Yacht racing and cruising can be a mixture of many things: recreation, adventure, nature, competition and more. In the early 20th century, they were dominated by financially successful, mostly middle-aged men, and very few women, often with an industrial or commercial background. Whether they raced for prestigious trophies or in local regattas or were simply sailing for pleasure, the allure lay in the pursuit of excellence and the camaraderie forged on the sheltered waters. One sailor finishing last in a race captured the atmosphere perfectly, exclaiming that he was “last of the angels, but still in heaven.”
Henrik Ramsay was of this mould. He wrote his legendary memoir Sommar och segel 1945-46 in Swedish. With this translation into English we hope that Ramsay’s unique experience and times will reach present day classic yacht enthusiasts and yachting history buffs as well as those more generally interested in Nordic history and culture. The book has guided so many Nordic sailors to a devotion to sailing on the racecourses or in the archipelago. In Ramsay’s world, passion meets performance and precision. The love for the sea runs deep. Ramsay delves into the irresistible appeal of yacht racing and cruising, exploring the thrill of competition and the serenity of nature with a deep respect for the local inhabitants of the archipelago and their history and culture.
Notably, many of the boats and classes depicted in the book remain active today. They are sailed by later generations of enthusiasts - some in the original families, others drawn to the unique pre-World War II ethos that Ramsay so masterfully represented.
For racing enthusiasts there is nothing quite like the adre
naline rush of crossing the starting line, the exhilaration of jockeying for position amidst a fleet of contenders and the sheer joy of crossing the finish line ahead of the pack. In his memoirs, Ramsay presents many sailing comrades, such as yacht designers Gustaf Estlander, Tore Holm and Johan Anker, the French sailing ambassador Virginie Hériot, yacht designers and builders Olin and Rod Stephens from the USA and shipowner Sven Salén from Sweden.
While yacht racing may be all about speed and competition, cruising offers a different kind of adventure – one characterised by relaxation, exploration and the simple joy of being at sea.
Ramsay presents many of his favourite spots and routes in the archipelago between St. Petersburg in the east and Stockholm in the west. With his cruising yacht Regina, Ramsay and his family were able to escape the pressures of every day and immerse themselves in the tranquility of cruising life.
Most of all, Ramsay loved racing in Sandhamn, Sweden. He and his sailing friends wrote poems and sang songs about the voyages from Helsinki to Sandhamn. After a beautiful voyage, they would then race fiercely against the best sailors of the time, often with their now famous constructors at the helm. Whether it was the thrill of competition or the serenity of cruising, the love for both ran deep in the heart of Ramsay and his contemporaries, all now appearing once more on the waters of the Baltic in the masterful storytelling of the author.

På svenska:

Henrik Ramsays hyllade verk Sommar och segel når snart en internationell publik när George Gouldings engelska översättning släpps nästa vår, 69 år efter bokens första svenska utgåva.

Sommar och segel är en fängslande självbiografi med starka skildringar av natur och kamratskap bland seglare och skärgårdsbor. Ramsay är en sjöfarande poet som väver samman reflektioner om historia, hav, livsfrågor och kappseglingens adrenalinfyllda hets.

För Ramsay representerade havet och skärgården frihet, tillhörighet och historisk kontinuitet. Den glittrande fjärdarna, med sina vindpinade klippor, rymmer minnen av hans barndoms seglatser – doften av hav och tall, ljudet av hissade bomullssegel och stilla kvällar i hamnarna. Mot slutet av hans liv, blev minnen en tröst under arbetstyngda åren då seglingen låg på undantag och genom de svåra krigstiderna, då Ramsay tjänstgjorde som utrikesminister. 

Ramsay såg kappsegling som en konstform som krävde skicklighet i sporten, mod och stor koncentration. Han lovsjunger samtida båtar, klasser, konstruktörer och rorsmän. Hans hjältar och vänner var Gustaf Estlander, Tore Holm och Johan Anker, den franska seglardrottningen Madame Virginie Hériot och de amerikanska konstruktörerna Olin och Rod Stephens och den storseglande skeppsredaren Sven Salén.

Ramsay beskriver sina otaliga smultronställen och rutter i skärgården mellan St. Petersburg och Stockholm med andakt. På äldre dagar kunde Ramsay med familj fly vardagens bekymmer och njuta av skärgårdens lugn med sin drömbåt - havskryssaren Regina (i dag seglar den legendariska båten aktivt under KSSS flagg).

Särskilt inspirerande för seglare är hans beskrivningar av Sandhamn i Sverige och Oyster Bay på ostkusten i USA. Ramsay älskade tävlingarna i Sandhamn och skrev dikter och sånger om seglingarna dit från Helsingfors. Efter äventyrsfulla överfarter, kappseglade han mot tidens bästa båtar, ofta med sina berömda konstruktörer vid rodret. Ramsays smittande kärlek till havet fortsätter att locka nya generationer att segla i hans kölvatten.