Stockholm Archipelago

[Graham W]

It's sounding more and more appealing, especially with the news that the brackish water deters biting insects.  Maybe next year?

[Tony]

Hi, Johan.
How are you getting on with "Lill-Freja"?
If she's anything like "Four Sisters" she'll be ideal in your home waters.

[Johan Ellingsen]

Hi Tony,
Sadly, I've had my mobility rather drastically reduced by a new, chronic back problem; this resulted in a marked tendency to fall off and come home soaked. Wife withdrew support/ put her foot down.
So I had to pass on "Lill-Freja" in the family, and am back to 50% ballast ratio, the kind of places where you can phone ahead for somebody to take your lines, and disgruntled thoughts about bow thrusters. BUT she's a sweet little sailer and terrific to look at.

[Johan Ellingsen]

Muddled the pictures

[michaeln]

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement and I will report back on our trip.

Johan - Lill Freja looks beautiful - Looking forward to meeting you in June.

[Tony]

Hi, Johan.
Good to hear from you again. 
Very sorry to hear of your back problem but glad you are still sailing despite that. 
I am continually asked  to pass "Four Sisters" over to one of my four daughters on the grounds that she would look after the boat better than I - being old, weak-knee'd and senile - do.  As the daughter in question will probably be the one to choose my Care Home I have to be careful how I  fend her off  ....but fend her off I will !
I will certainly NOT let her see your photo of the gorgeous "Lill Freja" as the contrast with poor, battered "Four Sisters"  will lend weight to her argument.  The background to your pictures  -  reed -fringed lakes, birch trees, etc. - has me searching for ferry timetables on the net. It looks too good to put off a visit for much longer!

PS  Any photos of "Lill Freja" sailing?  I've often wondered how your rig compares with my balanced Lug.

[Johan Ellingsen]

Hi Tony and Michael,
Michael, what are your dates? -In the April "Classic Boat" there is a nice article about the Swedish E Coast, more S of Stockholm though. At the top of p.56, a picture of "Dragets Kanal".This is a funny place, 10 M SW of Nynäshamn. It is a ditch, 200x 8 metres, blasted by the Navy in the late 19th century, to provide a sheltered shortcut for the diabolical but very unseaworthy steam torpedo-boats of the time.(Can you believe it- 40x4 metres, twin bow tubes, 20 knots with the safety-valve screwed down tight, and only the glow of your cigar to illuminate the chart on your open bridge, at night...they were men in those days!) Tony, no good sailing picture, could only find one with the main up, on the trailer.Also one of the sail plan. You must of course come here! We will ensure that your topsides are dry and your insides wet! And have a bit of a trial?
Cheers/Johan

[michaeln]

Johan I will keep an eye out for Classic Boat. I have sent you a PEM with dates.

[michaeln]

Apologies fro the delay on reporting back on our Swedish "expedition" but for anyone thinking about a holiday sailing in the Stockholm Archipelago I can thoroughly recommend it.

A three and a half day drive from Belfast to our Sea Cottage,  about 18 miles north east of Stockholm, towing our BR20, was an enjoyable road trip with which to start and end the holiday. The only hassle was the endless roadworks on the autobahn in Northern Germany.

Our waterside accommodation was perfect and the owner had organised the use of a slip at an adjacent boat club for launch and recovery. He even let us park the trailer in his garden.

The Archipelago is beautiful and great sailing once you get used to the massive cruise ships and various high speed ferries. The only aspect that didn't go to plan was the weather which was wet and blustery for quite a few days - definitely not shorts and tee-shirt weather. Having come home to an endless succession of Atlantic lows, that constitute summer in Northern Ireland, thoughts are turning to a cabin!

We also spent time with Johan Ellingsen  and I want to thank him for his help, advice and hospitality. He added tremendously to our enjoyment of sailing around the Archipelago.

[michaeln]

Having problems attaching photos

[Richard Walkerley]

We also managed a few days sailing with our BR20 in the Stockholm Archipelago in August when visiting friends. We were further south in the Dalaro - Ornö  -Muskö area and saw no cruise ships at all. Despite being warned that it would be busy in August it seemed very quiet despite great weather.

We managed to navigate using the Navionics app on an iPhone (see attached).

So a highly recommend area and would be a great place for a real raid - stopping at different places each night!

[Johan Ellingsen]

Sailing picture!
Thank you Michael for coming to see us, your BR20 is lovely.

[Tony]

Hi, Johan .
Nice to see the sister ship to "Four Sisters" under sail.
(How do you get on with that high-tech mast? Well, it's high tech compared to my lug sail.)

[Johan Ellingsen]

Hi everybody,

If there would be interest in an Archipelago Raid, I would love to help organizing it, (and be committee boat?) One possible jumping-off point would be the Swedish Cruising Club out- harbour at Malma Kvarn, which is right in the middle of things, is populated by the like- minded, and has a super jetty-side restaurant.

The only problem is that nowadays you can't guarantee any weather at all! Earlier this month, we had a gang of Swedish friends to show round our corner of West Cornwall, and we were mostly drenched/ blown off our feet- and September used to be a dependable month.

If any people feel stirrings of attraction to the idea, please let me know!

/Johan

[Johan Ellingsen]

Tony,
Hi-tech it's not! Original SB CF mast painted white, with off-the shelf boom and kicker. Very convenient.
Next idea: convert mizzen to conventional arrangement: setting up the original in a strong wind painful!
Best,
Johan