Toivomme kaikkien vierailijoiden kirjoittavan kommentteja tähän blogiin. Luemme kaikki kommentit ja vastaamme niihin mahdollisuuksiemme mukaan, kun nettiyhteys on saatavilla.
Meihin saa yhteyden myös sähköpostilla. Sähköpostiosoitteemme on ’etunimi’ @ suwena net.
Suwenaan saa vesillä yhteyden myös VHF-puhelimella DSC kutsulla MMSI-numeroon 230036080, aluksen tunnuksella OJ7642 tai veneen nimellä kanavalla 16.
Odottelua Visbyssä
Rami ja Iris sea irikseltä toivottavat teidät tervettulleeksi Visbyn huvivenesatamaan. Toivottavasti saatte hyvän yöpurjehduksen. Tuulet ovat laantuneet eilisestä paljon. Olemme jo olleet Gotlannissa muutaman päivän. Tänään oli tosi lämmin ja aurinkoinen sää vaikka ennusteen mukaan piti sataa.
terv. Rami ja Iris
Saimaa ajatuksissa.
Tervehdys Teille.
Haeskelin Saimaa aiheisia artikkeleja YouTubesta ja löysin Teidän videonne, jotka olivat mielenkiintoisia ja hyviä aiheiltaan sekä toteutukseltaan. Sen jälkeen vierailin kotisivuillanne, jotka nekin ovat erinomaisesti toteutettu. Hain siksi artikkeleja Saimaalta, koska keväällä 2012 siirrän veneeni Vaajakoskelta Mikkelin kautta Saimaan vesistöön ja suunnitelmissani on veneillä koko kesä Mikkeli-Lappeenranta-Savonlinna-Joensuu alueen vesistössä. Minun veneeni on retkivene “Albatross Flying 871.”
Hyvää alkanutta Uuttavuotta sekä mielenkiintoista ja onnellista alkavaa veneilykesää 2012, Teille, Eve ja Andrus.
Toivottavat Matti ja Meizhen Kanerva.
matti.kanerva@nic.fi
Kesä Saimaalla
Kiitos mukavasta palautteesta. Meille Saimaa oli positiivinen yllätys ja viihdyimme erinomaisesti järviseikkailullamme näin meren äärellä asuvina veneilijöinä.
Saimaan reittisuunnittelussa meitä auttoi valtavasti Saimaan veneilyopas. Se kannattaakin käydä nappaamassa tulevilta venemessuilta Saimaan osastolta. Kävimme myös jututtamassa mm. Kuopion Pursiseuran veneilijöitä heidän messuosastollaan. Saimme heiltä hyviä vinkkejä reiteistä ja kohteista.
Me valitsimme Heinäveden reitin, koska tiesimme vaihtavamme seuraavana vuotena purjeveneeseen, niinpä otimme kaiken ilon irti moottoriveneelle sopivasta reitistä Saimaan vesistössä.
Yllätyimme kuitenkin sitä, että monet palvelut satamissa avautuivat vasta juhannukselta. Mehän seilasimme Saimaalla nimenomaan kesäkuun ajan. Matka oli joka tapauksessa meistä upea ja mieleenpainuva.
Ei muuta kuin mukavaa ja onnistunutta reissua Suomen upealla Saimaalla. Veneilijälle Saimaa on todellinen helmi, sillä tutkittavia kohteita siellä piisaa mielin määrin vaikka useammaksi kesäksi.
T Eve ja Andrus
Moikka !
Moikka !
Viimeisimmät juttunne luettu nyt. Mukavaa kun ilmat alkavat teillekin vähän lämmetä !
Kaks viikkoa meni kotioloissa reissumme jälkeen pihalla möyrytessä ja muissa maakravun hommissa. Oli ihan mukavaa vaihtelua. Kaks hellepäivää on nyt takana. Perjantaina käväisimme Varjakassa. Eilen lauantaina helteessä jo sitten suunnattiin Röyttään. Koneajoa tyynessä koko matka. Tänään sunnuntaina sitten jo satelee. Hyviä kelejä teille sinne Itämerelle ! terveisin Iris ja Rami
Hei Eve ja Andrus, kiitos
Hei Eve ja Andrus, kiitos loistavista sivuista ja videoista. Olemme vaimon kanssa nauttineet ja fiilistelleet purjehduksesta Suwenan videoilla. Suuri kiitos. Olette tuoneet kesän, meren ja purjehduksen ilon talviseen päiväämme. Kiitos ja leppoisia tuulia teille, sekä antoisia purjehdusreissuja toivoen,
Heikki Arikka
s/y Prima Vista Raisio
Kiitos hienoista, ja hienosti
Kiitos hienoista, ja hienosti toteutetuista veneilyvideoista. Näitä on mukava katsella näin talvella uutta veneilykautta odotellessa, ja haaveilla omista tulevien kesien reissuista! Toivottavasti saamme nähdä lisää teidän veneilyvideoita tulevilta kausilta myös! Kaikkea hyvää teille:
Kaj & Maria
MS Maria
Eve & Andrus,
Eve & Andrus,
Katselin sivujanne, hyvää matkaa ja kelejä. Olen itse Ruotsinpyhtäällä saaressa veneitä vesille laskemassa. Soitan erikseen!
Terveisin,
Tomi.
Dear Suwena crew, I spotted
Dear Suwena crew, I spotted the Finnish flag in Ramsgate on Sunday morning 🙂 Noted down her name, so great to find your site. Hope you had a good sail to Ipswich.
Johanna
Hi Johanna,
Hi Johanna,
What a pity we didn’t meet in Dieppe or in Ramsgate. Suwena will stay the whole winter in the UK, so let us know which part of the UK you keep your boat? Maybe we can meet in some other harbour anyhow.
kindly Eve and Andrus
Hei Eve & Andrus,
Hei Eve & Andrus, mielenkiinnolla luen matkoistanne, silla meilla olisi tarkoitus seilata taalta Englannista Suomeen, ehka jo ensi kesana tai sitten seuraavana. Huomasin myos etta olimme myos olleet Dieppe’ssa samana viikonloppuna kuin tekin mutta silloin en paljoa ehtinyt ymparille katselemaan, ja nyt siis Ramsgatessa.
Terveisin Johanna
Howdy u 2,
Howdy u 2,
I am very pleased to have found your site. Particularly gratifying is that your site is very slick and unbelievably well-written. I love the fact that you post also so many videos.
I have a lot of catching up to do on your archives but am enjoying it so far to the point where it is keeping me up till the wee small hours. (good practice for the future watch-keeping…smile)
I look forward to vicariously participating in your adventure from afar. I may not always chirp or comment but know that I wish you ‘voerspoed’ an Afrikaans word meaning ‘forward speed’ and friendly seas wherever you may wander.
It is surely not too late to wish you bon voyage.
We are way behind you on the road to a similar adventure.
The answers to our nagging questions may lie in your blogs but it would be great to be able to hear from you guys ‘live’ as it were if any Qs arise.
About us.
We are Hans-Erik 52, Chantal 35 and Hans-Otto 3.75. We live at Thaba Manzi Ranch our game and cattle ranch http://www.thabamanziranch.co.za. In addition we own http://www.kwamanzi.co.za an ‘Old Mac Donalds’ guest farm and http://www.hoskens.co.za a farm realtor.
A brief summary of the cause of the dilemma we face,
Between Dec 1985 and 1987 I (Hans-Erik) then young, healthy, single and fit lived on a Baltic 42 on which I crewed in the race from Cape Town to Uruguay and then via a few other short Caribbean stops to St. Maarten where I remained on board to look after her until sold in mid-1987 and assisted with her delivery to her new owner in Ft. Lauderdale.
Whilst in St. Maarten I secured a job as a timeshare salesman and later sales manager at the Royal Islander resort at Maho Reef. How I became so good at selling holidays at the end of a runway I shall never really know but success in the timeshare business took me to many parts of the globe as a consultant and later as owner of my own timeshare marketing and project consultancy company based in Cambridgeshire UK.
I returned to South Africa in 1999 aged 38 and hopeful of meeting someone, falling in love and starting a family. Best laid plans etc. etc………… our son Hans-Otto was born 18 November 2009.
Between 2004 and mid-2009 Chantal and I owned Sashay, a 27’ Jeanneau Fantasia which we sailed on a brown puddle called the Vaal Dam about a two hour drive from our ranch.
Sashay was sold just before the arrival of Hans-Otto to get the last of our debts paid and since then we have lived mortgage and debt free.
The Dilemma…..
I would love to share the wider world with my family and I would love to do it based on a yacht. Chantal is game but……….
We (Chantal and Hans-Erik) are thinking of selling a substantial share in our businesses to finance a ‘home-on-the-sea’ yacht. We figure that a real benefit of this plan is that we would have partners running the businesses (hopefully at a continued profit, whilst we sail the world until we get bored or decide that we never want to be landlubbers again.
(Chantal is leaning towards a South African catamaran such as the Leopard 48 or the Royal Cape Majestic 530. I would prefer a 60′ to 80′ Ketch or Schooner).
Hans-Otto is too young to have an opinion either way…’smile’. But therein lies the rub. We also are working on manufacturing a brother or sister shipmate for him ‘grin’.
Besides that Chantal and I still have to get our skippers tickets (RYA course at Langebaan, West Coast of SA near Cape Town earmarked for that in spring later this year) and then there is the whole issue of home schooling for Hans-Otto to research and come to terms with………plus all the rest that you have been through to get to where you are.
Will we make the move and if so will we “take the plunge” or just “wet our feet” initially? Time will tell but we shall be avidly following your dream voyages as you make them a reality.
Regards. The Arp family.
PS. If we are still landlocked shore-based rancher/sailors when (if) you get to South Africa get in touch and we would be happy to have you visit as our guests. Only payment in ‘kind’ required. Kind=swapping yarns
Regards,
Hans-Erik Arp
Thaba Manzi Ranch
+27 (0)82-858-0942
http://www.thabamanziranch.co.za
Hello Hans-Erik, Chantal and
Hello Hans-Erik, Chantal and Hans-Otto,
It was really nice reading your comments. We got a good warm feeling that somebody on the other side of the Earth got inspiration from our writings. Maybe the short answer to your dilemmas is:
Don’t dream your life, live your dream!
Choosing the boat and commissioning can be tough process. For us it was a two year long process to think through our plans and find a right boat for the job. This included sailing courses and visiting many boat shows. Now that we have cruised in Northern Europe we think that the cruising boat here should not exceed the length of 15m and the draft should be maximum two metres. Once over these limits the smaller places will become inaccessible or you’ll be directed to ship quays or somewhere further. Socialising with other sailors, visiting yacht clubs and generally having fun is the best part of the cruising. The same limitations also apply for catamarans. Finding a berth for a catamaran in crowded European marinas can be quite challenging. Of course when living off the hook the boat size does not matter. It all depends on what type of cruising you are planning to do.
If planning a longer voyage I would look into the boat maintenance instead of the fashionable deck shape. Easy access to every equipment, wireing and plumbing is very important. In boat shows I would crawl through all lockers and check how easy it would be to remove the headliner panels among other things.
Now that the typical circumnavigation route from Asia through the Red Sea to the Mediterranean is closed due to a piracy, I think most yachts on their world voyage stop in South Africa just on your doorsteps. Last year at least four Finnish yachts stopped there, I believe many more from other countries. Cruisers are easy going, why not to get some new friends there.
We joined Cruising Association to get new friends and make local contacts wherever we sail. I think there are HLRs (Honorary Local Representatives) both in Durban and Cape Town. Why not join CA and get your feet wet by helping other cruisers?
Finally we really hope that one day we also have a possibility to visit South Africa. For now we stick to summer cruising here in Europe and move her to a new “home harbour” every year. Now she is in Ipswich and next summer we are planning to visit Scotland and Faroe Islands. The plans also definitely include some winter sailing on the UK East Coast rivers as well.
Andrus and Eve
3:21 in the clip is our boat
3:21 in the clip is our boat in Pavilosta. Broken gearbox and we spent 8 days there waiting for another one from Sweden.
Nice to see Sixhaven marina again, we bought our Moody in Dartmouth 2010 and took her to Stockholm. Thanks for your nice videos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07SatH7WrAI&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLFRfU_6WUQjz2bkFhkeb7X80C6uqloiJM
Regards, Håkan Viktoria
http://www.hakvik.se
Boat videos
Boat videos
Dear Eve and Andrus,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful site of your adventures on Suwena. I have especially enjoyed reading your decision, planning and building process of your Nauticat. Do you possibly have a walk-through video of Suwena that you would like to share.
It would be awesome to see more detailed videos or slideshows of some of the solutions you mentioned in your blog. For example one or more videos picturing and describing your technical setups (electrical / heating / engine / generator). Another video which would be appreciated is a more detailed look on your galley (stove placement, fridge and freezer selection and placements etc).
Once again a big thank you for sharing all your trips with us and good luck with your upcoming cruising season!
Greetings from Falkenberg, Sweden
Gunnar
Hi Gunnar,
Hi Gunnar,
Thanks of great idea to make the videos about the technical issues. We actually have made some photo materials for example from galley which we have been thinking to write more detailed story.
But it is great to know that those could really be interesting others as well.
As we started our blog we made it like a logbook for ourselves at first and it has been nice to share all these experiences with other boaters as well.
Next week we gonna go back to Suwena and hopefully we will have more time to update our blog and start really writing this season stories.
About Suwena and technical details we have written stories which you can find under the tag of Nauticat 441. It is a great idea from you to do them by video, too. Latest stories were about the heater and davits.
regs, Eve
Are you planning on sailing
Are you planning on sailing to Shetland this year? I live in Lerwick with my Finnish wife, so it would be nice to see you if you get here.
We are now in Kirkwall,
We are now in Kirkwall, waiting parts for fixing the furlex. Next we’ll go to the smaller islands of Orkney and then to Shetland. We’ll let you know when we are in Lerwick or you can track us on Marinetraffic with the link above.
Hi Suwena
Hi Suwena
we are the new owners from last november of the nauticat 38 which was close to you in ipswich, now called Lazycat. We were back early june, saw you were gone and were sorry not to meet you. We sailed Lazycat back to France where we live and the boat will be based in Le Crouesty in south britany.
we love your blog and videos. Enjoy your summer, hope we meet one day!
mail: lazycatpoole@gmail.com
eric and beatrice
See you Eric and Beatrice
See you Eric and Beatrice
We are just about to leave from Shetland to West Scotland. Suwena will stay somewhere on the Irish Sea for the winter and next summer we are coming to Britany, so hopefully we will meet then. Keep in touch.
kindly Eve and Andrus
What a fantastic website! I
What a fantastic website!
I discovered it on youtube researching the “Staande Mast Route” but then found a hidden treasure with many more information and great videos on this website. Well done! We are planning to visit the Baltic Sea in 2016.
Kind Regards,
Sabine
Hi Sabine, You are very
Hi Sabine, You are very welcome to our home sea, If you have any further questions you can also send an email to us.
Kindly Eve
Eva, Andrus, greetings,
Eva, Andrus, greetings,
I am emailing to ask permission to show your sailing videos on http://www.boaterstube.com . I can download them from YouTube.
I will be delighted to set up a community profile for you – if you would like me to do so can you send me your logo in .jpg format together with an email address where any correspondence can be sent.
I look forward to hearing from you and to answering any questions you might have.
Kind regards,
James
turvallisia tuulia ja
Turvallisia tuulia ja nautinnollisia retkiä. Kiva päästä taas seuraamaan reissaamistanne.
Ulla
Moi Eve!
Moi Eve!
Juhalta sain vinkin blogiisi kun kerroin palanneeni Irlannista. Samoilla kulmilla liikuttiin, Te Kerryn kierroksella, me Bearan kierroksella, me olimme siellä 11.6.
Sinulle ja Andrukselle toivotan “Kivi kotti!”
Terveisin Esko
Voi, olipa mukavaa kuulla
Voi, olipa mukavaa kuulla pitkästä aikaa sinusta Esko. Irlannissa tutkittavaa piisaa, ja ois kiva joskus istahtaa alas vaihtamaan kuulumisia. Hyvää kesää
t Eve ja Andrus
Hei, kylläpä aika rientää,
Hei, kylläpä aika rientää, piti ottaa yhteyttä jo aikapäiviä sitten, mutta… Tarkeneeko siellä, missä? olette? Oulussa on kuumaa auringossa, mutta tuulessa on koleaa. Mansikka ja tomaatti kasvavat riemuiten parvekkeella. Retkellä ei ole vielä käyty, mutta sinnekin menemme, tietenkin Lappiin… Olette ihania, kun osaatte irrottautua arjesta. Moni ei osaa, vaan puurtaa metsässä ja mökeillä:-) Olemme äitisi kanssa touhunneet kesäretkiä yhdistyksen merkeissä. Hyvä kun sain hänet mukaan. Sujuu hyvin ja ajatukset käyvät yksiin. Hyvää jatkoa ta. aila
Olen 10.v poika ja olen
Olen 10.v poika ja olen seurannut loistavaa blogianne melko pitkään mutta minulla muutama pyyntö:1. Voisitteko te tehdä lisää videoita. 2. Voisitteko katsoa minun kirjoittamaani Serafinan matkassa-blogia. 3. Voisitteko lopettaa musiikkien pistämisen videoihin 4. Toivottavasti toteuttaisitte ainakin yhden toivomuksistani!
Dear Eve and Andrus,
Dear Eve and Andrus,
I watched your movies from Scotland on youtube few months ago, but I can’t find them anymore. Are they somewhere available? I would like to see them again, because I am going to sail to Scotland next season.
Best regards
Lech
Hi Lech,
Hi Lech,
For sure the videos are available on Youtube. Our channel is at https://www.youtube.com/boatsuwena and there is a separate playlist for Scotland videos.
If you have any questions regarding Scotland I’m happy to answer. Just drop me an email at firstname @ suwena.net.
There have been some time since the last video but I’ve all the raw footage from our voyage from Northern Ireland until Brittany. This winter there will be new episodes published for sure.
Andrus.
My wife and I are very interested in a 2003 Nauticat 44. We are not experienced yachters, but have been lake sailors on smaller boats our entire lives. We are in our late 60’s, in good shape and wanting to cruise for 3-5 years.
Would you be willing to give us some feedback and guidance about the NC 44?
Have really benefited from your website!
Thanks so much,
Justin White
New York State, US
Ahoy to the other side of the pond 🙂
It is difficult to help you with such a general question. We are loving our Nautical 441 very much. 441 was introduced somewhere in 2009 and had quite a few changes compared to 44.
Like any used boat I think that most important is to check the condition and maintenance history of the yacht. Her being 17 years old there might be a need for upgrades for sure. The normal things are of course the rig, engine and hull. But for such an age upgrading of electronics and sails might be needed as well. You better factor in costs related to upgrades in addition of purchasing price.
She is a heavy yacht and under-canvassed by modern standards. Like other heavy cruisers she needs a fair bit of wind before getting an a way. At least about 8-10 knots of wind over deck and of course with following wind that means easily 12 knots from behind. We have a gennaker and this helps tremendously in light winds.
Also from our experience all Nauticats are extremely sturdy yachts built with a solid laminate hulls and strong rig. This with excellent joinery make them age very well.
Our yacht is now 9 years and I feel that we should upgrade sails soon. Both genoa and mainsail have turned a little baggy and we do not point as high any more and have lost some speed while sailing.
Electronics is developing at an amazing pace so I would think an upgrade might be needed as well but this of course is up to your preference.
If you have any specific questions I’m happy to help. Please drop me an email at@suwena.net.
Thanks,
Andrus.
Hello
I read with interest your selection of a nauticat 441. I understand the RC B rating. Keep the doors shut!!
I have sailed USA island packets for many years and many long voyages.
I have an SP cruder in UK.
Now I consider the 441 or IP 485 for another long adventure
I think IP solid laminate is thicker and heavier than the nauticat
I like build quality of both.
On 441 I dislike the 12 and 240 electric panel but I like the layout.
Hydraulic steering. How is it.
The prop shaft on nauticat is direct through gear box and load to engine mountings ?
On similar large engine yachts they have a load bearing hull mounted transfer connection to keep load off the engine mounts. Halberg Rass and IP for example.
How usefull is the inner forestay and stay sail on the 441. The Genoa is very big already
Manual bilge pump is very small and bilge remains wet all the time from shower drain?
Any other pro and cons from your experience
Regards
Warren
Hei! Vihdoin muistin kirjoittaa teille, luin blogia kyllä jo pian tapaamisemme jälkeen, ovat kivoja! Pääsin itse pari päivän työn jälkeen Cascais:sta pohjoiseen. Usein tulet olivat heikot mutta välillä oli oikein mukava purjehtia. Ja uusi sähkökone toimi mainioisti ! Kävin Porto, Baiona, Muxia ja A Coruna satamissa. Ja siellä sain vihdoin uutta AIS toimimaan, eli nyt Aku Wama voi seurata suomalaisella MMSI-llä: 230163060. selaisin juuri Ranskaan ja olen nyt Camaret-sur-Mer paikassa. Toivottavasti teidän matkaa etelään on sujunut vähintään yhtä mukavasti! Nähdään!
Robert , sy Aku Wama
Hei Robert, Tosi mahtava kuulla, että kotimatkasi on lähtenyt hyvin käyntiin. Ilman muuta laitamme Aku Waman seurantaan marinetraffic.com -sivulla. Me ollaan nauttimassa Culatran saaren viereisellä ankkurilahdella kauniista kesäpäivästä. Juuri grillattiin suomalaiseen kesätyyliin makkaraa ja se maistui! Ja kohta lähdemme jollalla Culatran saarelle. Huomenna olisi tarkoitus jatkaa matkaa viimeiseen Portugalin pysähdyspaikkaan Vila Real de Santo Antónion satamaan Guardiana-joensuulle. Harmillisesti näyttää, että emme pääse itse seilaamaan Guardianalle, joka oli suunnitelmamme, sillä Suwenan masto on juuri vähäsen liian korkea. Hyviä tuulia sinulle kotimatkalle! T Eve ja Andrus