Astarte, built in 1907, was the world’s first 10 Metre Rule racing yacht. She was commissioned by merchant Carl Ragnar Flodqvist, who sailed her for seven years before she changed hands several times.

 

She was designed, like Marga, by C. O. Liljegren, and in a sense is her older sister, though her lines are less fine than Marga she is nevertheless a purebred sailor and following her restoration will make fierce competition for our other 10 Metres.

 

Astarte still features her original planking and interiors, a remarkable asset given her age, although her rig has been changed from gaff to Bermudian, a modification which will be reversed with her restoration.

C.O. Liljegren
1865 – 1939 Sweden

 

A Swedish civil engineer and shipbuilder who designed both sailboats and motorboats. He received his theoretical education on boat and shipbuilding at the Royal Institute of Technology, and also taught himself as a shipbuilder in Gothenburg. After graduation, Liljegren traveled around England, France and Germany to study the construction of boats.

 

In the 1920’s he moved to the US and thus, was no longer active in Sweden.

 

Liljegren is famous for his daring designs such as the first “lottery yacht” for the Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS), named “Prisca”, which was built from retrieved iron in 1899 and is considered to be his masterpiece. In addition to the two 10-Metre yachts Margaand Astarte, he also designed several 6 and 8-Metre yachts.