Ohlson 45

Ohlson 45 “Diotima”

It was in 1968, when Ed Hennessy jr., the well-known US Businessman, then CEO of Allied Signal, decided to acquire a new sailing yacht to comply with his racing ambitions.

Hennessy decided to choose an Einar Ohlson design, a 45 ft Yawl built in Aluminium Alloy by Huisman in the Netherlands. After “Germania VI”, built in 1966 by Abeking & Rasmussen of Lemwerder/Germany, she is probably one of a few welded aluminium round frame vessels. Only few yacht builders were capable to master this then new technology in those days. Huisman was first choice, and “Beth-A-Belle” was launched in 1969 as Build No. 247. Being finished in 1970, she successfully took part in the Bermuda Race as well as in others like the Newport Race.

This largest “Einar Ohlson” design remains the only one ever built.

After being raced for a couple of years she was sold to Detroit reportedly commissioned as flagship of the Bayview Yacht-Club before she was bought by a German Professor who sailed her from the St. Lorenz River across the Atlantic to the Netherlands.

The current German owner bought her in 2004 and consequently performed a comprehensive refit on the reputable Walsted Boatyard in Denmark. All systems have been renewed except for the hull which was and is in as new condition.

Since then, she has been sailed the Atlantic and Mediterranean now berthed at the Swedish West Coast, back to where her roots lie.

Principal dimensions are: 13,50m x 3,98m x 1,90m, 13 tons.