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17th of February the great Skipper passed away

Yesterday evening my Father PT Matikainen passed away. He loved sailing and was very actively sailing during his adult life. He skippered and owned many fabulous yachts like Stella Polaris (Westerly conway 36), Miriam (Swan 431), Maija (Swan 46) and until the end of the last summer Päivänsäde (sunbeam 37).... and many others.

He founded sailing club Marjaniemen Purjehtijat together with Unto Rissanen and heavily financed it to get a good start.

Now he is sailing in the larger seas, still holding the boat steady and taking care of everybody on the boat.

Miss you father.

Petri jr the skipper of AquilaDeux

AquilaDeux to Winter rest

Early 7.30 in the morning we started with Anna to Bring the Yacht Loviisa for "wintering". Small problems in the start while the propeller did not open properly (probably because of some shells and other things growing... too long pause). Anyway we engined to Loviisa with very low speed (front wind), medium speed was about 5 knots.

Arrived in Loviisa at 17.30. Exactly ten hours. Total nautical miles 46.

Nice sunny day. Little bit freezing.

Thank you Anna for great companion in the trip.

Bajamaja boys in Helsinki-Tallinn race 2011

The 2011 Helsinki-Tallinn race was started the 19th of August at 18.00 as AquilaDeux participated in the class Business-LYS. At the beginning the wind blew from the south between 3-4,5 m/s and we had to made some five stiches until the wind started to raise and also turned eastwards.

We passed the Helsinki lighthouse at 20.30 45 minutes after the fastes yacht in our class. The same time the wind started to raise and reached 11-13 m/s on the top.

Between Helsinki lighthouse and Tallinn Lighthouse we reached our best speed, 11,1 knots as a top speed and 8,5 knot as medium speed.

We had nice meal before sunset made by Ville, that looked like crap (on the photo), but tasted like something else.

Finally we reached the goal at 01.15.05 being 17/35 but only 29 minutes behind the winner after using the handicap-coefficients.

On Saturday evening we used the yachts grill once again. It was too windy to use it on the docks so we found nice windshield behind the bajamajas. We also renamed the crew that is from now on called as "bajamaja boys" ("And thou name will be ye olde bajamaja boys" as it is officially written on the babtism ceremony that was highly secret).

Horse filé in the chantarel-sauce. Great. Sipped down with some wine and beer (Medoc 1998, and some Chablis 2005 + naturally Pilsner Urquell is a must).

After that we spend speculations-party until 3 a.m.

Next day we engined back to Helsinki, because there was no wind. Thanx Crew, it was fun!

Helsinki - Tallinna Race 2011

Today it starts again: Helsinki - Tallinna Race 2011.


AquilaDeux will participate in the class "Business-LYS", the start will be in front of western Helsinki at 18.00. About 36 yachts will participate in this class. Totally 182 yachts will participate the race this year.

Forecast is that we will face 3m/s wind from (S-SE) for the start. It will turn to eastern wind 5-7 m/s and in the early morning even 9-11 m/s.

The crew will be the traditional crew for this race: Petri (Skipper), Jaska (Pilot), Stidi (Strtegist), Erkki (2nd skipper, deckmonkey), Ville (Grand Chef), Pekka (deck-officer) and Anssi (freshman as deckmonkey). The report will follow.

Sulkaniemi the 12th-13th of August

We waited already on Thursday to start the trip to the east, but because of the heavy rains we postponed the start until Friday morning.

The day was beautiful only 2-3 m/s wind from the east. After two and half hours ride we reached the Sulkaniemi (place owned by Merenkävijät - the yachting club). We were first timers there but very nice people took our ropes and welcomed us there.

Somewhere at 19.30 also Jaska and Mevi our friends arrived with Mafalda their Hallberg Rassy. We sat down and chatted together sipped some wine and enjoyed the nice natural port nearby Onas in the archipelago of Porvoo.

In the morning after having some morning coffee we started to prepare ourselves for the fishing competition. Simple rules: all the fish are measured from head to tail and the length of the all the fish one can catch within one hour are measured. I personally got ten fish with total length of 146 cm (I was 14th!) Jaska was even much better he got total length of 2,5 meters and position the 4th.

After the fishing competition we set our sails back to home port and did not - unfortunately - joined the evening party.

What a nice and sunny weekend with pleasant people.

Eestiluodon malja - another sailing experience

The whole crew collected in Jollas and the we sailed towards kallahdenselkä where the race started. The race was quite interesting, not only because we were the last but also because wether changed a lot during this four hour trip.

We had wind from South, SW, and West. The windspeed varied between 2,5 and 11 m/s. Some rain and also some sunshine.

Everything for each taste.

Thank You crew! We had fun

Saturday the 6th of August: Eestiluodon malja

On Saturday there will be the first "training" for the Helsinki-Tallinna race.













We will participate on the short local race "Eestiluodon malja" (Orders in Finnish: http://www.marjaniemen-purjehtijat.fi/05_kilpailut/2011_KilpailuohjeELUOTO2011.pdf)

The crew will be as follows:
- Petri as a Skipper
- Stidi as a piano man
- Pekka and Anssi A as deckmonkeys
- Mirja Grand Chef.... we are waiting for surprisingly good food from her

Skipper meeting at MP on Friday evening.

3rd of July, back from Tallinn

Absolutely no Wind. We just set the Autopilot on and engined the boat to Helsinki. Total trip time 8 h 15 mins. Surpisingly 48 Nm, so we actually took somewhere two extra nautical miles on Friday.

I have a strange feeling that the Skipper and the crew little bit burned themselves in the sun.

more pics from yesterday's convoy

AquilaDeux resting in Tallin Old Port.









Päivänsäde after the sailing heading to the port.




Both boats and their crew are enjoying wonderful day in Tallinn. We are going to sail back tomorrow to Helsinki. In the evening small meal in the local Italian restaurant "controvento". Anna our beutiful Photographer went back to Helsinki in the afternoon by ship.

1.7.2011 50 nautic miles to Tallinn

Ha, ha just a pic of the model. Today we set sails toTallinn with another yacht "päivänsäde" we made a mini convoy to Tallinn.. both yachts were fully load with kids.

In AquilaDeux there was skippers sister and her four (yes -four) children + his own daughter Anna.

In Päivänsäde there was Skippers M and D + Brother with three kids.

The day was really a day to mention in the annals. Nice 5-7 m/s eastern wind that push both boats (both 37 ft) to medium speed of 6,25 knots.

Leaving Helsinki at 9.00 and arriving Tallin´s old port at 17.00.Not bad.

Thanks for the participants! ON Sunday the 3rd maybe back to Helsinki.

24-25 th of June the Midsummer

The24th of June after the storm we set our sails to the east to visit our friends cottage (MANOR!) in Sipoo Archipelago only 15 nm from the home-port.

Nice weather, beautiful evening, excellent food and superior wine... can it get better? (until 02.00.). then went to sleep. Good things are simple.

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The 25th we enjoyed breakfast (or almost brunch) after we woke up after 10.00 ... Somewhere at 13.00 we thanked our hosts and set sails back to the west. Low wind 4 m/s from S and SW. We reached the home port at 15.30. What a nice midsummer!

Tight the ropes, small storm is coming over Finland today

Tomorrow is time to start the midsummer festive in Finland. AquilaDeux aim is to move to KItö in Sipoo. But before that. Today. No chance to go out. There will be small midsummer storm/gale wind that swipes over Finland from today afternoon until midnight. The local news agencies have warned about this rare midsummer storm.

So I have now checked and double checked the ropes to ensure that everyting i s ok for the high winds.

Now it is quite calm and the wind is not very high. Silence before the storm? The rain started already