Carola Sailing

Welcome!

Welcome to follow the adventures of s/y Carola and it’s crew in Baltic Sea and it’s beautiful archipelago! We are a blended family, a couple with four kids and a dog, searching for new adventures on the Finnish archipelago and beyond. They say there is over 40.000 islands here to explore and even more places to visit. In this lifetime we only have the opportunity to visit a fraction of it, but we’ll make sure to share these experiences with you. Let’s hope the next generation continues our journey in the same way, as we follow the wake of our parents.

Please enjoy the collection of pictures of our journey on Instagram and below. 

Bon vent!
– André, Irja-Marie & Cheri

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This is us

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André

Skipper and entertainer, jack-of-all-trades

Being born and raised via the most beautiful archipelago in the world, saltwater runs through the veins of this bald sailor. Or at least he thinks so. Probably not, just plain blood and sometimes rum. Handyman whose passion is to personally know every single screw, wire and bolt that is attached to the boat. Loves to sing and play instruments.

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Irja-Marie

First and last mate, sunshine in human form

Personification of sunshine itself. Still learning to sail, but already internalized the very essence of sailing: enjoying the diversity of life at sea. Best friend of sunny days and coffee. Loves to mingle with the sunshine and our fluffy sea sausage ’Cheri’. And coffee. Dressmaker by profession so she knows how to sew our drapes and sails too. Did I mention coffee?

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Cheri

Fluffy sea sausage and a hole digger

Dachshund who doesn’t row on all oars. World’s kindest and simplest dog who just want to cuddle and sleep. And dig holes. Unfortunately that’s pretty hard when we’re sailing. Has never actually been swimming on water, so we need to try this sometime. Still learning her short and fluffy sea legs, but already dares to move around the boat. Loves to bite skippers nose when he’s asleep.

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The Boat - s/y Carola

Sailing yacht Carola is a Finnflyer 31 CR (cruiser) built in 1993 in Finland. The boat model was first designed in 1978 by a boat designer and maths teacher, Eivind Still, for IOR and IMS -racing. This cruiser was designed more for family cruising although it still has very good features for racing too. Carola has 45 cm’s shorter Scheel-keel than the ordinary one which makes it a perfect cruiser for the archipelago (with 1,35 m draft). Carola has also a helm steering which was optional at that time. Carola is equipped with good off-shore equipment so it’s safe to sail even in gusty and rougher weather.

Carola is our second sailboat and we named her after Irja-Maries late mother who was an adverturess herself. So her journeys continue to live in ours through this boat. Hopefully very long!

Specifications

  • Lenght overall (LOA) 9,40 m / 31 ft
  • Waterline lenght (LWL) 7,50 m / 24.6 ft
  • Beam 3,20 m / 10.5 ft
  • Draft 1,35 m / 4.5 ft
  • Displacement 3.300 kg
  • Ballast (keel) 1.150 kg
  • Mainsail 25 m2
  • Headsail 25 m2
  • Jib 18 m2
  • Spinnaker 55 m2
  • Mast height 14,2 m
  • Fuel tank 90 l
  • Water tanks 190 l
  • 18 hp diesel engine
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Carola on Instagram

There's two truly happy moments in sailors life and that's when you buy a boat and when you get to sell one. And in our case the story is not yet completed, we maybe have our eyes on a new one that better suits our needs. And of course, is a bit bigger! 🤭

So s/y Carola, Finn Flyer 31 CR, is now for sale! Beautiful and well maintained boat with very good equipment. More info behind the link in bio (in Finnish, but Google translate will help you out, if you'd like to take her somewhere warm). Stay safe and bon vent!
Lost count of days. Really starting to feel like a vaction. Some 150 miles sailed across the Turku archipelago. Still almost three weeks to go. We have so beautiful archipelago and nature here. With old traditions, friendly people, music and the food as good as the chef on board makes of it. So pretty good food too. Now it’s time to relax on a quiet place at anchor. ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #sailing #sailingarchipelago #sailingworld #sailingfinland #sailinglife #sailinglovers #sailboat #finnishsummer #turkuarchipelago #finnflyer #finnflyer31 #atanchor #anchor #sailingadventure
Buy a sailboat. It’ll be fun they say. Spring maintenance in 0°C while a little bit of snowing. I have a hunch that we’re going to have 3 warm days of sailing this summer. Have to replace the sealant on the propeller shaft, it was a bit leaking last summer. Spending more time repairing than sailing. But that’s what it is. Sailing. Btw, my fingers are frozen. ❤️⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #sailing #fixingsailboat #sailboatfixing #wintersailing #springsailing
Winter sailing in Finland. 25 cm’s of snow, not that cold at the moment, around zero. Days are getting longer, waiting for spring to come so we can start the preparations for the summer season. ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #wintersailing #sailing #sailingfinland #sailingworld #winter #archipelago
That’s a wrap. Season is over for us. Nothing to brag about, was a cold and short summer for us. Boat was on rent for four weeks and all we did have time for was maybe a week or two. Most of you sailed more backwards than we did onwards. We are so called comfort sailors and dressing up with arctic gear is not our thing. More like a t-shirt and swim shorts. Or just butt naked. Well other that that, we did a trip to southern Italy, got married, got our house renovations ready and some other stuff too. Like complaining about the Finnish weather and summer. For us, it really sucks. But nothing is better than spending the following six months in darkness and icy slush and dreaming about the coming four days next summer when we can actually enjoy sailing. 😜 

So have a nice saturday, and in case we don’t see ya, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and have a lovely Easter and 1st of May!

@carolasailing #carolasailing #sailing #sailinginstagram  #sailingboat #sailboat #sailingarchipelago #sailinglove #sailingworld #sailingdreams #sailingday #wintersailing
Homeward bound from a five day sailing trip around the archipelago. Needed to fill up the tank and empty the septic. Unfortunately (for the second time in a row) the closest septic station was broken, so we needed to sail a bit further. Finally got back home and did some maintenance. Had to install spreader protectors (that our mast guy didn’t manage to do, still paid him…) whose absense caused our genoas leech to rip open. Now everything fixed and working and she will enjoy the next week with another fabulous sailing family (the boat I mean 🤪)! ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #mastoapina #mastmonkey #korjatkaaseairistonsepti #sailing #sailinglife #sailingworld #sailinginstagram #airisto #archipelago #sailingarchipelago #sailinglovers #finnflyer #sailingadventure #sailboat #sailingboat #sailorwoman #sailorman #skipperi #skipperifi
Yesterday we had some rain and light winds. Headed out for summer festivities with family and friends. Lovely day. 

#carolasailing #sailing #sailinglife #sailingworld #sailboat #sailingboat #sailingarchipelago #sailingfinland #sailforthesea
Nice day in Högsåra. Walked a bit, swimmed a bit. And had the best authentic Italian pizza in some time. Baked in real pizza oven by pizzaiolo Italiano! Cheri learned to swim, but made quite a mess around her. The m/aux Svanhild af Borgå, a three masted schooner, built in 1948, landed right next to us. Beautiful vessel. ⛵️⚜️

#sailing #sailinstagram #sailinglife #sailinglovers #carolasailing #sailingyacht #sailingadventure #sailingworld #sailingarchipelago #sailingfinland #sailingboat #sailboat #finnflyer #finnflyer31 #finnishsummer #högsåra
Nice two days of sailing behind. Sun was shining and some what +20 degrees celsius. So pretty cold out on the sea. Cousteau hats on (not the smelly ones). Visited lovely Helsingholm and ended up in the old military island of Örö. Pier was full, but somehow managed to sneak our fibre glass tub between two boats. Bathing in old conscript sauna and just enjoying. Un giorno perfetto! ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #sailing #sailinglife #sailindworld #sailingarchipelago #turkuarchipelago #finnishsummer  #öröisland #sailinstagram #sailinglovers #sailboats #sailboating #sailingday #sailforthesea #saaristo #saaristomeri #pidasaaristosiistina
This day was a Finnish summer in a nutshell. Sunshine, warm, cold and heavy rain. Mostly cold and heavy rain. Plus of course a thunderstorm. 🌩️⛈️⚡️ And that’s all I have to say about that. ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #finnishsummer #summer #sailing #sailinglife #sailingworld #sailingaround #sailingarchipelago #sunshine #thunderstorm #heavyrain #vittukunvituttaa #sailinglovers #sailinginstagram #turkuarchipelago #sailingyacht #sailboat #wetwetwet
Cold north wind mixed with sun’s pathetic attempt to warm us. That’s the recipe for Finnish summer today. Jacket on, beanie on, gloves on… and it was still cold. Still +17°C and 16 knots of wind straight from the North pole. Ended up in warm embrace of Nagu with really good food, got friends visiting us, drinks, swimming (the little crew), walking and chilling. Lovely day charging batteries, even a bit too chilly for us. ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #sailingfinland #sailingarchipelago #archipelago #turkuarchipelago #satavanvenepalvelu #kesä #juhannus #veneily #purjevene #sailing #sailingboat #sailinglife #sailingstagram #Sailingyacht #sailinginstagram #SailingTrip #sailingphotography #SailingShip #sailingboats #sailingteam #sailingpassion #sailingaway #sailingclub #sailingday #sailingadventure #sailinglife
Juhannus (in Finnish) is the festival of light and midsummer, which is celebrated at the end of June around the summer solstice. In Finland, Midsummer is the celebration of the nightless night, when north of the Arctic Circle the sun does not set at all on the summer solstice. In Finland, Midsummer is also an official flag day, when flags are raised throughout Midsummer night. 

We had a nice little sailing with our whole crew, chilling, good food and activities. Doesn’t get any better than this. Hyvää juhannusta! ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #sailing #sailingfinland #juhannus #midsummer #mittumaari #sailinglife #sailinginstagram  #juhannuspurjehdus #midsummersailing #sailingarchipelago #turkuarchipelago #sailinglovers #sailboat #finnflyer #finnflyer31 #cherithedog
She’s alive again! Floating and ready to set sail! We had a lovely after work with her rigging and putting all ropes and stuff in place. Just some minor adjustments and then all we need is time! ⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #sailing #sailingboat #sailinglife #sailingstagram #Sailingyacht #SailingTrip #sailingphotography #SailingShip #sailingboats #sailingpassion #sailingaway #sailingclub #sailingday #sailingadventure #sailingholidays #sailingworld #sailingwhen #sailingvessel #sailingsunset #sailinglovers #sailinglifestyle #sailinggear #sailingtime #sailingfamily #sailingarchipelago
New frame for the Axiom-thingy, new batteries and that axel zinc blob installed. All systems check. ✅ She’s ready for the dip. Last clip shows my view after I lifted the batteries from the car trunk and broke my back. ”Batteries are heavy, lift with your legs, not your back!”… 😅⛵️⚜️

(and yes I lost that hex key bit while installing the zinc blob). 🤓

#carolasailing #sailing #sailinglife #sailboat #sailboatfixing #sailingscandinavia #sailinginstagram #sailinglovers #brokemyback
Finally it’s warm. Just got some little snow here last week, but now the forecast is looking goooood! Some buffing and fixing and she’s ready for a dip. Need to get new batteries since old ones just died. Suggestions? One for the engine and two for the show… ⛵️⚜️

#threetogetready #fourtogo #carolasailing #sailing #buffing #turkuarchipelago #spring #finland #sailboats #saillife #sailingscandinavia #sailboating #sailinstagram
Well we guess we ain’t gonna have spring anytime soon. Got some snow here and it’s getting colder next week. But she’s all well and hibernating in her winter shelter. Can’t wait though… ⚜️⛵️

#carolasailing #wintersailing #winter #snow #sailing #sailinglife #sailingworld #sailingarchipelago
Snow sausage Cheri wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and bon vent for the new year 2023. Stay safe! 🎅🏻❤️⚜️⛵️

#carolasailing #christmas #merrychristmas #dachshund #dachshundsofinstagram #snowpuppy #feliznatal #felizcumpleaños #feliznavidad #gudjul #buonnatale #fröhlicheweihnachten
Happy 105th independence day to our dear Finland. Let you winters be snowy and cold, springs be brisk and full of new life, summers be warm, long and full of light. And the autumns filled with colors and scents. Specially the summers, as long an warm and bright as can be. Please. And thank you. Love you. 😘❤️🇫🇮🌞☀️🌤️⛵️⚜️

#carolasailing #finland #finniswinter #finnishspring #finnishsummer #finnishautumn #warm #cold #bright #fulloflight #fulloflife #sailing #sailingarchipelago #sailingfinland #independenceday

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