15th - 16th of August Helsinki-Tallinn race 2014 17th August back to Helsinki

We all gathered in the afternoon at the home docks. Finally we started to steam towards the starting line. This year the start line was located again west of Rysäkari Island.

We prepared well with sandwiches and drinks before the start. The weather -actual and the forecast looked promising. During the transfer. The wind blew steadily from W-SW 7-9m/s.. The forecast was little lower, but possibility for the thunder storms existed.

Just before our start the wind went down! We had a good start and we even used spinnaker. After passing the second turning point (1,5 m from the started) the wind tilted totally! We stayed at one place more than two hours. We made a decision that if we do not reach the Helsinki lighthouse before the midnight we will go back to Helsinki.

Luckily the wind came somewhere and we started to move. Unfortunately we were staying two long time in the eye of the wind so our race was over from the start. We were not the only ones. Bad luck in the wind-lottery. Night was beautiful The horizon was in flames because of the thunderstorms on the top of Estonian continent. Luckily the thunder never came on us. 

In the Saturday morning we reached the finish line at 6.06.00. Final position 26/33. Not very good sesult but we beated another Swan 371 Trinity (match) by 15 minutes so we should be satisfied on this. Somehow makes me wonder that the LYS-coeffient is not really upgraded to the older boats. Next year we probably try ORC where there are real measurements and age corrections.

 In the afternoon we went to our hotel suite "Sergei Bubka" again. Enjoyed some drinks and Sauna. The most famous drink is of course "Lumivalge ja seitse naberguliaist" (Snowhite and seven dwarfs ;) ;)....

 Then we went to dinner, this time to the hailed Pegasus restaurant with S/Y Sunday bastards (they won us by fifteen  minutes, donnerwetter!). Excellent food, wine and company. Besides we reached one of our goals by getting the cute waitress to blush. Mission accomplished!

Sunday morning we started at 9.00 going first to the filling station to fill the Diesel tank. Anssi was sleeping in a hotel suite and came in the last minute to the Yacht. Just before we left. We engined in the low wind (me and Stidi decided not to wake up the crew. Autopilot drove us to the finnish waters where we had a new kind of incident.

Somewhere between the Helsinki Lighthouse and Gråskärsbådan the Finnish Border Guard came to check our papers. One unnamed crew member forgot his passport or ID home (only driver's licence he had). The Border guard removed him to their boat and he was fined by 300 €uros. Better to take IDs with next time.

Home docks were reached at 18.10. Nice day, nice trip  in all possible ways.

Thanx guys!

2015 ORC!

Yesterday preparing, today the Skipper's meeting tomorrow the Race!

Yesterday evening Anssi and Pekka came to the boat with high pressure washer. We washed the bottom and prepared the ropes. We are more or less ready for Friday.

Today there will be the Skipper's meeting in Lauttasaari where we will get the final instructions. 

Tomorrow is the race. Wind forecast 5-7 m/s  W-SW. Our start is 19.28.30. Three other yachts start the same minute including a match - another Swan 371.

 

To get better results tomorrow, we decided to use racenames for the whole crew (derived from second names).

 

So only fo the race let me introduce the race crew:

Junde - the skipper

Kale - the steerman

Ile -the pianoman

Juiri - 1st deck officer

Ykä - 2nd deck officer

 

 

 

6th of August another day Blowing in the wind... quick rehearsals

At 18.00 the whole race crew (Except Holiday Jaska) gathered at the boat.

Anssi brought with him three nice ladies to participate the rehearsal and to bring good luck.

The ladies were Virva, Margaret (from the USA!) and  Anna (Anssi's daughter). Also Antti our freshman was first time in the rehearsals. Naturally all the newcomers earned an AquilaDeux pin (very valuable and rare) for the partcipation.

                                              The wind blew from E - SE between 6-8 m/s.

 We took the yacht out from the Viipuri rock and set sails up. Then we sailed in the fair wind with genoa number 2. The route was (E to S) around Santahamina, Suomenlinna, Särkkä, Harakka and Uunisaari. We reached top speed of 8 knots on the fair wave surfs.

Finally we took the sightseeing route for the ladies to Helsinki: In from Merisatama, slowly through Kaivopuisto and then finally around the pool near the main market square (Kauppatori). A lot of people were enjoying this nice summer evening in the Kaivopuisto terraces.

                                         Back to home docks at 20.35 Total mileage 12 nm.

                                         Another nice sailing day in the fantastic summer of Finland,

                                         Thank you boys and girls.

2nd of August to Tallinn again...

 Early Morning we engined towards Tallinn. Unfortunately we had direct front wind until Tallinn madal where we set the sails up. Nice day to sail!

Finally we arrived again Piritta port.

 

We visited city and ate again in Pegasus. After good meal Make and Jaska Went shopping. I myself went to manicur nto get my nails done.

 

Evening continues.

 

Tomorrow I go back to Helsinki with "vomit bird" (nickname for estonian catamarans).

 

Jaska and Make continue with Mafalda.

 

Good winds for you! 

1 st of August - S/Y Mafalda arrives in home docks

In the afternoon Mafalda arrived in the home docks. Steerman Jaska (Mafalda's skipper) and Make were in the boat.

Surprisingly Jaska had a birthday (25th apparently...) and on the behalf of the AQ2 I presented him very high quality original LIDL sunglasses. Congrats Jaska!

We spent the evening in the Sauna and chatting about nice memories. And naturally By listening music. Next Morning Tallinn.

Summer continues in H-R Mafalda

Logically we continue with the next story today. Aq2 Steerman Jaska is picking the AQ2 skipper up today to sail his H-R "Mafalda" to Tallinn.

Plan is to go first overnight in Granlandet in Eestiluoto where Sailing club Merekävijät have another base. 

Tomorrow morning we continue to Tallinn. Forecst 3-7 m/s S-SW.

27th of July finally sailing to homedocks

 The new day started almost like all days this July. Hot already from the early morning. After the famous breakfast we moved ourselves to Sulkaniemi. Just to show quickly to Ari our (Jaska and me) Yachting club base. Maybe Ari joins our great yachtclub?

 The base was totally empty. We stayed there about two hours. Jaska and Make went swimming. I myself took a nap (was a long night again...)

After leaving Sulkaniemi we set the sails finally up. First time in this trip. Quite low wind, but we were not in a hurry. Medium speed somewhere 3-4 knots. In the evenning Ari dropped me, Jaska and Make in the AquilaDeux homedocks.

Nice summer continues. So far nice tan earned.

26th of July Klamila -Bockhamn

It was a big pleasure to return to the Finnish waters from the Russian Territory. 

The next day we had a good breakfast (Ari always includes eggs and bacon + superb coffee in the breakfast). 

The whole day we had beautiful weather, but unfortunately direct wind from W-SW as we say in Finnish "päihin tulee". We had to steam the whole day up.

We overnighted in the beautiful public resting place Bockhamn in the island of Byön in the commons of Pernaja. Always a pleasure to stay there.

We set a fire in the fireplace and grilled some pork that was served with creamy Chantarel sauce (self picked) and potatoes and salad. Sipped down with Medoc. Great food. I think comparable for good Restaurant (or better...). Nice Company, heroic stories and perfect evening.

25th of July Nuijamaa - Vyborg - Santio -Klamila

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Early Morning start and  the next five locks through ¨Russian¨ territory. Then we passed Vyborg (an old Russian city, liberated from Finnish fascist white bandits 1944 By heroic Red army - gosh) and had about 40 nm march with engine agains the waves towards Finland.

Small chat with friendly russian gunboat (radio njet rabotajet baterii kaputt!)  in the sea border and then we were again in Santio, Finland. Jippi jaicha yeah!

Finally we went to Klamila nearby Hamina to sleep overnight. Was nice and long Sunny day.

24th july, Lappeenranta - Nuijamaa

The crew arrived in Lappenranta where the Skipper Ari waited with nice portions of fried vendice plus potato mush. the meal was on the famous restaurant steamboat ¨prinsessa Armaada¨. 10 points for the food.

After the meal we disembarked the yacht and set our nose to Nuijamaa through first three locks of Saimaa channel. The trip took around three hours and finally we rested in Nujamaa.

 

Rested and rested.... what do the old friends do after seeing a long time. We spent some wine and time for complete lifestories.

 

human is human

From tomorrow the blog continues from the deck of Prima Inter Pares

Petri, Jaska and Make will join "Prima Inter Pares" (Sunbeam 34) from Lappeenranta to Helsinki via the Saimaa Channel. The yacht is owned By Ari who is inseparate part of AquilaDeux crew (was in the great Baltic tour 2009 and Saimaa tour 2011).

Our tour will be roughly Lappeenranta-Nuijamaa-Hamina-Loviisa-Helsinki

Livedata via satellite will follow.

20th of July back to the home docks

After the morning Mirja had to leave from Porkkala back home. After waiting some thunderstorms passed we sailed (steamed actually) together with Marsa to Helsinki.

We reached the home docks at 20.00. Sunny day, no rain no storms,

 

 Somehow nice and the same time sad the sailing trip for this summer is over. Luckily there are a lot of sailing days left for the rest of the summer and - of course - HTR!

 

Now you know what Santa Claus is doing in the summer (the skippers beard turned white in the sun).

19th of July Rosala - Porkkala! Fantastic sailing day

 After good breakfast in Rosala we set our nose back to the east. In the front of Hanko we finally got wind. We practically sailed the whole day. Then we noticed that guest harbors nearby Barösund were full or unreachable. We decided to go towards Porkkala.

Long and beautiful day. Porkkala was reached at 00.30. Thank you ladies for patience!

In Porkkala we had nice last night drink on the deck.