Information about the Baltic wanted

[DoubleEnder]

I am semi seriously thinking about taking my old wooden boat to the Baltic next year and maybe keeping the boat there for a couple of years. I am based E Coast UK and I'm not too worried about getting there in May 2018. A few local yachts do this and I believe that it should be an interesting and achievable trip.

I'm attracted to the Baltic rather than the Med for a few reasons:
-I can sail there fairly quickly and easily whereas the Med would be a long sail or an expensive delivery
-The Baltic climate would be kinder to my traditionally built wooden boat than the Mediterranean
-I like the look of it! And it seems that maybe there is more space and less showing off.

Can anyone recommend some sources of information? I guess I'm looking for marinas or boatyards that might have the space, that I can make a home base, and also that can take care of winter storage. I have a decent all over winter cover, but a shed might be even better.

I think I'm looking at SW region of the Baltic initially, probably like everyone else. So Denmark, Schleswig-Holstein, Southern Sweden. I'm not a member of the Cruising Association. Would that be worthwhile? But any pilot or guide books that you know of would be handy

Thank you

 

[langstonelayabout]

Our experience of the Baltic is limited, but judging by what I've seen I'd suggest that a summer cruise there would be great (summer this year was about 19 degress on a nice day, force 2 to force 6).

I'd be happy if I could keep my boat in somewhere like Travemunde (Germany) and visit places in the southern Baltic area. I'm not sure of the depths in some areas and the multiple wind farms but it looks to be a picturesque and a civilised place to cruise.

 

[bobgarrett]

I can certainly recommend the Baltic having spent 5 months there in 2014.
If you are new to the area I would thoroughly recommend joining the CA as their Baltic section has a wealth of information available online through forums and documents plus they do some good seminars.

 

[alant]

I am semi seriously thinking about taking my old wooden boat to the Baltic next year and maybe keeping the boat there for a couple of years. I am based E Coast UK and I'm not too worried about getting there in May 2018. A few local yachts do this and I believe that it should be an interesting and achievable trip.

I'm attracted to the Baltic rather than the Med for a few reasons:
-I can sail there fairly quickly and easily whereas the Med would be a long sail or an expensive delivery
-The Baltic climate would be kinder to my traditionally built wooden boat than the Mediterranean
-I like the look of it! And it seems that maybe there is more space and less showing off.

Can anyone recommend some sources of information? I guess I'm looking for marinas or boatyards that might have the space, that I can make a home base, and also that can take care of winter storage. I have a decent all over winter cover, but a shed might be even better.

I think I'm looking at SW region of the Baltic initially, probably like everyone else. So Denmark, Schleswig-Holstein, Southern Sweden. I'm not a member of the Cruising Association. Would that be worthwhile? But any pilot or guide books that you know of would be handy

Thank you

I spent some time there some couple of summers ago, working out of Rodby across to Puttgarden. Quite a few 'longstay' yachts in Rodby, but the whole are seemed a bit bleak. You also had to cope with a huge amount of shipping transiting via the Great Belt.

 

[Boz]

try re-posting on the East Coast Forum - probably get a more focused response on there.... I too would recommend the CA, although some consider it expensive.

 

[Joker]

The Cruising Association [http://www.theca.org] has a very active Baltic section with around 800 members. They hold Information Days at the HQ in Limehouse for individual countries [Germany in November] and a full day seminar on the Baltic - next one will be Saturday 10 February. You can go to the seminar even if you aren't a member, but in that case there will be a fee.

 

[dunedin]

The Cruising Association [http://www.theca.org] has a very active Baltic section with around 800 members. They hold Information Days at the HQ in Limehouse for individual countries [Germany in November] and a full day seminar on the Baltic - next one will be Saturday 10 February. You can go to the seminar even if you aren't a member, but in that case there will be a fee.

Big +1. We joined the Cruising Association last winter and attended the Baltic Forum. Very worthwhile. Indeed of the very few U.K. flagged boats seen over here, almost all have been CA members.

 

[Amphitrite]

Being german, I have sailed quite a bit of the Baltic, and can only recommend it. It is quite large, and will give you enough for years of exploring. One of my favourites is actually the swedish west coast, north of Gothenburg (a good start if you approach from UK via Skagen) - a myriad of small stone islands, nice villages, some interesting rock dodging, and very boat-friendly. The danish islands are bigger, but also nice, with quaint villages and town. Copenhagen definitely a place to visit.
Honestly I would give the german coast a miss, much is flat and rather boring (perhaps with the exception of Flensburg and round Ruegen island.
Bornholm is great, and so is the the swedish east coast - lots of islands as well, but more wooded... if you go even further north, the Aaland archipelagoo is lovely and quite remote... on the way back you could go inland through the Gota-Canal.
Can't comment on the Polish/latvian coast, is on my list...

 

[ANDY_W]

Assuming you are a British citizen, you may find after Brexit that you will only be permitted to stay in the Schengen Area for up to ninety days in any six month period. If you had thoughts of spending the entire summer sailing in the Baltic, you may need to brush up your Russian language skills!

Andy

 

[johnalison]

Being german, I have sailed quite a bit of the Baltic, and can only recommend it. It is quite large, and will give you enough for years of exploring. One of my favourites is actually the swedish west coast, north of Gothenburg (a good start if you approach from UK via Skagen) - a myriad of small stone islands, nice villages, some interesting rock dodging, and very boat-friendly. The danish islands are bigger, but also nice, with quaint villages and town. Copenhagen definitely a place to visit.
Honestly I would give the german coast a miss, much is flat and rather boring (perhaps with the exception of Flensburg and round Ruegen island.
Bornholm is great, and so is the the swedish east coast - lots of islands as well, but more wooded... if you go even further north, the Aaland archipelagoo is lovely and quite remote... on the way back you could go inland through the Gota-Canal.
Can't comment on the Polish/latvian coast, is on my list...

I'm sorry to disagree with you, but although we also enjoyed the west of Sweden and Bornholm, the German Coast and especially Rugen is my favourite part of the Baltic. True, the shoreline is mostly flat except North of Sassnitz, but the combination of beautiful cities such as Stralsund and Wismar, multiple harbours both large and small, attractive scenery and wildlife, and diverse places of interest makes this coast both easy and rewarding to visit.

 

[BabaYaga]

I guess I'm looking for marinas or boatyards that might have the space, that I can make a home base, and also that can take care of winter storage.

As pointed out by Amphitrite, the Baltic is a large place, especially if also including the Kattegatt and Skagerrak. To get the most out of it during, say, a three year stay, I think it would be best to move base every year. First year could be in the SW for exploring the Danish islands and the German coast, next year somewhere on the Swedish west coast, from where Norway's lovely SE coastline is also within reach, then Göta canal to a new base on Sweden's east coast, which will keep you busy for a summer or two, not least if you include Gotland and the Åland archipelago.

 

[davidej]

I did one summer, mainly in Denmark via the Kiel canal. We used kiel as a base as it is Ryanair stansted friendly for crew changes and food etc is cheaper there.

This year we have been more adventurous and gone via Lerwick and Bergen. The first part was not for wimps, but we then had several weeks of girl's sailing in the Gothenburg archipelago wher various family members jointed me. Absolutely fabulous.

My co-owner took the boat through the canals to the Stockholm area, from where I pen this. Completely different scenery but just as nice. We are intending to overwinter here and come back next year via the southern Baltic coast and the Kiel.

It is hard to say one part is better than the other - just different!

The Imray Baltic Pilot book and the CA seminars are the places to start research.

 

[DoubleEnder]

well thank you everyone and it does sound enticing. I shall start with the Cruising Association as everyone seems to think that's a good source of information. Maybe they will have a membership discount at the Southampton Boat Show hehehe... I have read that the RCC Pilot Book is due for a new updated edition very shortly so I will hang on for that.

I'm kind of thinking that initially I may look for a base in the SW Baltic, maybe Flensburg or nearby, as I will take a bit of time getting there. My boat is a William Fife designed bermudan sloop, 34' LOA but only 24' LWL and very narrow. She is lovely, but not great for extended open water as she is very wet in any seaway. So I will creep up quite slowly I think.

Thank you for all the information and advice.

 

[johnalison]

. So I will creep up quite slowly I think.
.

Being narrow will be a considerable advantage when you get to the box moorings, many of which have been sized for narrow Baltic craft. Our beam is 3.4m but we have regularly struggled to enter boxes. Unless you want to spend a lot of time in Holland on the way, it is usually better to stay outside the Frisians, weather-permitting.

As you say, the RCC book is due out. I believe that I get an acknowledgement from one of their reporters. Actually, I'm not a great fan of pilot books, but they can make good winter reading.

 

[dunedin]

For your intended initial Cruising you might want to start with the Cruising Guide to Germany and Denmark rather than the full Baltic Pilot (which to my mind covers too large an area to be really useful, and has gathered dust whilst we use the online harbourguide.com daily)

 

[wully1]

In a transit between jobs I'm stopped off ( in the car regrettably) in Bogense, Fyn, and a pretty wee town it is to.

Its now added to the visit list for boatie trip next summer.

Got here too late for a table at the fish restaurant in the havn ,where you can moor alongside, which was agony as I was hungry and the aroma of smoked fish was pure torture!

 

[Pye_End]

I'm kind of thinking that initially I may look for a base in the SW Baltic, maybe Flensburg or nearby, as I will take a bit of time getting there.

Flensburg has a good sized marina and facilities. Supermarket not far away, but perhaps not walking distance if you have much to carry. Good place for rail connection.

Sonderborg also has a decent marina, though bit further out from the main drag of the town (unless you moor on the town quay). Again, good rail, Bit further out than Flensburg, so will save an hour or two getting 'out' to the islands. Aero and area is fabulous cruising ground.

Fredericia is not a bad idea to check out. Smaller marina - less chance of getting a longer term berth perhaps, but again good for rail. Used to be able to get direct to Esbjerg and then ferry to Harwich - sadly no longer. Lovely cruising from there as well.

 

[johnalison]

Fredericia is not a bad idea to check out. Smaller marina - less chance of getting a longer term berth perhaps, but again good for rail. Used to be able to get direct to Esbjerg and then ferry to Harwich - sadly no longer. Lovely cruising from there as well.

The loss of ferries is a shame. I accompanied our daughter from Kolding to Esjberg in 1990. It was a bit dull, so ŵe entertained ourselves by guessing what the spelling of the stations we passed would be after hearing the announcements in the train.

 

[jbweston]

I've had Penguin out in the Baltic since 2011. Strictly speaking the first couple of seasons were on the west coast of Sweden (which UK sailors call 'the Baltic', although for Scandinavians 'the Baltic' starts south and east of the Sound). I love it out there.

We overwintered twice on the west coast of Sweden and four times in the Stockhom area. We've been to Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Åland, Estonia and Latvia. We are intending to overwinter this year in Germany to cruise a different area next season.

Some reflections:

- It's a fallacy that the weather is cold in the summer. The climate varies as we're talking about a big area. I reckon that on average summer weather is much sunnier and warmer than the UK and the winters are of course darker and colder. Having said that this summer the weather hasn't been brilliant.

- Harbours are usually much more welcoming than the average UK harbour. I've never had to phone or VHF ahead to ask for a berth, sailors are regarded as normal members of society not some wealthy ne'er-do-wells who are lucky to be allowed to step ashore, and local sailors are friendly and helpful without poking their noses into your private business.

- In most places, there is just so much less traffic, both pleasure and commercial. Quite often we sail all day and only see a few other vessels. Although obviously major ports and yacht harbours are busy.

- If you have any experience of traffic in the Dover Straits, or around Felixstowe or crossing from the Solent to France, then the amount of commercial traffic around Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia seems tiny, even in the places that locals regard as 'busy'. I don't know what it's like in the southern Baltic (Germany and Poland), but in many places it's refreshingly quiet.

- Talking of quiet, Scandinavian sailors hardly ever use their VHFs. I don't think in six seasons I've ever heard a request for a radio check. People do talk to each other on VHF sometimes, but not often. You can keep watch on Ch 16 and hear only the routine 'all stations' traffic and the odd inter ship call perhaps once an hour on average. Lovely.

- The season is short. For most Swedish sailors it's from the last week in June to mid-August because of the way they take their annual holidays in a lump then. Depending on how far north you are, I think a hardy UK type can sail fine from May to the end of August. Near Stockholm in the first week of May I've had it snowing one day and so hot we were sailing in our shirt sleeves two days later. Finland in July can be like Africa.

The geography and sailing conditions are amazingly varied. Some parts are rocky with intricate pilotage and many quiet anchorages (eg in Åland, southern Finland and the Stockholm archipleago) others are low sandy coast with few harbours (eg Gulf of Riga). The standard of buoyage is generally excellent. Local charts are excellent in Scandinvaia and adequate in Estonia and Latvia.

- No tides. Actually I miss them as they're such a source of amusement and satisfaction when I get them right, but their absence does make life simple. 'We'll leave after breakfast' replaces 'Need to leave at 0430 to catch the tide''.

- I agree about the CA as source of information. Their annual Baltic Seminar is a good introduction to the area.

My 'Penguin's Progress' blog (link below) has an account of our travels, but it's far from being a comprehensive source of local information . . .

 

[alant]

I'm sorry to disagree with you, but although we also enjoyed the west of Sweden and Bornholm, the German Coast and especially Rugen is my favourite part of the Baltic. True, the shoreline is mostly flat except North of Sassnitz, but the combination of beautiful cities such as Stralsund and Wismar, multiple harbours both large and small, attractive scenery and wildlife, and diverse places of interest makes this coast both easy and rewarding to visit.

"True, the shoreline is mostly flat".

Stay home & watch Wallander, some of which feature that shoreline, which is indeed flat & boring.