FoO – the story

Oihonna was built of 22 tonnes of steel by the light keeper at Lurö in Lake Vänern. It then took many years of hard work by Mats and Birgitta who then subsequently took early retirement and sailed her safely 40 000 miles across the Med and over to the West-Indies and back. They have just finalized a book with the full story that we hope to be able to present here.

2021

In 2021 FoO set out for a trip around the Baltic. Jens and Fred took her from Gothenburg to Malmö with a stop at Tycho Braes magic island of Hven. Malin and Julian crewed in 17 meters per secound winds under the Öresund bridge, and Josefin and Magnus took over in the Falsterbo canal. Jon and the Paprika girls joined on the eel-coast and we paid our honours to Nelson and the Royal navy cemetary on Hanö.

Charlotta with friends joined in Karlskrona for an unforgettable journey in the tracks of U 137 to Utklippan and subsequent multiple breakdowns during a gale in Kalmarsund. Water was pouring in, batteries rock-bottom and VHF and engine start questionable. After negotiating a stand-by with the Sea Rescue by a lifeboat not named for a known economic criminal we safely started the engine and docked in Kalmar behind an Estoinan mafiosi in a powerboat with enviable underwater LED lightning. (Oihonna now has a similar kit that awaits mounting at the next dry-dock opportunity)
Karl, Dagny and Åke gave a helping hand in Kalmar and Oihonna was soon under way again.

After doing Kalmarsund and the Västervik archipelago Oihonna crossed the Baltic to Stora Karlsö, replenished stores at Systembolaget in Visy. Malte then went kite-surfing at island Fårö. Fred went wreck-scavening at Gotska sandön, Jens and Soledad offered opera in Mariehamn and Josefin and Jon hosted 30 something people on board for a major party at Jungfruskär N of Stockholm. Christina, Waldemar and Alex crewed under Pelles command all the way to Motala and then with Niclas on to Sjövik through the legendary Göta kanal.
Ulle & Jens brought her safely down the Göta älv through the mighty locks at Trollhättan and finsihed off with a timely gear box break down just when docking at the home-pier in Stenungsund.
Oihonna is a happy ship!

2022

After a winter of costly and adventurous gear- and cockpit renovation FoO:s Jeppe, Elivira, Hasko and Anna took Oihonna under the safe command of Jens to Norway and across the North Sea to Inverness and the Caledonian canal to Oban and a major feast of fresh seafood in the harbour.

In search of Robert Louis Stevensons legendary inn and public house “The Admiral Benbow ” Oihonna set course for the Hebrides. From Oban we had  a Swedish week with port calls in Arran, Iona, Fingals cave, Tobermoroy with FoO members Kjell, Waldemar, Pelle, Christina and Ingrid. (Pictures here!)

Stig and Charlotta, took her over the Minch where Rachel joined in the outher Hebrides. In Barra we found a sassenach inn keeper and welcomed Mrs Bond who came and went with her aircraft landing on the beach. Eriskay offered 250 000 bottles of Whiskey in the hull of s/s Politician. With Monty and Gabe we managed to retrieve the Fairy flag from McLeaods at Dunvegan and then escaped on a windy night around the northern tip of Skye where we put our anchor securely around a un-used power cable in the fall-winds from SKyews highest mountain. (Documentation here, dont miss the epic version of My Bonnie is over the ocean in front of the McLeods Castle.)

During the French week (Pictures here!) Gaël offered a feu de artifice while Tove, Moa, Salomé and Jeanne securely navigated Oihonnas 22 m high mast under the very low, but according to french measurments, high enough Drochaid an Eilein Sgitheanaich – the road bridge between Skye and what the Scots call the mainland.

Lovisa made healthy food that supported us during the magic flume-ride that followed through the narrow Kyle Rhea, a strait between Skye and the mainland. 15 meters per second average wind fought against our 110 Nissan-Crysler-horses that glowing in the engine room kept Oihonna dead in the water. But with six knots of current with us Oihonna still made headway and safely naviagated the perilous passage.

Nora and Josefin took her through the many locks of the Caledonian canal and Loch Ness to Inverness where Jens, Olof and James joined (Pictures here!) for an uneventful but beautiful North Sea crossing to Lindesnes.

Pelle and Susanne crewed through the narrow straits of Sörlandet, (Pictures here!) picked some stones at Jomfruland and then watched as the Sailomat steered on a straight course for 60 NM straight over Skagerrak to Fiskebäckskil.

Wille and Nora took her to her winterport at Klippans Bruksbåtsförening in the port of Gothenburg.

All in all, adventures that prove Oihonnas commitment to being part of the global village.