Scandinavia, Leg 2 - Oslo to Flensburg via Skagerrak and Kattegat, 22 - 29 August 2026 (8 days)

The trip will be focused on cruising and training. In total, we should log up to 500 nautical miles and 100h.

Anticipated route:

Oslo - Strömstad - Smögen - Rörö - Helsingborg - Bagenkop - Flensburg

We will be maintaining a watch system to ensure everyone is well rested and meals are prepared on time and maintenance is undertaken when necessary. There will be 3 watches with up to 2 people in each watch.

Bavaria C38, 2023

The boat is a performance cruiser. It has excellent sailing characteristics. She is well equipped and prepared for offshore sailing.

We will inspect the boat thoroughly before the voyage to ensure that every bit of equipment is absolutely ship-shaped.

General info:

• Year: 2023
• Type: sailing
• Hull: monohull
• Length (LOA): 11.90 m
• Waterline length (LWL): 10.28 m
• Hull speed: 8.8kt
• Berths (Bunks): 6+2
• Cabins: 3
• WC / Shower: 1
• Beam: 3.98 m
• Draught: 1.65 m
• Air draft: 18.6 m
• Engine: 40 PS Volvo
• Fuel capacity: 210 L (Diesel)
• Water capacity: 210 L
• Displacement: 9.3 t
• Single spade rudder
• 2 steering wheels
• Sails: Fully battened Mainsail 42.80 m2, Furling genoa 27.00 m2, Asymmetric Spinnaker: 121.00 m2, Storm Jib 9.00 m2
• Plastimo drogue

Equipment:

• Autopilot
• Swimming platform
• Refrigerator
• Stove
• Sprayhood
• Radio/CD/MP3
• Socket 12V
• DSC VHF radio
• Handheld VHF DSC radio
• EPIRB
• AIS
• Radar reflector
• Chart plotter with GPS and digital chartography charts
• Sextant Astra IIIB Deluxe
• PredictWind Offshore app
• Complete set of pilot books, almanacs and charts
• Pillows, bedlinen and towels for each crew member

Average weather conditions:

• Oslo
• Flensburg

Air and Sea temperature

The weather conditions in late August are generally favorable for sailing with relatively mild temperatures and moderate winds. The average temperature during the day should be around 19° C, with a minimum of 12° C and a maximum of 24° C. The sea temperature can be up to 20° C and it should be possible to swim in the sea.

Wind and sea state

The average wind speed in that area in August is 5 Bft. The sailing area is located at relatively high latitudes, and frontal depressions are not uncommon.

The route mixes inshore archipelago pilotage with one significant offshore passage across the Kattegat, including some night sailing. You will receive a certificate of passage to prove your sea time for sailing licenses. You will be an active member of the crew, and we will provide practical training on board to ensure safety and improve your sailing skills.

We give a great amount of responsibility to each crew member in running the ship so that you can gain a good experience and learn new skills as much or as little as you want. The skipper is an instructor and will find it difficult not to teach or coach anyone who shows the slightest bit of interest.

RYA qualifying passages

If you are an aspiring Skipper or Yachtmaster, it will be an excellent opportunity to gain bluewater miles, practice navigation, pilotage and COLREG skills so that you can be more confident and comfortable when taking a boat out to sea on your own. During the voyage, we can evaluate your current knowledge and provide suggestions for improvement. We can evaluate whether you are at the right level to pass an RYA exam and practice any gaps in your knowledge.

The opportunity will also be there to act as a skipper (with guidance if needed from the skipper) for your RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore qualifying 60M passages.

Main topics that you can learn or brush up:

• Maneuvering under sails & engine: berthing, hoisting and lowering sails, reefing, tacking, gybing, sail trim
• Safety: use of liferaft, lifejacket, EPIRB, PLB, AIS beacons, managing emergencies
• Equipment: use of Autopilot and VHF
• Weather forecasts and weather routing
• Offshore & coastal navigation: digital and traditional (including the use of Sextant if of interest)
• Night navigation
• Pilotage and passage planning
• ColRegs
• Storm tactics and use of a drogue
• Life on board: organization of watches, nutrition, sleep and risk management

Joining day - Oslo

We will spend the first day preparing and victualling the yacht, going over the safety routines and practices, getting up to speed with the boat and learning or refreshing all the basic sailing skills before we embark on the journey. Once we slip the lines there will be plenty of occasions to practice tacking, gybing, reefing, boat handling under the engine and all the other key skills we must have.

Island fortress in the Oslofjord

Green islands of the Oslofjord

Oslo, the capital of Norway, sits at the head of the long and dramatic Oslofjord. The redeveloped Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen waterfront, the iconic Opera House and the museums of the Bygdøy peninsula make it a memorable starting point. Leaving the harbour we will sail back down the fjord, passing through the Drøbak Sound - a tight pilotage exercise overlooked by Oscarsborg Fortress - before turning south for the open Skagerrak.

Strömstad (70 NM)

Strömstad is the westernmost town in Sweden and our first stop on the Bohuslän coast - one of the most beautiful cruising grounds in northern Europe. The passage from Oslo crosses the outer Oslofjord and the Skagerrak before sneaking in behind the sheltering skerries of the Koster archipelago. The Koster Islands form Sweden's first marine national park, with crystal clear water, smooth pink granite and an abundance of wildlife.

Strömstad harbour

Koster Islands

Strömstad itself is a lively coastal town known for its fresh seafood - particularly the local prawns - and a long tradition of spa bathing dating back to the 18th century. The guest harbour is right in the centre of town within walking distance of everything.

Smögen (40 NM)

From Strömstad we head south through the Bohuslän archipelago, weaving between thousands of granite skerries through sheltered channels that make for some of the most enjoyable inshore cruising anywhere. Pilotage and chart-reading are constant - the marks are excellent but the channels are narrow.

Smögenbryggan waterfront

Bohuslän skerries near Smögen

Smögen is one of Sweden's most picturesque fishing villages, famous for its long wooden boardwalk - Smögenbryggan - lined with red and ochre fishermen's huts now converted into shops, galleries and seafood restaurants. The harbour fills up quickly on summer evenings and the atmosphere is unmistakably west-coast Sweden.

Rörö (40 NM)

Continuing south through the Bohuslän archipelago we reach Rörö, a small island at the northern edge of the Gothenburg archipelago. This is classic skerry sailing - low rocky islands, narrow channels and well-marked routes through complex pilotage.

Rörö skerries

Rörö guest harbour

Rörö is quiet, undeveloped and a wonderful contrast to the bustle of Smögen. The island has just a few hundred year-round residents, a small guest harbour and beautiful walking trails. It is a great place to take stock before the next offshore passage.

Helsingborg (130 NM)

From Rörö we set out on the longest leg of the trip - a passage south across the Kattegat and into the northern Øresund. The Kattegat is a busy shipping area where we will keep watches alert and brush up our COLREG skills, and the approach to Helsingborg takes us through one of the world's most heavily trafficked straits, where ferries shuttle constantly between Helsingborg and Helsingør just four kilometres across the water in Denmark.

Helsingborg waterfront

View across the Øresund to Kronborg Castle

Helsingborg is one of Sweden's oldest cities, perched at the narrowest point of the Øresund and dominated by the medieval keep of Kärnan - the last surviving tower of the 14th-century castle. The Norra Hamnen guest marina sits right in the heart of the city, with restaurants, cafés and a long sandy beach all on the doorstep. Across the water lies Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, immortalised by Shakespeare as Elsinore in Hamlet.

Bagenkop (110 NM)

From Helsingborg we sail south through the Øresund, passing under the spectacular Øresund Bridge that links Sweden and Denmark, and continue through the Drogden Strait. From there we cross the Smålandsfarvandet between Zealand, Lolland and Falster before turning west into the Langelandsbælt. Our destination is Bagenkop on the southern tip of Langeland - a friendly working harbour that has long been a favourite stopover for sailors crossing between the Baltic and the Danish straits.

Bagenkop harbour

Langeland coast

Bagenkop is a small fishing port with a relaxed Danish feel, an excellent fish smokehouse and easy access to Langeland's beaches and dunes. It is the perfect last Danish stop before the final hop home.

Flensburg (50 NM)

From Bagenkop we cross the Kiel Bight and enter the Flensburger Förde, the long beautiful fjord that forms the border between Germany and Denmark. The Förde is well sheltered and a lovely final sail to round off the trip.

Flensburg

Flensburg Marina

Flensburg is a historic port and town with a mixture of Danish and German history and culture. It enjoys the unique privilege of being a gateway to Scandinavia. A tradition from the days when the city belonged to Denmark was the production of rum. Flensburg is also known for its beer and Danish feel. The town has a significant cultural offering, with five theatres, including its own Symphony Orchestra, several well-respected libraries, Maritime and rum museums, and an extremely well-preserved Old Town, some of which date back to the 12th century.