baltic 27 sailboat

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Discover the best Baltic sailing routes: from Scandinavia to hidden eastern gems

• February 1, 2023

From popular Scandinavian waters, to off-the-beaten-track eastern gems, Wietze van der Laan and Janneke Kuysters share six great Baltic sailing routes

The Baltic is one of the best cruising grounds in Europe, with a myriad of options to choose from. But how can you make the most of sailing the Baltic – and, for non-Schengen passport holders, what can be done in 90 days?

Between late June and mid August the Scandinavian summer can be seriously warm with temperatures around 25°C-30°C. There’ll be the occasional rainy or (very) windy day, but in general the forecast is very accurate. Sweden, Norway and Finland broadcast good forecasts for the whole Baltic, and we also found the ECMWF model (through the Windy app) very accurate.

Stable weather

Prevailing winds are from the west or south-west, fuelled by a train of lows coming from the Atlantic. However, in summer a stable high pressure area forms over Scandinavia, bringing beautiful weather and moderate to light easterly winds. Make sure you have enough fuel or a large light-weather sail for these conditions.

Distances between destinations are never very far. For cruisers who don’t fancy sailing through the night, there are 20-22 hours of daylight in midsummer, giving you a wider choice of destinations to sail to. The lack of tide adds to this flexibility.

Midsummer is celebrated everywhere with food, drink, festivities and a well-decorated maypole. In the shoulder seasons it is a bit chillier, especially in the evenings. Before midsummer and after 1 August restaurants, tourist offices and attractions decrease their opening hours. The upside is that it gets quieter and easier to find a space in the popular harbours and anchorages.

Northern Baltic shores are strewn with rocks, the southern shores are sandy and shallow. Everything is well surveyed and navigation is simple if your charts are up to date and you use common sense and caution.

There’s an abundance of cruising guides detailing every anchorage and bay with the rocks marked on aerial photos – they’re worth every penny. Markers and buoys are plentiful, sometimes to an almost confusing degree.

The authors’ yacht in a peaceful spot on a jetty near Lake Vänern, Sweden – beavers swam by Anna Caroline. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

Mooring options when sailing the Baltic

There are lots of marinas and public jetties, and average berthing fees are around €30 for a 44ft yacht. Most have an intricate system for mooring. Parallel to the jetty there is a line of mooring balls. You pick up one of these, secure a line and then motor towards the jetty to attach two lines. There are no cleats on the jetty, but rings.

Most Scandinavian boats have fancy ladders ready at the bow to make this manoeuvre easier. Yachts with centre cockpits or wide sterns tend to motor with the stern to the jetty. In Denmark, mooring is done between poles.

But the best thing is just to anchor in one of the thousands of bays in the archipelagos. Free anchoring can be limited due to the size of the bay, so a stern anchor comes in handy. Drop it over the stern when approaching a good-sized rock. Slowly advance to the rock and tie the boat to a tree, to a ring in the rock or to another rock.

Done with caution, this is an excellent way to spend a lovely summer evening.

Janneke and Wietze on their way to Marstrand in between the narrow channels. Photo: Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

Swedish West Coast

Technically, the Swedish west coast – and the country road to the east – is not the Baltic, but Skagerrak and Kattegat (Kattegat is a Dutch expression for ‘narrow entrance’). The west coast of Sweden is a great landing place after a North Sea crossing .

The island of Orust has many well known boatyards on it, and towns like Fjällbacka, Marstrand and Gothenburg are all worth a visit. Marstrand is the epicentre of regattas on the west coast, and foreign competitors will find a warm welcome.

From Gothenburg, there are two options: one is to continue south and wind your way in between the thousands of islands and rocks. Here there are many picturesque small towns to visit, but also contemporary Malmö with a marina right in the centre of town (Denmark is only a stone’s throw away, though we’ll get to that later). The other option is to take the Göta channel straight through Sweden.

You start in Gothenburg on the Trollhättan canal which is 40 miles long. In six large locks, you go up to 42m above sea level and exit the Trolhättan channel in the Vänern lake. You could spend weeks here exploring this very large lake (55 miles by 45 miles), anchoring in little bays and exploring the beautiful castles and little towns on the shore.

Navigating the Göta Canal’s large locks at Trollhättan. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

In Sjötorp, the fun really starts: you enter the first of 58 historic locks and climb to 92m above sea level. In Motala on lake Vättern there is a museum about the canal. The figures are mindblowing: it took 22 years to build, is 95 miles long and it took 58,000 conscripted soldiers to dig it with spades.

The reason behind this mammoth project, which started in 1810, was to cut down the travelling time between Stockholm and Gothenburg. Over land, it took up to two weeks. By boat through the channel, it could be done in less than a week. Traditional passenger boats still ply the channel, but the majority of the users are recreational craft.

From Sjötorp to Söderköping you travel in between locks on a small canal, fringed by fields of yellow flowers, farms painted the typical Scandinavian red, cattle and lots of cyclists. Life is easy and time goes slowly.

Traditionally, at every lock there is a lock keeper’s house in a distinct light yellow colour, and some of these cute dwellings are now ice cream shops, coffee bars and restaurants. Particularly near locks that are a little more complicated, holiday crowds often gather to watch the activity on the yachts; the Göta channel is nicknamed ‘the Divorce Ditch’, because for a short-handed crew it requires a bit of agility to tackle the locks.

When the last lock closes behind you in Mem, a whole new cruising ground opens.

Swedish Archipelago fishing village at Ostergotland. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

Stockholm archipelago

The Stockholm archipelago is a favourite among all Swedish sailors, thanks to its thousands of islands and anchorages. The weather here is usually calm, which, combined with the small tidal range and hardly any current, makes for an excellent cruising ground.

Many foreign yacht owners store their boats on the Swedish east coast in winter to get the most out of the summer season.

There are endless cruising options up and down the coast. You can take it easy on short day trips, anchoring or mooring to a rock, visiting small towns to provision and walking the hundreds of kilometres of footpaths that run along the shore. You can also opt to do a circular route: north along the coast, then inland to Södertälje. From there you pass through a lock and enter Lake Mälar.

Stockholm is built on a series of islands. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

Mälar is a large lake but a relatively unknown cruising ground with lots of lovely anchorages underneath the ancient castles and homesteads that line the shores. The water is clear and it’s a joy to have a swim on a hot day. You could easily spend two weeks here.

From Lake Mälar you sail to Stockholm, the bustling capital of Sweden. The city is built on islands, hence the nickname ‘Venice of the North’. There is lots of traffic: ferries large and small, cargo ships, pleasure craft. Even food deliveries are done by boat.

The old city centre, or Gamle Stan, is a pleasure to stroll through, while the Vasa museum is mindblowing. The King’s ship Vasa was launched in 1628 but sank within three miles in the harbour of Stockholm. For over 300 years it lay in the mud, only to be lifted to the surface in 1961, perfectly preserved.

From Stockholm you can go back to the south of the archipelago, or why not go north? You can sail straight up into the Gulf of Bothnia where only a few foreign boats sail each year. To the east there is another major cruising ground, while the island Arholma has two perfect anchorages to stop and consider both options.

Old pilot station at Kobba Klintar in the Åland archipelago. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

Åland and Finnish archipelago

The Åland archipelago is an autonomous region within Finland with its own legislation, and Swedish is the first language spoken there. The Ålanders are very well connected to both mainlands: ferries go back and forth between the capital Mariehamn and both Stockholm and Helsinki. The archipelago’s pink rocks give the landscape a special charm, especially at sunset and sunrise – though you’d need to be up all night to see that in high summer, as there are only two hours of darkness. Ålanders also love good food.

Mariehamn has good facilities for visiting yachts: two large marinas, of which the ÅSS harbour is most suited for international visitors. You’re in Finland, so the sauna is included in your marina fee (and is a great place to hear the latest information on the best anchorages and other cruising gossip).

One of the joys of the Åland archipelago is that you can sail right around the main islands, either on a northerly or southerly circuit. The loop will bring you back to Mariehamn in 7-10 days of pleasant day sails. If you choose to go east, some of the more remote islands are worth a stop. Finnish Utö is one, the southernmost island of the archipelago and dominated by a large lighthouse. Only a handful of people live on the island and visitors are very welcome.

Once again, it’s hard to choose your next destination. The prevailing westerly winds will blow you nicely to the east, but you need to keep an eye on the lows that pass this area regularly and cause a stiff northerly breeze. Choose anchorages with that in mind.

Typical mooring arrangement in Scandinavia: a stern anchor and bow to the rocks. Note the small bow ladders. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

The Finnish archipelago spans the whole south-west coast of Finland. You can meander through the islands and head northeast to Turku, a large town with all the facilities you need. Or sail a more south-easterly course and wind your way to Helsinki. Among lovely examples of islands are Bodö and Örö. Both were of military importance at one point in history and have been largely uninhabited, so nature has been able to flourish.

Two couples now lease the islands and are developing them in a very sustainable way, making them a true delight to visit with endless walks on well-marked paths, and the chance to enjoy sundowners on a wooden deck overlooking the small jetties lined with yachts, and excellent food in the small restaurants.

Well-known Finnish cruiser, Auli Irjala, says: “My partner and I have sailed around the world and have seen many beautiful places. Despite that, the Finnish archipelago is still very high on our list of favourite places. You can spend long summer days pottering around the islands for weeks on end. Sitting on a rock that still has the warmth of the sun in it and just soaking up the view, while your boat is moored alongside that same rock in calm water.”

The pink rocks of Åland seem to glow at sunrise and sunset. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

If you aim to do a Baltic circuit, you’ll at some point sail to Helsinki. The historic resort of Hanko on the south side of the city is a must-see. Hanko is a yachting hub, and an overnighter will get you from Hanko to Helsinki. By going slower you can take several ‘inside tracks’ that’ll see you meandering between beautiful wooded islands and rugged rocky shores.

Entering Helsinki is an experience in itself: the many rocks and islands that surround the city require careful navigation, especially because large cargo ships and ferries head into Helsinki at full speed.

The large fortress island of Suomenlinna is an impressive sight; it also has a small marina. In the vibrant city of Helsinki itself there are also lots of options to moor, and the Nyländska Jaktklubben yacht club on the island Valkosaari is well worth a visit. You can spend days exploring Helsinki, but just across the Gulf of Finland is a relatively unknown cruising area which begs to be explored…

Domed cathedral and Daugava river bridge are landmarks in Riga, Latvia’s capital. Photo: Bruev/Getty

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Up until 1991 Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were occupied by Russia. The ‘singing revolution’ was impressive: without a shot being fired, the three countries gained their independence. During Soviet times citizens were forbidden to have boats and it was not allowed to live near the coast. Many guard towers and navy harbours made sure that nobody would escape to Finland or Sweden.

Fast forward 30 years, and when you cross from Helsinki, you’ll see many new yachts proudly flying the Estonian flag. There is a luxury marina right in the middle of the capital, Tallinn, from where you can walk into the historic old town. Facilities for yachts have been developed at a breathtaking speed – Estonians love to be out on the water.

To cruise Estonia, one option is to follow the coast of the mainland all the way to the ‘summer capital’ Pärnu. Along the coast, there are interesting places to visit. Haapsalu is one: a fortress towers over the small town. Spas are all along this coast, as the mud in this part of the Baltic is said to be healing for body and mind.

Coastal view at Haapsalu, Estonia. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

You can sail back to Tallinn via the Estonian islands: Kihnu with its ancient matriarchal culture, Muhu, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa with their historic castles and mystical forests. Facilities for yachts are all new, usually small harbours, often near ferry landings. They all have floating jetties, shower blocks and friendly harbour masters.

Further south is the Gulf of Riga: a vast body of water where the prevailing winds are from the south-west in summer. Most cruisers opt not to sail to the capital, Riga, from Estonia because it’s a 70-mile upwind slog, though we were lucky and had westerly winds.

The inner city is about seven miles up the Daugava river, with several marinas on the coast and up-river (the one nearest the city centre is basic but within walking distance of the key sights). Sailing to Riga is well worth the effort to wander around the cobbled streets of the historic city centre.

On the west coast of Latvia there are a few harbours with facilities for yachts. You could sail to Lithuania on day trips, but a keen eye on the weather is necessary. With the prevailing south-westerly winds, this coast is a lee shore and the shallow foreshore can create steep waves which may lock you into a harbour for longer than you’d like. Ventspils is the most popular harbour and an attractive holiday town.

The harbour at Klaipeda in Lithuania. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

Further south is the Lithuanian harbour of Klaipeda, which gives access to the Kurisches Haff, a freshwater lagoon. A long, narrow sand spit of very high sand dunes runs from Klaipeda all the way to Kaliningrad (a Russian exclave). From Klaipeda, there’s a marked channel on the east side of the spit. Well sheltered from the prevailing winds it’s a truly ‘off the beaten track’ destination. From Klaipeda to Gdansk in Poland can be sailed in an overnighter, taking special care to avoid Kaliningrad’s 12-mile exclusion zone (now enforced by the Russian navy).

Poland and northern Germany

The jewel in the crown of sailing in Poland is Gdansk. You can sail there from the north of Germany, or cross to Gdansk from Latvia or Lithuania. Either way, with the prevailing south-westerly winds, it takes an effort to get there and back.

But it is worth it. Right in the city centre of Gdansk is an excellent marina. Gdansk is intriguing, because of its complex history. There are excellent museums and city walks that unravel the mystery for the curious visitor.

Aerial view of the old town of Gdansk in Poland. Photo: Fotoman/Kharkov/Getty

Sailing is also a popular activity in Poland, so it is relatively easy to find parts or get repairs done. Cruising the Martwa Wisla river you’ll pass shipyards on a massive scale, one of the mainstays of the Gdansk economy.

Going west from Gdansk you can make day sails to small harbours along the holiday towns that dot the coast of Poland, keeping a keen eye out for low pressure systems that bring temporary strong northerly winds. If you’re lucky, a high pressure area will establish itself and bring light easterlies. In summer the active sailing community in Poland creates a fun atmosphere, and foreign yachts are given a warm welcome.

From the Polish north shores you sail west to Vorpommern, a coastal region with interesting topography due to its high sand dunes and large, narrow spits that enclose vast bodies of water – especially fun to explore with a shallow draught yacht.

At the border of Poland and Germany, you can tuck ‘inside’ the spits, between the islands of Wolin and Usedom. The natural channels and shallow enclosed ‘Haffs’ make for excellent and very sheltered cruising areas with many quaint little towns to visit.

In case of strong south-westerly winds, this can be a good area to keep sailing while still making your way west. The Boddengewässer lagoons lead all the way south of Rügen to Heiligenhafen, on the west side of the island of Fehman.

If you fancy an easier tack offshore with a deeper draught boat, you could sail from Gdansk to Bornholm or Christiansö in Denmark’s Ertholmene mini-archipelago.

Nyhavn in Copenhagen, nicknamed Little Amsterdam. Photo: Wietze Van Der Laan

Denmark – and back

Getting to and from the Baltic depends on weather windows, and timing. There are three good options to choose. The first is to sail around the north of Denmark and via Skagerrak and Kattegat to the Baltic. The second option is to take the Lymfjord between Thyboron in the west and Hals in the east of Denmark.

The Lymfjord is a sheltered inland waterway with some little towns underway where you can moor and rest for the night. The third option is the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, nicknamed the Kiel Canal, which cuts through Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein region and connects to the North Sea. All three have their pros and cons, depending on the weather and the amount of motoring you’re prepared to do.

Inevitably, getting in or out of the Baltic means spending time in Denmark. Denmark, with its many islands large and small, is a cruising destination in itself and it would be a shame to rush through. There is something for everybody: secluded anchorages, impressive natural phenomena like the limestone cliffs of Mons Klimt, and the contemporary city of Copenhagen. The tidal range is slightly larger in Denmark, especially in the north.

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Sailing the Baltic Sea: where to go

• Rachael Sprot
• October 13, 2022

Is the Baltic the new Mediterranean? Rachael Sprot takes a closer look at this underrated cruising ground

Knowing how to tie up to a rock is a vital skill when sailing the Baltic Sea. Credit: Martin Leisborn Credit: Martin Leisborn

Sailing the Baltic Sea: where to go & the skills you need

‘Showers are destroyed,’ pronounced a workman, gesturing towards the dilapidated marina building at the Riga Yacht Club. I had no Latvian and he spoke very little English but valiantly explained the futility of my search.

We’d arrived in Riga at 0500. It was the end of April and according to the pilot charts the ice in the Gulf of Riga may have only just receded.

The generator, our main source of hot water, had packed up somewhere off Gdansk. So we were all a little crestfallen at the news. ‘WiFi?’ asked a crew member before hurriedly retracting it with, ‘just joking!’ as I glowered at him.

But I remember it now because it was the low point in an otherwise magical tour of the Baltic that inspired me to return and sail there again and again.

Sailing the Baltic Sea: Culture, history, wilderness

History and geography make the Baltic a rich and rewarding place to sail.

Hanseatic trade routes once crisscrossed the sea and a group of states grew around these maritime connections. As such it is uniquely suited to exploration by water.

Sunset at a bustling eatery on Bohuslän. Credit: Frank Chmura/Alamy Stock Photo

The concentration of beautiful cities, many of them capitals, which you can sail right into is unrivalled.

It also played a pivotal role in some of the defining events of the 21st century: the first battle of the Second World War and the fall of the USSR began on its shores. But there’s wilderness too.

Sail out of Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo or Gothenburg and you are soon surrounded by nature in tranquil archipelagos.

At its widest point it measures 150 miles across – far more compact the Mediterranean and a summer cruise could be done entirely day-sailing, especially since the days are so long.

At the height of the season there’s a festival atmosphere as everyone heads to the coast, but before July or by late August you’ll have it largely to yourself.

How to get to the Baltic Sea

The main challenge in sailing the Baltic Sea is getting there in the first place.

It’s 350 miles from Dover to Brunsbüttel, the start of the Kiel canal. There’s an Inshore Traffic Zone along the Dutch and German coasts keeping yachts clear of the busy shipping routes, but it’s a busy stretch of water and you’ll need to keep a careful lookout.

Sailing boats on the Kiel Canal, Baltic coast, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

The Friesian islands make for lovely places to stop along the way, Vlieland has a good marina, easy access and picturesque scenery.

The duty-free island of Helgoland in the German Bight is also worth paying a visit if you need to top up on ‘essential’ supplies of the alcoholic kind.

The 53 miles of the Kiel or Nord-Ostsee canal is an event in itself. Sharing the narrow waterway with large ships is intimidating.

Yachts must keep clear by staying well to starboard and following instructions and light signals. Navigable during daylight hours only, the transit can be completed in a long summer day.

Riga, the capital of Latvia. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

Alternatively spend a night in the marina at Rendsburg or one of several anchorages along the way and take a break from ship dodging.

Exiting the locks at Holtenau, you enter the large waterway of Kieler Förder, with excellent facilities and several good marinas.

From the north it’s just under 440 miles from Hartlepool to Skagen on the tip of Denmark. This route has different challenges.

Dense concentrations of shipping isn’t one of them, but there are wind farms to negotiate and oil rigs breathing fire into the night.

It can feel as though you’re crossing a construction site at times. Most rigs have a 500m exclusion zone and a patrol boat on standby.

Check the North Sea navigation warnings before departure and keep a listening watch on Channel 16.

For those with time, there are two alternatives to the Kiel canal: the Limfjord which cuts through the north of Denmark; and the much smaller Eider canal which runs north of the Kiel canal before joining it towards the end.

Both are lovely diversions if you have time.

Navigating the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea’s cruising grounds. Credit: Maxine Heath

The Baltic is a straightforward cruising ground compared with British waters.

There’s no tide as the body of water is too small to generate the oscillations which fringe the major oceans.

Instead, there’s a steady outpouring of water through the Kattegat, powered by the net input of freshwater from rivers.

Streams can reach a couple of knots in pinch points such as the Øresund between Copenhagen and Malmö.

In other areas, there are noticeable wind-driven currents. These are most pronounced after prolonged periods of the strong wind from the same direction, and they have the effect of changing the water levels too.

An open pulpit, and bow ladder, will make Baltic mooring easier, whether in a marina or to a rock. Credit: Martin Leisborn

Consistent NE winds can cause a SW setting current which ‘drains’ the Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland, reducing depths by more than 1m in extreme scenarios.

Further south a combination of high pressure and wind-driven currents causes fluctuations of 0.1 – 0.3m.

For shallow passages you’ll need to take account of recent weather patterns and ask for local advice before committing.

Weather conditions are generally more benign than on our tempestuous Atlantic shores. In many areas there’s little fetch for a seastate to develop, although when it does it can be short and sharp.

The climate feels more continental than maritime, with colder winters and slightly warmer summers than the UK.

At the height of the season temperatures often reach 30°, and sea temperatures can be 20° in the archipelagos.

You might be pleasantly surprised by the cost of sailing the Baltic Sea. Although alcohol is considerably more expensive in the Nordic countries, you can stock up in Germany and Poland en route.

Berthing fees are generally fairly modest: even in Scandinavia they tend to be cheaper than those charged in the south coast of the UK, so the increased cost of other things tends to even itself out.

Berthing is often paid on an app and reserved in advance, which is a good idea in the height of season (July – mid-August).

It’s rare to see the harbour master doing rounds: they tend to rely on an honesty system. Many of the marinas are on a much smaller scale than the UK.

Facilities are admittedly much simpler but spotlessly clean.

It’s a breath of fresh air compared to more commercialised cruising grounds that are so popular elsewhere.

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Southern Denmark, Copenhagen and SW Sweden

Credit: Maxine Heath

Denmark and southern Sweden are easy to access and make an excellent introduction to Baltic cruising.

Many people pass through quickly on the way to the archipelagos further north, but gentle landscapes and pretty towns reward those hopping along the coast.

Copenhagen is the jewel in the crown of the southern Baltic. Tie up in the bustling old Nyhavn and be part of the action or one of the large marinas further north for a quiet night.

Though Danish, the island of Bornholm actually lies closer to Sweden. It’s known for its picturesque harbours, pristine beaches, round churches and traditional smokehouses.

Colourful Copenhagen as seen from the Nyhavn Canal. Credit: Kim Petersen/Alamy Stock Photo

But it’s the tiny, fortified island of Christiansø, just east of Bornholm, which is a truly special spot.

The harbour feels as though it’s barely changed since the 1600s. The Swedish coast is low-lying here, with long stretches of beach flanked by some of the country’s best farmland.

There are few anchorages until you reach the SE corner, but the gorgeous town of Ystad, with its medieval timber houses, and Karlskrona, the UNESCO listed naval port, more than make up for it.

The ultimate stopping off point when heading to or from the east coast is Utklippen, a tiny fishing station formed by blasting a gap between two rocky islets.

North Denmark, Bohuslän Coast and Southern Norway

The fjords of southern Norway, such as here in Berefjord, are smaller than those further north, but are still dramatic places to explore

Heading north from Copenhagen into the Kattegat, most yachts have their eyes on Sweden’s Bohuslän coast.

The Skärgård, a tapestry of pink granite islands, fringes the mainland coast from Gothenburg up to the Norwegian border creating an inexhaustible cruising ground.

It’s a place where the locals moor alongside the rocks and cook crayfish on the BBQ.

There are lots of natural harbours, many of them former fishing stations, with timber huts painted in distinctive rust-red paint.

Navigation is intricate and challenging, but you’ll be rewarded with exhilarating passages in flat water.

A natural harbour at Bogen Island, Bohuslän, west coast of Sweden. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

Keep heading north and you’ll cross the border into Norway and eventually arrive in Oslo.

The skärgård continues but there’s added interest as we enter the land of the fjords. Although less dramatic than the deep fjords of the west coast, Oslofjord has lots of good cruising and it’s a great introduction to a country with the most spectacular coastline in Europe .

The topography of the Danish side means that harbours tend to be man-made, with sleepy fishing ports and rural landscapes.

The islands of Anholt and Læsø are both worth a stop for their beautiful beaches and Læsø’s seaweed-roofed huts.

The windswept dunes of Skagen form the northern tip of the country. It has a strong artistic heritage and is a busy holiday destination for the Danes, who often gather on the sandy strip where land turns imperceptibly to sea.

The coastline may not hold the same intrigue as the Swedish and Norwegian side, but you might find the elusive quality of hygge and decide to stay put instead, which would certainly save a few miles on the summer cruise!

Eastern Sweden and Finland

For me, the big decision is whether to aim for the east or west coast of Sweden. Both routes have beautiful archipelagos, lots of interest en route and wonderful cities.

If there were no real-life variables, Stockholm and the coastline south of it would clinch it for me. Stockholm is a waterside city in the truest sense.

The perfectly preserved wreck of the Vasa , a 17th-century warship which sank in the harbour on its maiden voyage, is now a museum on one of the city’s many islands.

The incredible story of how it was painstakingly raised and preserved is as astounding as the ship itself.

The surrounding archipelago is equally gorgeous and unlike the west coast the islands are clad in pine trees whose scent wafts out to sea.

Islands of the Stockholm archipelago in autumn. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

The large offshore islands of Gotland and Oland are fascinating places to stop en route. Both feature on the UNESCO list, Oland for its ancient agricultural landscape and Gotland for Visby, the hub of the Hanseatic League in medieval times and its 13th-century walled town.

Visby’s ramparts and winding lanes certainly rival Tuscany for atmosphere.

Before arriving in the Stockholm archipelago , the Blå Kusten or Blue Coast could easily distract you from your target.

It’s another long skärgård with wild islands, narrow sounds and total serenity. Often overlooked, it is just as beautiful as the better-known archipelagos.

The autonomous Åland archipelago between Sweden and Finland is a hallowed cruising ground for locals and visitors alike.

Many islands in Finland are privately owned. Seek permission before mooring. Credit: Katy Stickland

However, the fringe of skerries continues right along the coast of Finland to the Russian border, with Helsinki as a useful and attractive stopping point along the way.

Most islands are privately owned, so beware of encroaching on people’s privacy. A respectful crew are normally warmly received and often invited to use the sauna.

After a few days in Finland you realise the Swedish archipelagos were merely a warm-up act.

In some areas the islands are so densely packed that there’s more land than sea. By the end of a two-week cruise you’ll have an advanced diploma in rock-dodging, and much shorter fingernails.

The Gulf of Bothnia is a rather long cul-de-sac for foreign yachts, although the Finns, Swedes and Germans head up there to get away from it all.

It’s 350 miles to the top, which is also the border between Finland and Sweden. Head up there for solitude and wilderness.

Germany & Poland

If the Scandi-chic of the northern Baltic is a bit too much, or the price of beer has begun to wear thin, don’t miss a trip to the southern Baltic.

Many of the former Hanseatic towns along this coast have been painstakingly restored after damage in the Second World War.

Lubeck, Wismar and Stralsund all have UNESCO world heritage status.

With inexpensive marinas close to the centre of town, cobbled streets and town squares, you could easily while away a fortnight on this beautiful coastline.

Inside the beech-forested island of Rügen are the intriguing waterways of the Boddensee.

The Hanseatic town of Stralsund has UNESCO world heritage status. Credit: Iurii Buriak/Alamy Stock Photo

Take a detour through the reeds to Peenemünde, the factory where the V1 and V2 rockets were developed. It’s now a museum with a poignant message about the relationship between science and war.

The Polish coast is challenging, with long sandy stretches and ports which are often inaccessible in onshore winds.

Cruising takes the shape of long passages, followed by a few days in port to explore the surrounding area, rather than the island hopping of the north.

It’s worth taking the time to explore though, whether heading inshore to the extensive national parks, or beachcombing for nuggets of amber which wash up after gales.

Although out on a limb, Gdansk is unmissable.

The chalk cliffs of Jasmund National Park on the island of Rugen make a striking backdrop. Credit: Aleksandr Ugorenkov/Alamy Stock Photo

The approach takes you past the Westerplatte, the peninsula that was attacked by the German warship Schleswig-Holstein on 1 September 1939, initiating the Second World War.

The route continues for a further 4 miles up through the shipyards, some derelict, some in use, which were the birthplace of the Solidarity Movement that was pivotal in the fall of the USSR.

In the heart of the city though, it’s the imposing medieval wooden crane which dominates the harbour.

Once the largest cargo crane in Europe, it was damaged in 1945 when 80 per cent of the city was destroyed in the final throes of the war.

Now restored, it’s a spectacular sight and a reminder that the city’s identity stretches much further than recent history.

Baltic States

A very different kind of adventure can be found on the coasts of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Riga and Tallinn are beautiful cities with UNESCO status and good marinas.

Cruising is cheaper here than it is in Scandinavia but English is not as widely spoken.

The lighthouse on the tip of Sorve Cape, Saaremaar, Estonia. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

Despite this, foreign yachts are given a warm welcome and most people will generously engage in marina charades as you try to act out a washing machine.

The main cruising ground is the Estonian islands at the northern end of the Gulf of Riga. It provides plenty of opportunities for intricate pilotage and there’s often a sauna ashore for weary sailors.

Latvia has several commercial ports which are accessible to yachts, including Ventspils and Liepāja, both of which are about 90nm from Gotland.

Lithuania’s coastline is dominated by the Curonian Spit.

Stretching for over 60nm, the tree-clad sand dunes don’t offer much shelter to sailors but Klaipėda, Lithuania’s main port, is a pleasant town.

The magical approach to St Petersburg is currently a no-go. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

There are two Russian coasts in the Baltic: the Gulf of Finland from about 27°E, and Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania.

Even before this year they had a strong military presence.

In happier times, St Petersburg was the adventurer’s ultimate prize. Each year a few dozen yachts would apply for visas and make the approach via the TSS to this mesmerising city.

For now it is probably best given a wide berth.

Itineraries for sailing the Baltic Sea from Kiel

Germany, Bornhom and southern Sweden

Copenhagen & western Sweden

Circumnavigate Denmark

Denmark & western Sweden, exit via the Limfjord

Germany, Gdansk, Gotland & Sweden’s Blue Coast

Circumnavigate Sweden by cutting through the Göte Kanal

Denmark > Gothenburg > Bohuslän Coast – Oslofjord – Exit via the Skagerrak

Germany > Poland > Tallinn > Helsinki > Åland archipelago > Stockholm archipelago

Charts & Pilot books for sailing the Baltic Sea

The RCCPF Baltic Sea Pilot guide is a good place to start when researching a trip. It gives a good overview of each area and is perfectly adequate if passing through. In the archipelagos though, a local pilot guide is essential.

The Swedish Hamnguiden are superb, with aerial photographs of every harbour and anchorage, showing what kind or berth or mooring is to be found, where to do a rock mooring , and where to drop the hook for a ‘normal’ anchorage.

Electronic chart coverage can be excellent, but it’s hard work passage planning on electronic charts, especially in intricate waters.

Most countries have their own leisure charts in easy-to-use format so that you can flip through as you follow a lead in the skerries.

They often have the recommended routes drawn on, including an indication of the maximum draught and are worth investing in if you’re planning to explore beyond the main ports.

German company NV produces inexpensive coverage of the southern Baltic. Chart packs are accompanied by a pilot book with harbour details.

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• Service & Refit
• Baltic Yachts Rendezvous

BALTIC 175 RAVENGER – REFIT OPTIMISED FOR PERFORMANCE ORIENTATED SAILING

Originally launched in 2017, the largest full carbon composite sloop in the world Baltic 175 Ravenger (originally named Pink Gin VI) has undergone a 9-month refit during 2023-2024 with streamlined exterior styling by the owner’s team including Finnish designer Jarkko Jämsén. Refit works included major upgrades to her rig, sailplan and sailing systems, a complete interior restyle by Design Unlimited, and some significant enhancements to her already world class levels of onboard comfort.

Previously conceived purely as a cruiser, Ravenger has hardly ever been raced but that is quite likely to change in the near future. Her new owner acquired and transformed the 54-metre sloop after seeing great potential to boost her already impressive performance – she regularly achieved 20 knots-plus in cruising mode – and to optimise her extensively for more performance orientated sailing.

• Update to her rig, sails, and sailing systems for a more powerful sailplan
• Headstay replaced and running backstays fitted with deflector
• Modification of bow, bowsprit extended by 1.5m
• New winches for faster line speeds and weight saving
• New styling for the hardtop bimini
• Repainted and new bespoke helm pedestals with an additional bimini above
• Reconfiguring the yacht’s two-level saloon
• Changing the finish of surfaces throughout all guest areas including the master cabin
• New cabinets, ceiling panels, bookshelves, floorboards and more

DELIVERY YEAR

• 2017 (refitted 2024)

MAIN SPECIFICATIONS

• L.O.A. 53.90 m
• D.W.L. 45.27 m
• BEAM 9.55 m
• DRAFT 4.50/5.56/7.00 m
• DISPLACEMENT 250 tons (light craft)
• BALLAST 79 tons
• NAVAL ARCHITECT judel/vrolijk & co
• STYLING Aivan (Exterior)
• INTERIOR DESIGN Design Unlimited

INTERIOR RENDERINGS

The interior refit included a reconfiguring of the yacht’s two-level saloon, replacing the piano area with a breakfast bar, and changing the finish of surfaces throughout all guest areas including the master cabin. Dark stained oak is now prominent and she has new cabinets, ceiling panels, bookshelves, floorboards and more. The stand-out feature of her original design and construction, the large fold-out balcony platforms in the saloon and owner’s cabin – a world first in a sailing superyacht – have been preserved.

The refit works were led by two of Baltic Yachts’ senior project managers, Mikael Nyberg and Tommy Johansson. ‘Another focus of this project is enhancing her noise reduction solutions ensuring they remain leading edge by implementing all the knowledge we have gained in recent projects,’ Tommy explains. ‘She was state of the art then, but there have been some big developments since she was delivered. For example, we have made a new bedding mount for the entire interior and installed a complete new fastening system for ceiling panels.’

SAILING IN FINLAND

Baltic 175 Ravenger during seatrials following a 9-month refit at the yard in Finland 2023-2024.

Originally launched in 2017, the new-look Baltic 175 Ravenger has undergone a 9-month refit including upgrades to her rig, sailplan and sailing systems, a complete interior restyle, and some significant enhancements to her already world class levels of onboard comfort.

MORE ABOUT RAVENGER

TWO EVENTS AND A LANDMARK PROJECT FOR BALTIC YACHTS SERVICE & REFIT

BALTIC 175 GETS A MAKEOVER

The iconic Baltic 175 ex-Pink Gin is currently undergoing a 10-month refit at the company base in Jakobstad, Finland which...

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• Sailboat Guide

Baltic 37 is a 37 ′ 0 ″ / 11.3 m monohull sailboat designed by Robert Ball and C&C Design and built by Baltic Yachts between 1978 and 1983.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

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Path: On board Baltic's award-winning 45m sailing yacht

Inspired by an experienced sailor, the World Superyacht Award-winning sloop Path is a real standout, as Sam Fortescue finds out in Palma...

It takes an effort to stand out from the crowd in Palma. There are so many metres of gleaming superyachtery lined up on the quays that everything starts to look the same. Not so the latest launch from Baltic Yachts . It has the advantage of a mast, which naturally helps in a world dominated by motor yachts. But it is really the sleek, quiet purpose of 44.6 metre Path that distinguishes her. That and the flame orange crew uniforms.

With a German designer, an obsessive Finnish builder and an engaged owner, nothing on this boat has been left to chance. I am immediately grateful for the owner’s foresight as I step aboard on an uncharacteristically grey morning. With the leaden threat of rain, we congregate under the truly vast hardtop he requested, which protects the dining and lounging areas of the cockpit. It is a continuation of the coachroof, which sweeps aft a further seven metres.

“The owner took all the experience he gained from sailing round the world and put it into the new boat,” explains Henry Hawkins, executive vice president of Baltic Yachts. “His previous boat was a Baltic 112 which we call Old Path . He’s a hugely passionate sailor and competes in a couple of sports boat classes. So he was adamant he wanted a cruising boat with performance.”

And what the hardtop lacks in pure elegance, it makes up for in sheer practicality. It is just one part of the owner’s philosophy of choosing reliability over elaborate technology or flashy styling, as designer Rolf Vrolijk notes. “This owner knows very well what he wants. There was no need to go to an external designer to make a statement.”

Ease of handling was the other key brief for the judel/vrolijk team. Path has twin rudders, for instance, and a hydraulic lifting keel. This reduces her draught to 3.4 metres – enough to get into many smaller ports and anchorages, including much of the Bahamas. She also features a roller boom system from Carbo Link to make light work of furling or reefing the 558-square-metre mainsail.

On the mechanical side, she is equipped with a saildrive pod system that can rotate through 340 degrees beneath the boat to give optimum thrust and torque at almost any angle. Coupled with the bow thruster, this flexible system simplifies close quarters manoeuvring. A four-blade variable-pitch propeller also adds to efficiency across long passages under power or when motor sailing.

“When manoeuvring under power, you can set it to a high engine speed to provide hydraulic power to the thruster via a PTO,” Hawkins says. Only one thruster is needed with the rotating saildrive, he explains. “We can then add a little pitch to the blades to move forward or backwards or even sideways as needed, as this leg rotates.”

Path rows somewhat against the current with its engine. The capable 550hp Scania unit is certainly up to the job, but the power system eschews hybrid or battery-assisted technology. It is an old-fashioned mix of iron, oil and diesel with enough grunt to pull the boat along and turn the winches, while a pair of 55kW Northern Lights generators pick up the hotel loads. Of course, that is exactly what the owner wanted.

“We looked at electric propulsion, as with the majority of our boats,” Hawkins says. “But Path is set up as a world cruiser and the cornerstone had to be proven reliability.” Similarly, the Hundested main thruster pod is theoretically capable of retracting into the hull to reduce drag under sail. “The owner chose not to take the folding ability for the sake of simplicity,” he adds. “While the pod and propeller hydraulics can all be driven mechanically to return to port.”

Before anything else, though, this boat is a Baltic, and that means a fast hull with a meticulous layup in carbon fibre. By making ample use of Sprint and pre-preg materials from Gurit, Baltic has limited the displacement of this 44.6-metre yacht to 172 tonnes. Pre-preg means that precisely the right amount of epoxy resin is already right where it needs to be in the layup, eliminating the wastage of wet systems.

The lines by judel/vrolijk are as sleek as you would expect from a team that has done so much work with racing yachts. Despite her length, her beam tops out at 9.35 metres, giving Path naturally efficient proportions. The architecture is closely related to that of the Baltic 112 Canova . “These are families of hulls developed through feedback from the crew,” Vrolijk says.

A powerful masthead sloop rig gives the crew plenty of options, and again, the emphasis is on ease of handling.   “We didn’t want to go too big with a square-head main, because that creates too much complexity for a cruising guy,” Vrolijk says. No fewer than two fixed and two removable headstays permit a range of sails upwind, plus a three-metre bowsprit for setting the gennaker or dedicated reaching sail. Baltic describes the set-up as a homage to the Imoca 60, whose multi-headsail configuration make short-handed racing a reality.

Vrolijk says that the boat sails well with two headsails set – jib and staysail or storm jib and staysail, as conditions dictate. The main is reefed by putting turns on the boom, but in order not to overstrain the mandrel, the sail still has three reefing points on the luff and leech that take the strain. After sea trials in Palma, he described Path ’s handling in typically dry fashion. “It was, of course, quite nice,” he told me. “She has a balanced rudder feel, and the boat tracks very well.”

Path is designed to sail at between 11 and 16 knots in typical conditions, but she had already hit speeds approaching  20 knots on the passage down from Finland, according to Captain Daniele Cesaro. In Palma, the boat handled 35-knot gusts under full main and a staysail jib.

Sightlines from the two wheels are well thought out, with a clear view ahead down the windward side. Each helm station has its own little hardtop with a glass panel for gazing at the sail. It feels a little like the bridge of the USS Enterprise sitting here with six big Sailmon screens for boat data and six huge glass-bridge displays.

Step inside, though, and you instantly return to a past where wood, not carbon fibre, was king. With decidedly classic styling, the interior is all about panelled walls and solid furniture. Elegant cabinetry is well endowed with fiddles – this is an owner who understands the need to steady yourself as you cross the saloon on a 20-degree heel. From sofas to a robust wooden swivel chair at the navigation station, it seemingly adds weight, but says Hawkins, the furniture is foam core with a wood veneer, which allows keeping the weight under control.

Margo Vrolijk led the styling team, making it a full house for judel/vrolijk. She drew on a visit to the owner’s home and a good look at his previous Baltic. “The concept is inspired by how the family lives ashore and translating that into an easily controlled sailing yacht,” she says. “The timeless style of the interior has been achieved through symmetry in geometry and balancing the choice of neutral and natural colour palettes with classic, colourful patterns like stripes and paisley shapes.”

This approach has created a very liveable environment below, with deep, inviting sofas, plump mattresses and comfy chairs. Despite the suede and natural fabric finishes, the upholstery has been designed to be easily maintained when off the beaten track. Most surfaces are in warm teak, while the floors are in a dark stained oak that will conceal wear and tear. “You can spill anything on the fabrics and it will still remain the same colour,” says Margo Vrolijk.

More than the materials, though, it is the spaces created by the design team that intrigue. Beneath that huge main saloon lie the owner’s quarters, bang amidships. The cabin spans the full beam but is partially divided near the middle by a glass screen. Twin beds lie to starboard, with access to a large bathroom with both a shower and recessed full-length bathtub.

To starboard is a wonderful kind of parlour or snug sitting room, with two Poltrona Frau recliners and a host of convenient features within reach. Touch a button and the glass panel turns opaque, becoming a screen for projecting charts and nav information. Pull open a low cabinet and there’s a custom-built recess for a decanter of whisky and weighted crystal tumblers. The glasses are inlaid with a magnet on the base to keep them from sliding off when set down. Pilot guides and reference books line the walls – a library for settling down with a drink to figure out where to head next.

Upstairs you reach the office, on a kind of half level.  A huge array of electronics is concealed behind the panelling here, while twin VSAT domes can keep the owner as connected on board as he would be if he were sitting in the office. “The system is Starlink ready,” Hawkins says. “Then there’ll be no need for those big domes – the eggs in the rigging will disappear.”

As this space lacks a hull window, the owner requested an LED wall, the first I have seen aboard a yacht. Running the length of the hull in the office, it normally displays an aquarium scene, but can naturally be programmed to show anything. Vrolijk mocked up a full-size office and owner’s cabin to check every detail.

Although naturally on a smaller scale to the owner’s cabin, three en suite guest cabins offer heaps of space. A VIP cabin in the bow converts between double and twin and includes its own sofa area for privacy. The double just aft has an even larger snug seating area opposite. And a final guest double is in the aft accommodation. Though this puts it next to the crew area, it has its own private companionway to the saloon.

There are lots of little features which are a pleasure to discover. I liked the way that a navigation display folds up out of a burnished chart desk in the main saloon, for instance. Another display in the crew mess slides down out of an overhead cabinet to create a barrier between the navigator and the mess. It’s a smart idea that creates two distinct spaces when necessary. I also like how the doorknobs are leather bound.

With her huge aft deck and a big bathing platform for catching the sun, plus a tender well on the foredeck that serves as a pool when the Ribeye YT600 has been craned out, Path can hold her own in Mallorca and the world’s other yachting hotspots. But she won’t be here for long. Though she’s registered in Malta, this boat has no home port – no marina berth with her name on it. Her calling is as an ocean wanderer. She is going to find her own path around the world.

First published in the June 2022 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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This New Electric 110-Foot Sailing Yacht Gives You Two Ways to Cruise Emissions Free

Named after an ancient caribbean deity, "zemi" is one heavenly sloop., rachel cormack.

Digital Editor

Rachel Cormack's Most Recent Stories

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Baltic Yachts wants you to see its newest sailing yacht in all its glory.

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Zemi is also the third Baltic to be equipped with an electric propulsion system. Twin 129 kW Cummins generators provide grunt to a large bank of lithium-ion batteries that power an electric Danfoss motor. Baltic says the e-motor is quieter, cleaner, and smoother than traditional internal combustion mills. In fact, Zemi can cruise in “silent mode” sans emissions for long periods, according to the brand.

In addition, the yacht is equipped with twin rudders and a telescopic lifting keel with a 27-ton bulb that can reduce the draught from 20 feet to 13. It also has several headsail options that are suitable to different weather conditions.

Spearheaded by Andreas Martin-Löf, the interior features walnut and limestone veneers, sleek, modern furnishings, and cleverly integrated lighting. The main cockpit can be enjoyed in all conditions, with a fold-down spray hood and full-length removable bimini protecting guests from the elements. (Alternatively, the space can be left open for lounging in the sun.) Below deck lies a lounge, galley, and cabin for overnight journeys.

Another distinctive element of Zemi is McKeon trademark, wrap-over teak decking that runs from the bow right to the edge of the transom. The transom is expandable, too, meaning that the water is even easier to access from the swim platform. Also at the stern is a large garage that can hold a Williams tender.

Click here to see all the photos of Zemi.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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I am looking at a Baltic 37 that needs some TLC (and, um, a new teak deck) but appears fundamentally sound, will be having a survey early next week and would welcome any model or maker-specific comments or potential issues. Thanks, Chris Colvic Countess 33CC Monnickendam  

I am not familiar with it except that I would suggest that you make sure you know what you are getting into with the teak deck. I have heard numbers like 70k (USD) + for a new one.  

Just to close out the thread, I ended up buying the Baltic for a fair price and invested in a new teak deck and standing rigging, to go with many hours and a few boat bucks in other repairs and improvements. I found a yard (Arne Zeeman Enkhuizen) that has dreplaced decks on similar boats, appreciates the Swan/Baltic style, and allowed me to help with the grunt work to keep costs down (nothing more fun than backing out a few thousand epoxied screws). Two weeks ago she went back in the water and has been a joy since. Nice to spend a lot of time on the positive side of 6 knots, not getting passed by, in a comfortable and classic boat. Can be a bit of a handfull solo though... Chris Schram Baltic 37 Brut Volendam  

Haguesail said: Just to close out the thread, I ended up buying the Baltic for a fair price and invested in a new teak deck and standing rigging, to go with many hours and a few boat bucks in other repairs and improvements. I found a yard (Arne Zeeman Enkhuizen) that has dreplaced decks on similar boats, appreciates the Swan/Baltic style, and allowed me to help with the grunt work to keep costs down (nothing more fun than backing out a few thousand epoxied screws). Two weeks ago she went back in the water and has been a joy since. Nice to spend a lot of time on the positive side of 6 knots, not getting passed by, in a comfortable and classic boat. Can be a bit of a handfull solo though... Chris Schram Baltic 37 Brut Volendam Click to expand...

I am pleased to hear of your efforts and rewards.  

Great C&C classic design which should be a joy to sail. They are known for seaworthiness and easily managed in a blow. Good luck sailing. SV Doodles C&C 27  

Hello, I would like to get in touch with you. I currently looking ata Colvic Countess 33... for a extended cruise mainely coastal by with some crossing in mind. Any words would be appreciated Serge serge_robitaille at(@) hotmail.com  

Haguesail has not posted since July, so the odds of him scanning a new thread will be slim. You might try to PM him. Good luck and welcome aboard. DD  

LonrShark- You really would be much better off starting your own thread, since your post is completely off the OP's topic. If you don't know how to start your own thread, read the POST in my signature. I would highly recommend you read the post in any case, since it will help you get the most out of your time on sailnet. Welcome to the asylum.  

Baltic 37 Brut - Update I'm back. Just got my first silverware last weekend in the North Sea Race. San Juan2R -- it is indeed a joy to sail. North Sea Race 2009 - Yachts and Yachting Online  

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