Hello from Sweden

[SM6WET]

Hello all,

I am a 41 year old guy from Sweden, more precise from the province, or as we say, Landscape West Gothia.
Honestly I am not a coastal born and raised guy but live on the higher latitudes farmland approx. 120Km from the west coast of Sweden. I do live some 60Km from Swedens largest lake Vänern which I believe is the 3rd or 4th biggest lake in Europe.
When it comes to boating I did sail an optimist dinghy at around 9 years of age. Since then it has been motorized, motorized and motorized.
I have never really appreciated the sailing experience or boating and thought it to be medieval and boring not to speak about all the strings, rope and line……….
But, I have a commitment to better myself on my weak points and just a short while back I came to the insight of the awesomeness and fun of sailing.

I am an adventurer by many means and also a ham (radio amateur). I have travelled many places of the world and want to see more. Especially small little countries, dependencies and islands.
Some years back I found the place I call paradise, a small little island in the nation Cook Islands in the middle of pacific. Five days a week I been googling, youtubing and reading whatnot forums on the Cooks and my long term plan is to move there, at least when retiring.
Part of why I think it is paradise is the relaxation, non-stress and beautiful waters…. But I do also love to travel and the Cooks is kind of remote when it comes to going somewhere else with only a flight a week to LA, one to French Polynesia and a few to Auckland and Sidney.
Sailing takes longer time but with sailing I would be able to visit so many more islands on the way as well as I would not have to pay gizillions of NZ$ to visit the northern Cook Islands like Manihiki, Pukapuka and Rakahanga.
Enroute I would have a chance to visit many other islands as well and as being a ham that likes to go on “expeditions” which basicly mean to go to an odd or hard to reach country, dependency or place and activate it in order to hand out contacts to as many other hams who “chase” as possible would mean not only a serving to my ham community but a slight income of donations as well – not by much but may pay the equipment and fuel.

So, I am ready to start sailing again, but then bigger boats then the Dinghy LOL.

In short been looking sail boats size 40-75 feet but few are manageable solo or as a couple. Learned more about Catamarans and Trimarans and I guess I am convinced that would be the way for me to go.
Not sure yet of Cat or Trimaran as I see it the Pros of the Cat is more living space and pretty much also more storage space as well as easier to bring a tender/dinghy.
Pros for the Trimaran is that they are more beach able than a Cat and my feeling – I may be wrong…. They are more easy to handle alone or as a couple. Another very pro-aspect is that they are faster.

My plan would be changeable but initially to go down the west coast of Europe in the med, sail around there for a while to learn the vessel then exit the med down to Madeira which we love or head out to Azores immidietly. Either way after Madeira the Azores for activating some of the less populated islands. Onwards to Bahamas and then to Florida and Key West, then visit some of the less activated countries in West Indies and Caribbean like Malpelo, San Andres and Providence, Montserrat, St Vincent and Grenadines, Aves Island and some of the outer island of the Central American and Norther South American countries.
Here I would have to take a decision to go the Panama Channel or follow around South America visiting Fernando de Noronha on the way. St Peter and St Paul rocks would be awesome but I do understand the limitations of going there both by landing approval as well as where to park the boat without crushing it.
Seeing Rio and some Argentinian places on the way as well as perhaps the Falklands. If season permits perhaps Elephant Island or nearby Antarctica island, only thing is one have to bring both winter and summer clothes on the boat which take space and weight.
Back up to Chile and landing some coastal islands of Chile for more radio activations. Some of them Robinson Crusoe, San Felix, San Ambrosio and end the Chile tour in Eastern Island.
After that there is the multitude of islands of the Pacific Ocean, for sure I would like to visit all which is accessible of the Cook Islands. Also Kiribati Islands is of interest. Tuvalu, Niue, Tonga and the list goes on.
Probably a few years late spend some time around New Zealand and Australia up through PNG and Indonesia. On the way over the Indian Ocean I would like to visit Andaman & Nicobar, Laccadive Islands, Maldives, Chagos, Seyshelles, and Madagascar.
Back in the Atlantic I would love to go and see Tristan da Cunha, St Helena and Sao Tome & Principe visit some African countries and islands up the coast and go to Cape Verde Islands. Then Madeira before going home or, who knows – just starting over.

I do not have the finances to do this…. But I do have the plans on how to get it.
Well, it is never bad to dream, dreams do come true.


Nice to meet you all.

/Magnus

[Cowboy Sailer]

Buy a small trailerable boat and learn to sail. Then buy a bigger boat to live aboard. The smaller the boat the more one learns about sailing! Good luck and welcome to CF.

[SM6WET]

Thank you for the advice Jerry.
Good point and I thought of it so I already did.

[FatChance]

Welcome aboard Magnus! Sounds very similar to my own dreams. A few friends and I are sailing a 1968 29' Quorning Trimaran in and around the Øresund channel currently, while we save up for something bigger to make a journey not very different than your plan.

[Lars_L]

Welcome to CF. It would have been much easier for me to write in Swedish but I guess that I will get many sura miner.


Multi hulls have much more living space and storage place, but they suffer much if they get too much load. A simple test. If you have a garage, can you put your car in that? If you can, you have passed the first test to have a multi hull. Both the boot and the garage have a lot of space that your not aloud to fill with garbage. (I fail on that test). When you are in the Scandinavian waters you will find that multi hulls are hard to handle when you comes to a harbour. Out in the world you anchor in the bay. There are few multi hulls on the market, so the chance to do a good deal isn’t great.

Some years ago we were too that sail may 9.0 m mono hull boot to Shetland under a tree weeks summer vacation. We were teen days on Shetland but did not do any longer stops under the way. It gave us much training.

When you do the planning of long sailing, it is best if you bye Jimmy Cornells bible World Cruising Routes. I read about the places you wont to go to, it is possible, but you should go in the right direction to come to theme. It is not fun to sail against a stream of 3 knot. And it is good to avoid the hurricane season. In that book you can learn about that.

You can read allot about the equipment I have on my boot on my blog. Långsegling med Frida. The page is in Swedish.

[barnakiel]

Hejsan Magnus,

As you said, no harm in dreaming and in making a dream come true.

We have a small Swedish boat here and it was good enough to take us to some of the places you want to visit, also to Cook Islands.

With Cook Islands, you must think of a couple of things. One is they are paradise only on paper. Just like any other place. They have some nice things and they have some nasty things (say elephantitis to name only one). Two is one can't just sail in and settle. Unless one is kiwi, maybe. So you will be welcome for a time and then you will have to sail on.

You will have zero problem getting a boat for your adventure in Sweden. It is a great place to get a boat.

Just go for it step at a time and it will all happen.

Kramkram,
barnakiel

[andreas.mehlin]

Another swede to a swede....

First of all 40-75ft is a very wide range. To maintain a 40 vs 75 is a big difference. Also, to buy a 40ft in good shape vs a 75 in good shape is also a big difference. You say you don't have the finance. Well, before time kills your dream I would suggest you settle with a smaller vessel no bigger than 42ft. So...just to keep your dream alive and realistic

Cat vs. Tri vs. Mono....The never ending story
I have done two pacific crossings with two different cats I'v had....and Yes I do prefer cats. Lots of deck space and huge cockpit....and I prefer the motion. Trimaran has good deck space, usually not as great cockpit as cats, less space inside compared to both cats and mono. No all tri's sails better than cats but some do....Not as many tri's as cats on the market. A catamaran with keels is no big deal to beach. Hard to find catamarans for sale in scandinavia but every now and then you will see some listings.

I'm 30+ today and have fulfilled my dream twice already, so I suggest you to start doing the planning and calculations

Spending three years circumnavigating the globe would cost you about 360k SEK assuming you would go for something around 40ft. There are people circumnavigating on small crafts like Albin Vega and they manage to survive at about 180k SEK for three years.

You can probably find a boat around 40ft in good condition for about 400k SEK. Or you buy a cheaper and smaller boat 32ft L32 for example for about 100k SEK.

When do you want to go?
Three years around the globe in a L32 you would need at least 300k SEK totally

Three years around the globe in a 40ft boat and have some more money to spend, at least 800k SEK

[SoundOfSilence]

Hi Magnus,

A good way to start is to take some sailing/navigation courses and also some offshore sailing courses. Then you will get the feel for it really quickly.

Good luck and keep us posted

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Magnus.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Howdy and Welcome Aboard the Forum Magnus!

I enjoyed reading your introduction (bio). For a HAM, I can imagine it would be fun to visit and connect from the most distant places.

Good luck on your sailing adventures and have fun!

Steady