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Old 13-04-2022, 09:57   #1
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Cruising in Finland - archipelago

We're thinking of a week-long bare boat charter (sail) in the Finnish archipelago, probably out of Turku or Kasnas. So little information seems available online, or at least in languages we can understand... Several questions.

- will there be a language barrier (we speak English and French)?
- what can we expect in terms of wind and seas during July?
- we assume we'd sail island-to-island. Do we need to reserve moorings/slips ahead of time, or can we wing it and just show up?
- I'm assuming charts and GPS will be adequate navigation tools
- are provisions readily available en route?

Also, it's unclear whether ICC Or SLC certificates are required in Finland. Some destinations - Greece, Croatia, etc. - require certification. I don't see that Finland has such requirements.

Any further thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
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Old 13-04-2022, 11:49   #2
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Welcome to the forum.

Maybe contact Mikael, I think he is out of Turku.

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ro-168284.html
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Old 13-04-2022, 11:56   #3
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Watch out for the current GPS issues up there.
Its unreliable due to the war in Ukraine and heightened tension in the Baltic.
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Old 14-04-2022, 04:02   #4
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Quote:
Originally Posted by jefeingold View Post
We're thinking of a week-long bare boat charter (sail) in the Finnish archipelago, probably out of Turku or Kasnas. So little information seems available online, or at least in languages we can understand... Several questions.

- will there be a language barrier (we speak English and French)?
- what can we expect in terms of wind and seas during July?
- we assume we'd sail island-to-island. Do we need to reserve moorings/slips ahead of time, or can we wing it and just show up?
- I'm assuming charts and GPS will be adequate navigation tools
- are provisions readily available en route?

Also, it's unclear whether ICC Or SLC certificates are required in Finland. Some destinations - Greece, Croatia, etc. - require certification. I don't see that Finland has such requirements.

Any further thoughts or advice would be appreciated.
You will manage well with English. July is vacation season in Finland so gest harbours will fill up already early in the afternoon. In some cases you can make reservations in beforehand online. Shopping is good to do at the site where you rent the boat. A few shops are available on the isłands, but have often a limited selection and are also more expensive. Local fishermen might also sell smoked fish and vegetables. No licenses are required for boating, but the rental companies
might request for some evidence of sailing or boat handling experience.
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Old 14-04-2022, 04:09   #5
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF,jefeingold.
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Old 14-04-2022, 10:57   #6
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

If, or rather when you visit the Åland islands: technically part of Finland, however they have some degree of autonomy. As all island people, they like it very much if you fly the Åland flag as courtesy flag. Would be good to compensate the finish national you probably fly since you are chartering there.

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Old 14-04-2022, 11:26   #7
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Best weather window from mid June till end of August. No need to reserve. There are enough “guest” berths and endless many moorings available. Food etc needs to be planned via your route but anypopulated island has provisions. Get yourself a long line with so-called rock mooring pen. English is widely spoken or some understand German and many Swedish. Irrespective take good cold weather gear itcanbe shortly rough and cold. Go up north to the Nautor wharf or traverse from Åbo to Mariahamn. And sail in that archipelago.
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Old 14-04-2022, 12:01   #8
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

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Originally Posted by Franziska View Post
Watch out for the current GPS issues up there.
Its unreliable due to the war in Ukraine and heightened tension in the Baltic.
Watch out for Emma out there https://www.emma.de/artikel/ukraine-...n-jetzt-339355 (to heighten the off-topicness a bit further )
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Old 15-04-2022, 00:10   #9
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

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Originally Posted by blu3534 View Post
Watch out for Emma out there https://www.emma.de/artikel/ukraine-...n-jetzt-339355 (to heighten the off-topicness a bit further )
As you are referring to off topic, you may want to re-read the opening post.

They are specifically stating that they are intending to navigate by GPS, if you follow the news a bit, you will notice that GPS quality up there has been sketchy recently.

To your off topic comment.
Why would I want to read Emma? Alice Schwarzer had few good ideas in life, but for the most part she is an extremist and I can't stand extremism of any kind.
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Old 15-04-2022, 03:16   #10
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

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They are specifically stating that they are intending to navigate by GPS, if you follow the news a bit, you will notice that GPS quality up there has been sketchy recently
What have spoofed signals in March to do with sailing in July?

And this is the reason I posted the link (google-translation) https://www-emma-de.translate.goog/a..._x_tr_pto=wapp). You can't know what happens. If the conflict escalates (Finland and NATO is delicate) then there probably won't only be some bad signals to contend with.

Quote:
Why would I want to read Emma? Alice Schwarzer had few good ideas in life, but for the most part she is an extremist and I can't stand extremism of any kind.
Maybe because she is a strong courageous women? Old enough to be fearless to talk of subjects which in Germany are "verboten"?
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Old 15-04-2022, 04:44   #11
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

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Originally Posted by Aldebaran17 View Post
If, or rather when you visit the Åland islands: technically part of Finland, however they have some degree of autonomy. As all island people, they like it very much if you fly the Åland flag as courtesy flag. Would be good to compensate the finish national you probably fly since you are chartering there.

Manfred
the maritime museum in aland is a 'must visit'...

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Old 15-04-2022, 04:58   #12
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

These are some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. I've sailed all over the world and never saw anything better.


You will have no problem with English. I don't think I ever meet a Finnish sailor who didn't speak fluent English. You frequently see Finns and Swedes speaking English with each other, although Swedish is mandatory in Finnish schools.


July is not the best time -- this is the Finnish vacation season, like August in France. August is better, although the weather sometimes goes off around the middle of August. But bring warm clothes in any case! I've seen snow covering the ground on the Midsummer weekend in Finland. Remember these parts are above 60N.


Answer to other questions:


1. You don't need qualifications in Finland.
2. Provisions are no problem, other than cost. Alcohol is really expensive; duty free is your friend.
3. You can't reserve berths in Finnish guest harbors, and you may not find free spaces in many of them in July.
4. There are millions of islands and virtually unlimited anchoring possibilities.
5. But the small guest harbors are delightful and friendly. And very cheap.



Last tip: A week is not really enough for any kind of bareboat charter, and especially in a place like this. If you can stretch to two weeks, it will be much better. First two weeks of August would be ideal.
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Old 15-04-2022, 05:25   #13
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Quote:
Originally Posted by blu3534 View Post
What have spoofed signals in March to do with sailing in July?

And this is the reason I posted the link (google-translation) https://www-emma-de.translate.goog/a..._x_tr_pto=wapp). You can't know what happens. If the conflict escalates (Finland and NATO is delicate) then there probably won't only be some bad signals to contend with.

Maybe because she is a strong courageous women? Old enough to be fearless to talk of subjects which in Germany are "verboten"?
Maybe the war is not over in July, you can't know, and it may simmer in the current state for quite some time, neither you, Mrs. Schwarzer and neither myself simply can know.
Apart from that I do not consider Alice Schwarzer a particular well informed and reliable source of information when it comes to war and military.
Women rights perhaps to some extent but not on the subject of war and military.

And for that matter neither do I see where in Germany you see that its forbidden to talk about certain matters.
The only items actually forbidden, and rightly so, are the most stupid conspiracy theories, and only then when they actually target the core of our democratic system. Same applies rightly so the ideas of extremists from the far left and far right and Nazi crime deniers.
If you see this different go right ahead and vote the democratic system away if you can find a legal (!!) majority for this (which you are highly unlikely to!).

Regarding spoofing here is just one of many articles:
https://www.yacht.de/aktuell/panoram...-gps-in-gefahr
The Finnish officials have even an official warning on the subject:
https://www.traficom.fi/en/news/unus...border-finland
Hence my cautionary mentioning of the subject to someone who might be directly influenced by this if they chose to rely on GPS.
I never said that it is influenced but it may be influenced, which is a huge difference.
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Old 15-04-2022, 05:51   #14
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Quote:
Originally Posted by Franziska View Post
Maybe the war is not over in July, you can't know, and it may simmer in the current state for quite some time, neither you, Mrs. Schwarzer and neither myself simply can know.
Apart from that I do not consider Alice Schwarzer a particular well informed and reliable source of information when it comes to war and military.
Women rights perhaps to some extent but not on the subject of war and military.

And for that matter neither do I see where in Germany you see that its forbidden to talk about certain matters.
The only items actually forbidden, and rightly so, are the most stupid conspiracy theories, and only then when they actually target the core of our democratic system. Same applies rightly so the ideas of extremists from the far left and far right and Nazi crime deniers.
If you see this different go right ahead and vote the democratic system away if you can find a legal (!!) majority for this (which you are highly unlikely to!).

Regarding spoofing here is just one of many articles:
https://www.yacht.de/aktuell/panoram...-gps-in-gefahr
The Finnish officials have even an official warning on the subject:
https://www.traficom.fi/en/news/unus...border-finland
Hence my cautionary mentioning of the subject to someone who might be directly influenced by this if they chose to rely on GPS.
I never said that it is influenced but it may be influenced, which is a huge difference.

The reports of disturbances are all at Finland's Eastern border The area the OP is considering sailing in is a couple of hundred miles from there. I don't think he has anything to worry about.


That being said, Finnish waters are extremely complex and are poorly charted. I hit a rock once in Finnish waters which was exactly in the position where the "15" was printed on the chart, for 15 meters. I've seen rocks awash inside a buoyed fairway. A racing boat from my club lost its keel in the Stockholm Archipelago to a rock in an area marked deep water on the chart.



So with or without GPS jamming, no one should just "drive the dot" to navigate in Finnish waters. One should stay in the marked fairways as much as possible and keep your eyes open even in the marked fairways. GPS position should always be verified against landmarks -- that's basic seamanship.
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Cushion me soft . . . . rock me in billowy drowse,
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Old 15-04-2022, 06:07   #15
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Re: Cruising in Finland - archipelago

Quote:
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The reports of disturbances are all at Finland's Eastern border The area the OP is considering sailing in is a couple of hundred miles from there. I don't think he has anything to worry about.


That being said, Finnish waters are extremely complex and are poorly charted. I hit a rock once in Finnish waters which was exactly in the position where the "15" was printed on the chart, for 15 meters. I've seen rocks awash inside a buoyed fairway. A racing boat from my club lost its keel in the Stockholm Archipelago to a rock in an area marked deep water on the chart.



So with or without GPS jamming, no one should just "drive the dot" to navigate in Finnish waters. One should stay in the marked fairways as much as possible and keep your eyes open even in the marked fairways. GPS position should always be verified against landmarks -- that's basic seamanship.
Thanks Dockhead,

totally agree.

My post was merely to make the OP aware that there MAY POSSIBLY be issues with GPS positions.
Unlikely, but if I were to go sailing up there, I'd appreciate to know that I need to view my GPS derived positions with an extra grain of salt.
As always, using not just one source of navigational tool is prudent.

Not sure why blu3534 makes such a fuss about this.
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