Passage Stats
3-4 Crew Bunks Available
Price: $4,500
Distance: ~150 Nautical Miles
Total Days: 8
Start Port: Sandhamn/Stockholm, Sweden
End Port: Sandhamn/Stockholm, Sweden
synopsis
Join Andy in his backyard in Sweden for a week of sailing in the spectacular Stockholm Archipelago, aboard his and Mia’s personal Olle Enderlein 36 SPICA. There are literally thousands of islands to explore with spectacular nature and interesting, technical sailing. If the conditions are right, we’ll venture out into the Baltic for an overnight sail to Gotland or Åland. Crew is limited to 3 individuals, or 4 if a couple or group of friends join and can share the vee-berth, and spaces will be prioritized to former 59º North crew.
We’ll start the trip in Stockholm or Sandhamn, the outer-archipelago sailing center where the famous Gotland Runt race starts. It’s an easy ferry ride from central Stockholm and an idyllic island surrounded by nature. There are no cars on the island, but there is a wonderful hotel we highly recommend staying at for a night or two before or after the passage, if only for the fantastic breakfast.
We’ll be sailing every day, for most of the day, and indeed be doing an overnight or two depending on the weather. The sailing in the archipelago itself is very technical, with narrow channels and lots of windshifts, but it’s exceptionally beautiful and unique.
There won’t be an itinerary for this passage — instead we’ll let the weather dictate our plans. In any case it’ll be a mix of sailing and exploring, with some overnight sailing in the Baltic mixed in. We’ll finish back in Sandhamn or Stockholm.
The Boat — oe36 spica
The ‘new’ SPICA is Andy & Mia’s family boat which they keep about 15 minutes from their house in Enköping. They bought the boat in the fall of 2024 after selling the first SPICA, a Norlin 34. The OE36 is a similar size, but represents a big step up in onboard comfort and fit & finish. She’s perfectly suited for archipelago and offshore sailing, with a hull shape very similar to our Swan 48 ISBJØRN with a deep fin keel, separate skeg-hung rudder and deep-vee forefoot. Plus, she’s got a huge cockpit, making for excellent hanging out in the evenings when moored Swedish-style bow-to-the-rocks on a stern-anchor. Check out some of the photos below of the boat and her gorgeous interior.
typical Weather Pattern
In early August, the Stockholm Archipelago and the western Baltic Sea, particularly between Åland and Gotland, typically experience stable summer weather conditions. Average air temperatures range from 18°C to 22°C.
The prevailing winds during this period are generally from the southwest to west, with average wind speeds of 10-15 knots. The frequency of low-pressure systems increases in August, but it’s still high summer in Sweden and some of the best sailing Mia & I have had here has been in August. The weather, the long daylight hours and the lack of crowds (July is vacation-time in Sweden when everyone is out on the water) make August our favorite month for archipelago sailing.
HOW TO JOIN
To register, click the 'Sign Up' button anywhere on the site. Complete and submit the form indicating ‘2025 SPICA | Stockholm Archipelago Cruising’ as your preferred passage.
We’ll get back to you within 24-48 hours to confirm bunk availability, send you the long-form crew application & invoice you the 50% deposit to hold your spot. Balance will be due 60 days prior to the trip start date.
Payments are non-refundable. You'll be asked to agree to our terms & conditions on your application before submitting the deposit. Please read them carefully.
