Classic Sailboats

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Gösta Kyntzell

Engineer, boatbuilder, designer (1882-1961).

Born in Osthrobothnia in Finland, the young Gösta got an early start in sailing local fishing boats and pilot boats. He decided to make boats his career, and enlisted in the prestigious Chalmers Technical Institute in Gothenburg, Sweden.  

As a graduated naval architect. he worked as production manager at Klippans boatyard in Gothenburg. and also drew a string of successful yachts for local clients. His 6-metre design Agnes ll won the One-ton cup for Sweden in 1910. In 1911, he retumed to his native Finland, to manage the Borgå Båtvarv. creating a large number of inexpensive sailing boats, motor boats and work boats. The yard also built wooden naval vessels and fishing schooners. Mr. Kyntzell was most successful in the Scandinavian classes. His 22 and 30m2 skerry cruisers were unbeatable on Danish waters. His designs to the Finnish low-cost "A" and “C” classes always did well.

Mr. Kyntzell was known for his unassuming and open attitude. He was always ready to publish his designs, for the benefit of the sport. Emerging in the 1930s from the relative shadow of the flamboyant Estlander, Mr. Kyntzell received an increasing number of design commissions for international Metre yachts. His 6-metre design Inga-Lill XXVI participated in the Gold Cup finals in 1937. Anitra Il, Wire and Violet represented Finland in the Gold Cups of 1938-39 and 1947-51. His 8-metre design Katrina (1939) for Curt Mattson did not really show her paces until the clouds of World War II obscured the Finnish sailing scene.

The Helsinki Olympics of 1952 created an interest in the new 5.5 metre class, and a number of new yachts were built, 6 of them to Kyntzell’s designs. His most successful 5.5s are Inga-Lill XXXXllI, Kan-bei and lnga-Lill XXXXIV, representing Finland in the Gold Cups of 1957, 1959 and 1961 respectively.

Gösta Kyntzell is probably best known for his impressive string of own yachts, named lnga-Lill I to XXXXIV. Almost every year, he would design a new yacht in the class of his choice, and have it built at his own yard. After sailing it to string of victories, he could count on getting a good price for his own boat at the end of the season, while enhancing his reputation in the process.

Source: Nordic Designers of 8mR yachts, by Henry Clay Ericsson, in the programme for the 8Mr World Championships 2002 in Helsinki, Finland.

Reference: Ericsson, Christoffer H. Skeppsbyggaren Gösta Kyntzell.  Published by Ulla Paulig i Borgå 1999. 172 s.

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Gösta Kyntzell (1882-1961)

Gösta Kyntzell työskenteli uransa alkuvaiheessa laivatelakalla Göteborgissa. Hän piirsi samaan aikaan veneitä myös suomalaisille tilaajille. Vuonna 1911 Kyntzell palasi Suomeen Porvoon veneveistämön johtajaksi. Kyntzell suunnitteli telakalle käyttöveneitä ja -aluksia, mutta piirsi myös purjeveneitä. Vuodesta 1932 Kyntzell jatkoi suunnittelutyötään Porvoossa Wileniuksen veneveistämöllä.

Kyntzelliä kuvattiin hiljaiseksi ja maltilliseksi gentlemanniksi ja korkealla kulttuuritasolla olevaksi herrasmieheksi. Hän oli suunnittelijana erittäin tuottelias. Menestyksekkäiden Saaristoristeilijöiden jälkeen hän piirsi useita metriluokkien veneitä. 6mR- ja 5.5m -luokissa Kyntzellin veneet valittiin usein edustajiksi Kultapokaalikilpailuihin. Myös 8mR- ja 5m-veneitä syntyi suunnittelijan piirustuspöydältä.

Kansallisissa erikoisluokissa A ja C, Kyntzell loi lyömättömiä veneitä. Ylipäätään suurin osa näiden luokkien veneistä oli hänen suunnittelemiaan. Kyntzell oli kylmähermoisena pidetty ruorimies, joka yleensä suunnitteli myös itselleen veneen uusiin luokkiin.

© Pirkka Leino, Yrjö Klippi, Juha Aromaa

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