Book – Sjöexpress – en del av kulturarvet

Description

Sjöexpress – the company that became a byword in the Swedish motorboat world. The company whose name likely became the Swedish boating community’s very first brand. Sjöexpress—the shipyard that, over its 50-year existence based on Lidingö, supplied Sweden’s boat enthusiasts with countless beautiful, fast mahogany motorboats. But after nearly 70 years of absence, the company rose again—this time in the industrial community of Kölefors in southern Östergötland. Here, a cultural enterprise has grown, placing the history of the Swedish motorboat at its center. Here, classic high-speed boats are cared for by the company’s skilled craftsmen who gently and historically restore them to their former glory. Here, the boats’ histories are documented, and starting from the company’s archives, knowledge of Sweden’s floating cultural heritage is shared with readers both online and in print.

In 2025, it will have been 127 years since Sjöexpress was first established in Stockholm, but it will also mark 10 years since Sjöexpress restarted its cultural activities in Kölefors. The book SJÖEXPRESS – EN DEL AV KULTURARVET (SJÖEXPRESS – A PART OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE) tells the story of the shipyard, its origins, and its place in Swedish boating life. Within its pages lies the story of Henning Forslund—the entrepreneur, the personality, the director—who ensured the creation and spread of the Sjöexpress brand. Here too is the story of today’s Sjöexpress, the shipyard and the venture that now plays an important role in passing on knowledge of Swedish motorboat history to today’s public and tomorrow’s enthusiasts.

Welcome into a world of varnish, chrome, the roar of engines, a love of craftsmanship, and a desire to preserve and share.

Welcome to a more beautiful boating life!

The Authors

The book is a collaboration between Anders Værnéus and Niklas Storm.

Anders Værnéus has devoted much of his life to documenting and recounting the motorboat’s place in Swedish cultural heritage, spreading knowledge and stories through printed media, digital platforms, as well as events and activities for the public. For the past 10 years, he has also run the classic boat company Sjöexpress, with operations based in Kölefors in southern Östergötland, where classic high-speed motorboats are maintained and restored for the future.

Niklas Storm is an art photographer and a versatile creator with a foothold in many different fields. One of those footholds has long stood in the world of classic boats, including three of his own boats—two of them co-owned with good friends. When life opened a door to new adventures, a collaboration began with Sjöexpress, both as a boat restorer and as part of Sjöexpress Media.