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Chartering in Finland and Åland: archipelago, fairways and rocks under water
Short answer
The Finnish and Åland archipelago is flat water among thousands of granite islands,
with even more rocks just under the surface.
Inside the marked fairways you sail in comfort; cut a corner and a grounding is the typical damage.
Chartering in Finland usually means the Archipelago Sea between Turku and Åland, or the islands off Helsinki. Åland is an autonomous, Swedish-speaking group of islands belonging to Finland. Sailors used to the Solent or the Dutch inland waters find little swell and short distances, but the danger is out of sight: rocks and ridges often reach to just below the surface, even in bays that look clear. Bases therefore usually ask for a certificate of competence such as the ICC and real experience of chart work and buoyage.
The fairway is your main safety tool. It is densely marked with cardinal marks and lights, and the chart gives the depth each fairway has been swept to. Outside it there is no such guarantee, and one rock under water is enough to damage a keel. Nights are spent in guest harbours, many with a sauna, or in natural harbours with a bow line ashore to the rock and a stern anchor. Everyman's right often allows this, but not in front of private houses. Åland also lies outside the EU tax territory, so allowances can apply to goods you bring back.
At handover, have the plotter and charts explained in detail and ask which areas the base wants you to avoid. Stay in the marked fairway and leave it only slowly, watching chart and depth sounder, with someone on the bow. Approach natural harbours in calm weather and good light. If the yacht touches a rock, tell the base at once; keeping quiet usually costs more later. You are personally liable as skipper for damage to other boats and pontoons, so check that your own skipper liability insurance applies in Finland.
Worth remembering
Stayed in the fairway
swept depth, relaxed sailing
Short cut across the bay
rock under water, keel damage
In the archipelago the long way round the fairway is the quickest way home.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
How dangerous are the rocks in the Finnish archipelago?
Inside the marked fairway, hardly at all, because it has been swept to a stated depth. Outside it, rocks often lie just below the surface. Go slowly, read the chart and post a lookout on the bow.
Can I moor to an island for the night in Finland?
Under everyman's right it is often allowed, but not in sight of private homes and not in protected areas with their own rules. If in doubt, use a guest harbour.
What does a charter base in Finland ask for?
Usually a certificate of competence such as the ICC and experience of navigating by chart and buoyage. The exact requirement is in the base's terms, so ask before you book.
Related
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