / 2006 REFIT
The following work was carried out or items purchased new in 2005 or 2006.
New stainless steel cowl vents (US import)
Rebuilt dorade boxes
New Perspex windows
Re-chroming of coach-house window frames
Five stainless steel Andersen winches
Four Andersen stainless steel genoa blocks/cars
Mainsheet and genoa sheets (“classic” hemp coloured 16-plait polyester) removal, galvanising and re-fitting of steel floors in way of mast step
Waterproof cockpit cushions
Covers for forehatch and two deck hatches
New upholstery throughout
Force Ten cooker with new Corgi compliant gas installation
Taylors Baby Blake deluxe toilet
Bespoke shower tray
Plus numerous jobs of repair, maintenance and improvement.
