·

POTW: Meet Sjöhäxa

October 9, 2025

Canadian designer, Steve Killing(l) and new owner Jason Williams contemplate the complete restoration ahead for this classic 5.5

Midland ON is emerging as Canada’s home for restored wooden 5.5M boats. These boats were once an Olympic class and have the graceful lines that metre boats share.

Just one problem – many are old and abandoned but thanks to keeners in Midland, they are being reclaimed. This boat obviously needs a lot of TLC but her new owner Jason Williams is up to the job. Designer Steve Killing, who lives in Midland, consults to the emerging fleet and is now on the case bringing Sjöhäxa back to life. Built in Sweden in 1951 the boat  was the Portuguese entry in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki Finland.

Jason is a woodworker at Gyles Sails in Thornbury ON  and already has one restoration, Jill, to his credit.

Jill, Jason’s beautifully rebuilt 5.5 that was completed this year. Jason is hiking in the black jacket and Brian Gooderham at the helm.

Send us your photo of the week.  Of course it has to be boat related, but then it’s up to you: boats, kids, pets, sunsets!  Just send your shots to john@opmediagroup.ca and watch for your POTW in the next issues.

Related Articles

Video Gallery

Bennington 22 MSB

By Andy Adams

If you’ve already had firsthand experience with a pontoon, you will easily understand the appeal of the Bennington 22 MSB. But if you haven’t, let’s start by reviewing a few of the reasons why pontoon boats have become top sellers in markets across North America.

Pontoon boats began in the early 1950s as basically four steel drums lashed to a frame. They were not unlike the log rafts of ancient cultures and not much more sophisticated at first.

Read More

Destinations

The Best of Two Worlds

By Mathew Channer

Interior British Columbia might not be as famous for recreational boating as Canada’s Great Lakes, yet it is no less a world-class boat­ing destination. The mountains offer their own flavour of marine adventure with their series of long, deep ribbon lakes, and there is perhaps no area that embodies this more uniquely than the iconic Okanagan basin in southern B.C. One could be forgiven for assuming this valley was purpose-built for nautical fun, with a few delightful perks thrown in to make the area entirely irresistible (wine-tasting, anyone?).

Read More

Lifestyle