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Half a century at the cutting edge

Fifty years ago in Finland five young men shared a controversial idea and an ambitious plan. They quit their jobs at Nautor and set out to create a new style of offshore cruiser racer – lighter, stiffer and faster than almost anything else on the market.

‘We just got together one day and the idea came up,’ says Per-Göran “PG” Johansson, one of the five founding fathers of Baltic Yachts back then and still one of its directors today. ‘We were not alone thinking “light is better” but most boatyards and naval architects favoured heavier designs. Some of our competitors published studies for marketing purposes arguing that heavy was better. One of their claims was “heavy does not stop in waves due to the inertia of the mass”. Another was “the client gets more kilos for his money”. We remained convinced and carried on with our lightweight, hi-tech way.’

History soon proved Johansson and his colleagues to be absolutely correct and the company they founded became a world leader in the production of large, high-performance sailing yachts.

Before any of it could happen, first they had to clear a patch of pine forest at Bosund near Jakobstad and build a shed in which to do it.

Still in use as a joinery workshop, that first shed is finally about to be decommissioned along with the whole facility that grew up around it. This year, Baltic Yachts is moving all operations to Jakobstad where a new state-of-the-art building will more than double the size of its existing waterfront location.

There’s a world of difference between the series-produced Baltics of the 1970s and the full-custom superyachts that have become the yard’s primary focus alongside its ongoing small-series, semi-custom production.

However, from the first Baltic 46 Diva (now Queen Anne) all the way to its current projects via some of the most advanced sailing yachts in each of the last three decades, the core DNA is arguably unchanged.

‘Baltic Yachts is still very much true to its original values,’ Johansson says. ‘We started as a series production yard but with more flexibility built in than most competitors, using hi-tech methods to achieve better sailing performance and handling characteristics. With time we moved over more and more to full custom projects, which required changes in our approach.

‘The projects became more individual in concept, in styling and in materials and methods used.

In that process you lose some of the things that originally earned your company its reputation. However, even our cruising projects have been very hi-tech and in that sense they’ve followed our original philosophy, “lighter is faster and better”. Some of the high-performance projects challenged us to take technology much further, increasing our know-how and potential.’

Eagerness to embrace technology prompted the founding of Baltic Yachts in the first place. Johansson was project manager of the Swan 65 when he tried and failed to convince his managers that it could be built lighter, stiffer and better using sandwich construction with unidirectional fibres instead of a single laminate with woven rovings.

The five who left Nautor – boatbuilders Jan-Erik Nyfelt and Nils Luoma, purchasing manager Ingmar Sundelin, designer Tor Hinders and Johansson – became the nucleus of Baltic Yachts.

Baltic Yachts – major milestone boats 1974-2022

1974 Baltic 46 Ahead of its time: tank tests, sandwich construction, unidirectional fibres, balanced spade rudder, epoxy bonded teak deck…

1977 Baltic 39 Most popular model, 74 in six years. From 1980, one of the first yachts to have computer-generated VPP

1979 Baltic 51 Notable for interior design innovations. First double-berth cabin under an aft cockpit, slanted bulkheads for optimal use of space

1982 Baltic 80 Midnight Sun Baltic Yachts’ first maxi racer and one of the first maxis with full glassfibre composite construction.

1985 Baltic 43 Bully The first offshore sailing yacht in the world built entirely with epoxy resin

1996 Baltic 67 Aledoa The first cruising yacht built entirely in pre-preg carbon

1996 Baltic 87 Anny First Baltic with a lifting keel, complex hydraulics and push-button sail controls

1997 Baltic 70 Vittfarne First Baltic yacht to combine classic appearance with hitech construction and modern hydrodynamics

1997 Baltic 70 Loftfari The first yacht with a fully fitted interior built entirely in pre-preg carbon and Nomex honeycomb, all invisible under the teak veneer finish

Baltic 78 Super Baltic 5 Canting keel with its entire mechanism under the cabin sole; 3.5kts faster than the same yacht with a fixed keel

2002 Baltic 147 Visione The first superyacht capable of planing at 30 knots. Packed with unique innovations, ultra-light displacement (105T) and almost literally no expense spared

2003 Baltic 141 Canica A very complex build and fitout with hi-tech materials, construction techniques and systems. The first Baltic ‘super cruiser’

2011 Baltic 197 Hetairos Largest carbon composite sailing yacht in the world at 221ft LOA. Classic look, superb finish. Hi-tech build and hydrodynamics

Baltic 175 Pink Gin The largest full carbon sloop in the world to date. Unique fold-down, through-hull platforms in the saloon and owner’s suite

2019 Baltic 142 Canova First DSS foil on an ocean cruising superyacht. First hybrid drive with full regeneration. Advanced composite engineering. A giant leap into the future

2022 Baltic 68 Pink Gin Verde First Baltic yacht built with 50% flax fibre. Advanced electric/hybrid propulsion, super efficient systems

‘They had a strong belief in themselves, courage to swim upstream and test new ideas,’ Baltic Yachts’ marketing manager Elisabet Holm explains. ‘They all had a passion for boats, a strong driving force to learn new things and research technology, and they were always ready to meet new challenges.’

The original Baltic 46 was far ahead of its time. At a time when nearly all new designs simply relied on the naval architect’s eye, experience and intuition, several different hull models were tank tested across a range of speeds, at various heel and leeway angles before the design of the 46 was finalised and only then was it built. It had a balanced spade rudder and solid rod rigging, which were then used only on hi-tech racing yachts and its teak deck was laid with epoxy resin. But the hull laminate itself was the key innovation.

‘In those days most yards building larger yachts used woven rovings with fibres bent, not straight, hence not structurally optimal and they also resulted in resin concentration,’ Johasson explains.

‘You could see the roving patterns on the surface, due to resin shrinking, so before applying the rovings they used several layers of chopped mat, which has very low structural value, especially on larger yachts, but added a lot of weight.

‘We used a very thin surface cloth and the rest of the laminate was unidirectional fibres, oriented in the direction of the stresses and perfectly straight, hence stronger and stiffer.

‘The fibres we used did not create resin concentration so there was less print-through on the hull surface. Unidirectional does not build up thickness like woven rovings so we used them with a core material in sandwich construction. This achieved much higher panel stiffness than a single laminate and gave us more flexibility for panel sizes.’

End grain balsa was the core for the 46 but Baltic soon switched to foam cores with a variety of densities and strengths. Carbon fibre was used from 1979, initially in rudder posts, beam tops and to reinforce high-stress areas of the hull where extra stiffness was needed. As stabilised foams for high-temperature cures and then Nomex for pre-preg carbon construction became available, Baltic pioneered the use of those materials.

Baltic Yachts’ early achievements belie the fact that it faced strong headwinds right from the start. 1973 was a bad year to launch a new brand of sailing yachts, with the global oil crisis looming.

The yachting industry as a whole was hit hard and by 1977 Baltic had to seek outside investment to stay in business. Ironically that same year saw their first major commercial success, selling 12 Baltic 39s at the Hamburg Boat Show, which was unheard of at the time.

Hollming, a Finnish shipbuilder, acquired Baltic. Two of the founders, Nils Luoma and Ingmar Sundelin, quit but the takeover turned out to be a positive move. Hollming provided stability and investment to help Baltic grow. A huge production hall was built, funds were provided for new model development and marketing.

An unusual aspect of Baltic Yachts that undoubtedly worked in its favour was the dual role of Johansson. It’s rare that the technical guru of a major boatbuilder is also its head of sales and marketing, yet he combined both jobs with great success for 40 years.

Even now, though officially retired, he still frequently offers a guiding hand in the development of new projects and the current EVP, Henry Hawkins, describes him as ‘an unbelievably useful sounding board and wise head’.

Baltic’s in-house designer Tor Hinders made his mark by changing the way boats are fitted out down below. His stand-out innovation, which was met with hostility when introduced in 1979 on the Baltic 51 but has since been copied by almost every sailing yacht builder in the world, was to put a double-berth cabin under an aft cockpit.

Another key factor in Baltic Yachts’ early success was its partnership with the Canadian naval architects C&C Design, whose chief engineer Rob Ball was among the first in the industry to start using computers. From 1980 he supplied VPP – polar curves and tables of numbers – for the Baltic 39, 51 and 37, with detailed instructions on how to use them. Despite being generated by 2D computing (as 3D models were not yet available), Johansson says those first VPP numbers were accurate and useful.

The yard was quick to develop its own computing expertise. ‘As soon as programmable calculators and then the Epson HX-20 computer became available we saw their potential and started to use them,’ Johansson says. ‘There was no software so we did our own coding.’ By the early 1980s they were already using these tools for displacement, flotation and trim calculations, laminate design and rating optimisation.

A huge quantity of data has been compiled since then and the initially simple programs have evolved into a sophisticated suite of software that enables the technical team to make extremely detailed weight and load calculations for the hull and rig of any new design, study engine power, prop pitch and range for electric and conventional propulsion systems, and much more. The yard has never had any ambition to design its own yachts, but is quite often asked by clients to do preliminary studies before a naval architect is appointed.

The 1980s were the peak of series production but Baltic Yachts but they also began pushing the boundaries of performance with custom builds with more scope for creative technical development.

‘A series production model is always to some degree a compromise,’ Johansson says. ‘On custom projects you can take things much further. For very knowledgeable clients looking for performance we have taken things to the edge.’

The 80ft Midnight Sun was one of the first maxis with full composite construction, launched in 1982. ‘The forward part was a large, empty sail store and we used specially designed longitudinal bulkheads and framework in the upper corner between hull and deck to create the required stiffness,’ Johansson recalls.

The Baltic 43 Bully was the first offshore yacht built entirely in epoxy resin, in 1985. In technical terms this was a spin-off from an earlier R&D project, developing ultra-strong vacuum-infused sandwich laminates for a Soviet deep-sea submarine, which ruffled diplomatic feathers when the Americans found out about it. ‘The main unit was solid steel; we built a streamlined cover around the equipment,’ he says. ‘If you send a normal laminate down to 6,000m it will not be the same afterwards. We learned a few things from that project.’

In 1990, Baltic regained its independence. Finland’s industrial sector was in recession and Hollming needed to focus on its core business. ‘They asked us to arrange a management takeover,’ Johansson explains. ‘The yard was an important workplace for the local community and to shut it would have been very destructive. We were 32 employees who got together, took over and continued the business.’

Marketing manager Lisbeth Staffans stepped up to be managing director and led Baltic Yachts for two decades from a challenging start. ‘With a bad order book and uncertain future there were sleepless nights at the beginning of this new era,’ Johansson says. ‘Lisbeth was a very good person for that job. We couldn’t afford to make any mistakes and she made sure we didn’t. But this period is the one I’m most proud of. We did a good job, moved up in the size of our projects and stayed profitable.’

Innovation continued apace with production manager Christer Lill running a remarkably tight operation as the yachts ramped up rapidly in sophistication and size. In 1996 they launched 67ft Aledoa, the world’s first pre-preg carbon cruiser, and 87ft Anny – their first with a lifting keel, twin rudders and complex hydraulics. She had full push-button sail controls and a tender could be driven straight into the automatic opening-andlowering garage in her stern.

The following year, the Baltic 70 Vittfarne heralded a new style of yacht combining classic appearance and fine traditional craftsmanship with hitech construction, light displacement and modern hydrodynamics. ‘Bill Dixon’s team did a fantastic job on the design and our carpenters performed magic in building it,’ Johansson says.

Another Baltic 70, also launched in 1997, took carbon composite sandwich construction to a new level. The fully fitted interior of Loftfari was built almost entirely in pre-preg carbon/ Nomex honeycomb as well as her hull and deck, saving a large amount of additional weight.

It looked traditional, though, with thin veneers and fillets of teak covering all of the composite surfaces. Most Baltic yachts are now fitted out in a similar way.

The 78ft Super Baltic 5, delivered in 2000, was a major feat of engineering with a canting keel whose entire mechanism was installed in the shallow bilge beneath the saloon sole. She was calculated to be at least 3.5kts faster than an identical yacht with a fixed keel.

At the turn of the millennium Loftfari’s owner came back to Baltic with an impossible design brief, ‘or so it seemed at first,’ Johansson says. ‘To build a yacht in excess of 140ft capable of planing at 30 knots or more.’

The project was an immense challenge, not least because their largest build up to then was a 97- footer. Two years of development work followed before the owner gave the green light for the build to proceed. Remarkably the yacht was delivered six months ahead of schedule and exceeded all expectations.

Packed with unique innovations and with almost literally no expense spared, the Baltic 147 Visione was far ahead of her time and despite being 20 years old she is still quite capable of taking line honours in superyacht regattas today.

In build at the same time, the 141ft Canica challenged the yard in different ways. Performance was key but a lot of equipment and systems were also required to ensure a very high level of comfort on board. ‘That was the first yacht we built with a full floating interior,’ Baltic sales director Kenneth Nyfelt, son of founder Jan- Erik, explains.

‘We installed a highly complex Siemens PLC monitoring and control system, and it was the first project where we used noise and vibration consultants.’ With half the displacement of a typical 140ft cruising yacht, the performance targets were achieved and Canica can now be regarded as the first in a gradually evolving style of high-performance Baltic ‘super cruisers’ that continues to this day. A similar and parallel evolution of successful cruiser-racers began with Nilaya in 2010.

A stand-out project delivered in 2011, at 221ft LOA the Baltic 197 Hetairos is largest carbon composite sailing yacht in the world. A true wolf in sheep’s clothing with an incredible sail area : displacement ratio and a regular winner in superyacht regattas, the 60-metre ketch is classic on deck but thoroughly modern below the waterline with a unique lifting rudder as well as a lifting keel.

Around this time, the people who had staged the 1990 management takeover began to retire so new owners were needed. Two local investors bought shares in 2010; three years later an 80 per cent stake in Baltic Yachts was acquired by the German family-owned company Otto Bock – led by Professor Hans Georg Näder, a longstanding client of Baltic Yachts – and its future was secured. Henry Hawkins, a yacht captain with vast practical experience including many thousands of ocean miles as skipper of Näder’s yachts, joined Baltic, taking on a large part of Johansson’s role.

Näder’s own 175ft Pink Gin VI is one of the most notable recent builds and currently the world’s largest carbon composite sloop with a rig 16m taller than a J Class. Her key features include fold-down platforms in her topsides just above the waterline that are large enough to walk through, one amidships in the main saloon and one forward in the owner’s suite.

While relatively easy to build on a large motor yacht, putting large apertures in highly stressed parts of a sailing yacht hull without reducing its stiffness was a major engineering challenge, solved by mechanically locking the platforms firmly in place to become structural parts of the hull.

Another recent showcase of Baltic’s innovation is the 142ft Canova, which made headlines in 2019 as the world’s first superyacht with a DSS foil to reduce pitching and heeling, plus a host of other advanced features such as an immensely strong coachroof with a featherlight look and an electric drive system that provides enough regeneration capability under sail to cross the Atlantic without using any fossil fuel – with both sailing and hotel systems running.

After four years of cruising, a wide range of what used to be bleeding-edge technologies are now proven to work reliably.

To mark Baltic Yachts’ 50th anniversary, the first Baltic 46 Queen Anne returned to the yard last spring for a refit. Two of the men who built her – Johansson and Jan-Erik Nyfelt, whose grandchildren now work at Baltic – were delighted to find her in excellent condition, which a survey duly confirmed.

‘No structural works are needed, the hull appendages are sound, as is the mast,’ Hawkins says. ‘It’s also interesting that the original propulsion setup was still operational and in good order. The enjoyment at our end was the size of everything compared to today, from fibre technology to deck fittings. There are 18 winches on that boat; a modern 100-footer uses just seven or eight!’ She will be relaunched in June after a cosmetic refit, with a new engine.

What direction is Baltic Yachts likely to take in the future? The 68ft cruiser-racer Pink Gin Verde might hold a few clues with its 50 per cent flax fibre hull and micro-turbine hybrid propulsion system, but as Baltic’s CEO Anders Kurtén puts it, ‘That all depends on where our customers want to take us.’

‘We are fortunate and honoured to build some of the most exciting, groundbreaking custom sailing yachts in the world which means the next major milestone will forever be the next launch, summer 2023 being a perfect example,’ he says. ‘My best guess for the future is ever increasing sustainable practices and yachts with diminishing lifecycle emissions, as well as quantum leaps in terms of pure sailing performance.’

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Baltic Yachts has been commissioned to build an ultra lightweight, 111ft superyacht described as ‘one of the most extreme projects Baltic has undertaken’.

Designed for fast coastal and offshore sailing, Baltic 111 Custom will begin construction in April taking full advantage of Baltic Yachts’ ability to build an advanced composite structure to the most exacting standards, creating a modern, stylish living platform within a high-performance design envelope.   The new yacht, described as a ‘ground-breaking design with spectacular technical solutions’ is an extremely weight sensitive project, a key reason why Baltic Yachts was selected. The company’s proven track record and expertise in calculating weight, monitoring it during build and achieving design targets, were decisive in the choice of builder, as were Baltic Yachts’ problem-solving abilities through innovation and attention to detail. Baltic Yachts CEO Anders Kurtén, said:

“This stunning new yacht will break new ground in leading edge technology, a challenge I am confident the entire Baltic Family is ready to meet. Winning this contract reflects our almost 50-year pledge to build Light, Stiff and Fast. We can’t wait to get started!” Baltic Yachts will be working with a highly skilled team assembled by designer Jarkko Jämsén, and including in-demand Spanish race boat naval architects Botin Partners, and with structural engineering provided by PURE Design and Engineering. Project Manager Sam Evans and project Co-ordinator Mattias Svenlin will lead Baltic’s internal team, while externally A2B Marine Projects, will be responsible for project management.   Interior and exterior design are by award-winning Finnish designer, Jarkko Jämsén. With light weight and performance the over-arching features of the project, the new yacht’s interior will be minimalist and modern in style.   To save weight, the yacht’s structure will be used as part of the interior and materials like bamboo and rattan will feature in the finish. A luxury interior with a fully-fitted galley and air conditioning throughout will add to the challenge of hitting weight targets with precision.   The Baltic 111 Custom is scheduled to launch in May 2023.  

DESIGN Concept: Jarkko Jämsén Naval architect: Botin Partners Exterior and Interior design: Jarkko Jämsén Structural engineering: PURE Design and Engineering Owner’s representative: A2B Marine Projects

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Behind the Scenes of 34m foil-assisted Baltic 111 Raven

When her owner commissioned this Baltic 111 Custom foil-assisted superyacht, weight control was paramount. Baltic Yachts was selected for its forensic approach to lightweight advanced composite construction and unique ability to combine it with an unmatched custom finish. Baltic Yachts has successfully moved the Baltic 111 Raven from her building facility at the company’s waterside premises in Jakobstad, Finland to reveal one of the most extreme yachts it has ever built.

Broadly described as a 111ft foil-assisted, ultra-lightweight superyacht, she will be used primarily for day sailing, but also undertake high-speed, long-distance passages. Not easy to categorise, this extraordinary yacht can be placed firmly in a class of her own.

Baltic Yachts was chosen to meet this challenge because of its unmatched reputation for building advanced composite superyachts to the very highest standards, including its forensic examination of systems and components throughout the build process. Add to that the company’s ability to finish yachts to a level of luxury second to none and the decision to build in Jakobstad was straightforward.

Baltic 111 Raven’s experienced owner’s project manager, Garth Brewer of A2B Marine Projects, said: “ Raven doesn’t fall easily into a category, but if I had to place her, I’d say she’s the equivalent of a high-end Super-car. The boat is primarily for pure enjoyment and the owner likes the challenge of doing something that hasn’t been done before. ”

“ He really understands the technical elements and this will be a development project which will require a measured approach,” added Brewer, who emphasised the need for incremental steps in Raven’s trials, building confidence and understanding over time as the boat reaches her peak performance .

Raven does, however, possess some distinctive features which provide more than a hint of how she might perform. They include two large T-shaped hydrofoils mounted on hydraulically controlled side-arms capable of supporting some of the boat’s displacement.

At her transom, Raven will be equipped with vertical Interceptor trim tabs to adjust fore and aft trim at speed and there is movable water ballast, carried in built-in tanks in the aft quarters to boost the righting moment required while sailing.

Designed to sail partly on her leeward chine, Baltic 111 Raven will derive her stability and lift, while sailing, from her foils, leaving her 9.3-ton fixed keel bulb and precision-engineered 5m long fin to provide basic stability. It’s also the location for a fully submerged intake for cooling water and is designed with a sacrificial zone to absorb impact in the event of a collision.

Ultra-lightweight interior of Baltic 111 Raven

Not only is Raven’s foil-assisted ability likely to deliver a phenomenal sailing performance, she is also the subject of a highly unusual study in ultra-lightweight interior design, combining the yacht’s complex all carbon construction with styling which pays homage to Baltic Yachts’ rigorous program of weight saving. Target displacement is 55 tons – just as a comparison, the recently launched, Baltic 110 Zemi displaces 95 tons.

Jarkko Jämsén, the Finnish concept designer who developed Raven with her owner and is responsible for the yacht’s styling, explained that they were keen to combine the need for weight saving with the opportunity to expose the remarkable carbon structure of the yacht to create a unique interior design aesthetic.

A key part of Baltic’s effort in the Raven project has been directed at weight saving and control. Apart from using the lightest possible carbon/Nomex combinations in the yacht’s main structures, every item, down to the last pipe clip, nut and bolt, has been assessed. The naval architects and structural engineers behind her are Botin Partners and PURE Design respectively, both at the leading edge of America’s Cup design.

“ This project undoubtedly represents one of the biggest challenges Baltic Yachts has ever embraced, ” said Baltic Yachts Executive Vice President, Henry Hawkins. “ But that is what we do – we have a long history of bringing leading edge innovation to the fore. We are surrounded and supported by a dedicated team who are led by Garth Brewer, who oversaw Visione’s construction here at Baltic 21 years ago and still keeps her on the pace. ”

Baltic 111 Raven: Experience to take on the challenge

Jarkko Jämsén emphasised the importance of choosing Baltic Yachts to build Raven. “ The company was selected because we believe it has the courage, experience and track record to take on the challenge. Calculating weight and Baltic’s well-known ability to hit displacement targets were critical. ”

For Sam Evans, project manager, and Mattias Svenlin, project co-ordinator for Raven, the challenge was to construct a superyacht much lighter than anything previously built by Baltic – yachts that were already considered light in the sphere of Superyachting. “ Mattias’ experience, creativity and flexibility, supported by a dedicated production team combined with Sam’s communication skills, have been key factors in the overall success of the build, ” added Garth Brewer.

“ This is another level entirely in terms of weight saving, ” said Mattias. To ensure as fair a hull finish as possible, a carbon mould was preferred to reduce excessive heat differences and thus distortion in the curing process. “ We re-assessed the hull coating schedule to reduce weight using light primers and filler instead of Ultra-Build to reach the acceptable industry standards – in effect coatings do the job of filler,” he said. Using this technique in a superyacht is unprecedented .”

Hull and deck construction use carbon IM fibre pre-preg, employing the highest quality fibres on the market, and a Kevlar honeycomb sandwich throughout.  The owner has accepted that sailing Baltic 111 Raven at speed will be noisy so the elimination of any attempt to sound deaden represents a huge weight saving. “ But we have created an interior finish with special surfaces affecting the acoustics to ‘soften’ the noise a little, ” said Mattias.  He pointed out, however, that all the adhesives suitable for bonding this material to bulkheads were compared for weight, the final choice resulting in a saving of 6kg. In terms of the Raven project that’s a big number.

100 grams off every bracket

Baltic Yachts has revisited all weight saving opportunities shaving 100 grams off every carbon pipe bracket, making carbon cable trays even lighter and switching out steel hydraulic pipework for lighter hosing which has saved 160kg. “ We’ve even reduced the weight of the shower door from 13.5kg per m² to just 2.3kg m², ” said Mattias.

Even as Raven neared completion, the Baltic build team were continuing to identify weight-saving opportunities including replacing the metal clips holding the lightweight carbon tubular accommodation framework in place. “Östen Sundelin, one of the team, reckoned we could 3D print them in a far lighter material so we went ahead and made that saving,” said Mattias. In-house 3D printing is increasingly used at Baltic to fashion custom items to save weight and optimize design, the complex titanium head of the yacht’s retractable propulsion system (RPS) mechanism being a case in point.

Lightweight interior design

Raven’s interior, conceptualized by Jarkko Jämsén, is unusually comprehensive for a high-performance superyacht of this type, but the use of ultra-lightweight rattan deck-heads and bulkhead finishes, exposed carbon and a lack of coatings help keep weight down along with Nomex cores in structural bulkheads. All the frameworks for the furniture, for example, are made from hollow carbon piping, its lightweight combining with a modern take on style guaranteed to turn heads.

The focal point of the accommodation is centered around the glazed sides of the large cockpit, dubbed the ‘bird’s nest’, which forms a type of inverted observation ‘dome’ allowing occupants to view the carbon-dominated accommodation. The glazing is in fact Perspex, which is considerably lighter than toughened glass, representing an overall saving of 250kg. It is reinforced with a criss-cross pattern of carbon mullions which gave it its bird’s nest description. Further weight saving is achieved by minimizing the amount of caulking between each pane and replacing some of it with a foam fillet.

On deck, attention is immediately drawn to the cockpit because, apart from its aforementioned aesthetics, it also converts to a semi-covered, hardtop-protected seating area. The forward section of the cockpit hinges up and aft in ‘clam-shell’ style to affect this unique conversion.

Perspex is also used in numerous deck prisms which still use a centuries-old design to efficiently illuminate the accommodation with natural light, but are vastly lighter by replacing bronze and glass with carbon and Perspex.

Spacious saloons are located fore and aft of the bird’s nest, the forward one laid out with a galley and dining areas and the aft space dedicated to the owner’s sleeping accommodation, with a large double centreline berth folding up against an interior bulkhead when the yacht is in performance mode. There’s also a passage berth or sea cabin to starboard.

It is not often one can describe a head and shower compartment as a work of art, but in the Baltic 111 Raven’s case numerous hydraulic rams mounted inside some of the complex carbon reinforcement, including the A frame taking the load of the deck stepped mast, have been exposed by inserting Perspex inspection covers. So, you can take a shower while watching the upper and lower deflector rams in action or the downhaul ram for the 7m long reaching strut, which is used to optimise headsail sheet leads!

Further weight saving has been achieved by modifying a custom bamboo seat in one of the shower/head compartments with carbon tubing made to look like bamboo, complete with its characteristic rings and a remarkably realistic painted finish.

The aft section of the yacht is largely empty, but forward there’s accommodation for four guests in two cabins and extensive crew accommodation including a captain’s cabin.

For propulsion and generating, the design team settled on a diesel-electric hybrid system for lower emissions and efficient weight distribution. It’s a solution Baltic Yachts has been perfecting for a number of years. A Swiss 130kW Phi-Power AG electric propulsion motor is located just aft of amidships and twin 80kW Yanmar generators, optimized to save weight, are located further aft. These charge two battery banks which power the main propulsion motor, hydraulic pumps and accommodation services. The drive train is completed by a retractable propeller designed with carbon blades and a titanium hub.

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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Perseverance,’ One of the Most Sustainable Sailing Superyachts on the Water

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Standing out from the crowd with a metallic-bronze hull, the neo-classic fast cruising cutter was commissioned by an experienced owner who returned to Dykstra Naval Architects following the success of his previous yacht, a Dykstra 60. This time, he wanted to undertake longer passages in comfort but without compromising on speed.

The owner chartered a collection of sailing yachts to iron out his wish list, including a larger yacht with excellent sailing characteristics, ease of maintenance and power-saving systems. With 65 feet of extra length, Perseverance delivers. Plus it has a luxurious interior by deVosdeVries Design and a double cockpit deck layout. The yacht is also equipped with a high-aspect rudder and lifting keel to enhance sailing capabilities. “The goal for the owner was to have a classic sloop with clean deck equipment to make it easy to handle when sailing,” Tommy Johansson, project manager at Baltic Yachts , told Robb Report during a tour of the boat. “So, the yacht can set and furl its sails via push buttons for easy short-handed cruising.”

Perseverance bears many of the traditional hallmarks for which Dykstra is known, including a straight stem, distinctive deep bulwarks and truncated counter. Its deck house, skinned in teak, has individual rectangular windows that provide classic appeal. Like the timber caprail, the wood is treated with oil rather than varnish to reduce maintenance and steer away from a high-gloss finish. The center cockpit—one of the owner’s favorite places on board—is shaded by a mini hardtop that can be lowered to protect the seating and dining area against salt spray when not in use. Inside, light-gray oak, maple and leather-stitched details create a gentleman’s club-meets-industrial-chic ambience. Subtle LED lighting gives a modern touch. The main salon is light and airy, with high ceilings that provide decent headroom and knurled hardware in a dark-matte vintage patina.

Perseverance sleeps eight guests in four cabins, comprising a master suite, one VIP cabin and two twins. They are all fitted with sensors that monitor the interior temperature based on guest occupancy. When not in use, the temperature automatically adjusts to save on energy.

The yacht has cruised extensively since her delivery last year, already clocking 10,000 nautical miles at an average speed of 20 knots. Building a yacht with sustainable credentials was a key prerequisite for the owner. Perseverance ’s diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system can regenerate 20 to 25 kilowatts while under way at 12 to 14 knots, recharging the batteries in 4.5 hours, which then provide up to nine hours of silent running at anchor.

“It means the yacht can head out for a day’s sailing and return to the marina without using its engines,” says Johansson. “In fact, the owner has done that already, enjoying nine hours of silent cruising with only the batteries powering the hotel load.”

Perseverance is now in the Caribbean, with the owner making the most of his easy sailer by spending as much time at the wheel as possible.

Check out more photos of Perseverance here .

Read More On:

• Baltic Yachts

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Baltic Yachts Yachts

Baltic Yachts made a reputation building high-tech, semi-custom sailing yachts, but in recent years, it has launched a fleet of custom superyachts by noted naval architects and designers.

Baltic Yachts History

In 1973, five young yacht builders defected from the well-known Finnish shipyard Nautor’s Swan and formed their own company, Baltic Yachts, in the Bosund region of western Finland. Their goal was to become a niche builder of high-quality, high-tech sailing yachts for performance-oriented racing and cruising sailors. To staff their shipyard, they drew from local talent in the region; a shipbuilding centre since the 16th century. The founders’ goal was to build sailing yachts that were “faster, stronger and lighter” than the competition utilising exotic construction materials including carbon fibre and high-tech yacht-building method.

After launching the Baltic 46 and 33 production sailing yacht series, Baltic Yachts delivered its first custom yacht in 1975. Two years later, the shipyard was acquired by Finnish shipbuilder Hollming Ltd., enabling it to expand its marketing efforts worldwide. In 1991, ownership of Baltic Yachts passed back into the hands of key staff members. Today, the principal shareholder is Hans Georg Näder a German industrialist, passionate sailor and serial yacht owner. The shipyard offers semi-custom and custom sailing yachts up to 60+ metres in length

Notable Baltic Superyachts

In 2011, Baltic Yachts launched its largest superyacht to date, the 66.7-metre (including bowsprit) Hetairos . Featuring high-tech carbon construction, Hetairos was co-designed by Dykstra Naval Architects and Reichel Pugh Yacht Design .

Yacht designer German Frers designed the light and lithe, 32.64-metre sloop Inukshuk , which Baltic Yachts delivered in 2013. Inukshuk has a telescoping keel that lowers from 3.35 metres to 4.85 metres and an exceptional power-to-weight ratio. The yacht received two ShowBoats Design Awards and Sailing Yacht of the Year from the World Superyacht Awards in 2014.

The 108-foot Javier Jaudenes design WinWin swept the awards tables in 2015 grabbing a pair of prizes each from judges of the ShowBoats Design Awards and World Superyacht Awards, as well as top yacht in the 24- 40m category of the International Superyacht Awards. The following year, 115 foot Nikata from the boards of Judel-Vrolijk and Nauta Yachts captured four ShowBoats Design Awards, a Judges Special Award for Design and Performance at the World Superyacht Awards and Best Sailing Yacht in the 24-40m category from the International Superyacht society

In 2016 Baltic delivered the high performance 130 foot My Song designed by Reichel Pugh and Nauta Yachts to owner Pier Luigi Loro Piano. The yacht, in addition to being a podium finisher at many regattas, received 2017 prizes from the World Superyacht Awards, the ShowBoats Design Awards (2) and the International Superyacht Society. The yacht was involved in an accident while being transported in 2020 and declared a total loss.

Baltic’s 54 metre Pink Gin VI is the world’s largest carbon fibre sloop. Built for the yard’s principal owner, the 245-ton, silver sloop features a 71-ton, two-stage lifting keel, a 67.9m carbon fibre Rondal mast and two fold-out terraces. Naval architecture is by Judel-Vrolijk & Co and interior design and styling by Design Unlimited . Pink Gin VI took the WSA title of Sailing Yacht of the Year in 2018.

The 43.3m Canova , a Farr Yacht Design project that features a sliding horizontal foil from Dynamic Stability System, was launched in the summer of 2019. Canova won the World Superyacht Awards sailing yacht of the year title in 2020 and Best Naval Architecture prize from the Design & Innovation Awards judges. In addition to the largest-ever application of the DSS foil, the yacht also features diesel-electric propulsion and a hydro-generator system, all intended to make her greener, quieter, more comfortable and easy to maintain.

Also launched in 2019 was the 34.14 metre Liara designed by Malcolm McKeon and Adam Lay for cruising and occasional regatta sailing. Liara took a Boat International Design & Innovation Awards for both Exterior Styling and Interior Design in 2020

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Baltic Yachts operates yards in Jakobstad and Bosund, Finland, where it builds new luxury sailing yachts. It also has a service facility in Palma de Mallorca with a 1,000-tonne lift that provides “lifecycle services” including yacht maintenance and refit work including paint, plumbing, carpentry and electrical.

Baltic unveiled a motor yachts division in January 2017 with designs for the 27-metre Baltic MY88, 34-metre Baltic MY112 and 41-metre Baltic MY135; and a Day Boat range with the 15-metre Baltic MY49 and 17-metre Baltic MY56. Its first motor yacht, a 78 footer designed by Mani Frers and called Bill and Me , delivered in July 2017.

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• Digital Edition

Baltic 67 review: Finnish superyacht yard goes back to its roots with no-compromise cruiser

• Toby Hodges
• March 28, 2019

When a renowned superyacht yard builds a 67-footer for short-handed cruising you can be sure the result will be something special

Were money no object and you wanted the ultimate yacht for long-term cruising, what would you choose? How large could you go without needing a paid crew? What do you really need length and space for and how important is displacement and potential speed to you?

These were the sort of questions crowding into my head on first viewing the sensational new Baltic 67 at the Cannes Yachting Festival . It is truly striking. The quality of the yacht is undeniably world class, but it’s the precision of design and engineering that soon absorbs you.

The owner of this first boat is a highly experienced cruising sailor, boat owner and navigator, so joining him for a 24-hour trial from Mallorca proved the ideal way to get under the gleaming composite skin of this athletic new model.

The concept is about combining the pleasure of pure sailing with ease of handling for long-distance cruising at high average speeds. It is the alternative to a full custom yacht – all the engineering is already calculated – but a great deal of flexibility has been worked into the design, with options including single or twin rudders, a fixed or telescopic keel, multiple cabin layouts, and a carbon or epoxy sandwich hull.

Wanting to return to its mid-size fast cruiser roots, Baltic Yachts teamed up with designers and fellow in-demand superyacht specialists Judel Vrolijk and Design Unlimited. The result is this exceedingly attractive, modern-looking sloop, with a powerful hull shape, a flush foredeck and a low-profile coachroof.

Powered sail handling systems means Manyeleti can be sailed by just two

The Baltic 67 is very much at the luxury and custom end of the production yacht scale, so our light wind trial of the boat focused more on the various choices and details aboard and how they might be relevant to sailors in general. Hull number one in particular had a lot of owner input.

Manyeleti , the first 67, belongs to Erik Lindgren. It is his fifth yacht from Baltic after a string of upgrades that started with a used 39 in 1989. “It’s very different to design and build your own boat – in my case using nearly 30 years of offshore sailing experience,” Lindgren explains.

Swede Lindgren travelled to the yard once a month and was in daily contact with the project manager, Kjell Vesto.

The Lindgrens’ plan is to head off on another world cruise in a couple of years time, when Erik’s teenage children have finished school. His shakedown sail involved a 5,000-mile trip from Finland to and around the Mediterranean.

“Not a single thing broke,” he reports, saluting Baltic’s build quality. “I could literally go to El Corte Inglés, stock up, fuel up and sail across the Atlantic.”

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The Baltic 67 is as big as you can go without needing a pro crew, argues Erik Lindgren.  “I’ve spent a lot of time on World ARC boats… it’s the details that make living on board easier. This is a technical boat, but is less dependent on systems than our old Baltic 56. On the other hand it’s great to have aircon and a lifting keel.

“Half the time spent aboard will be for long distance stuff and holidays for the two of us, but a lot of the time will be spent with friends and family too.”

Privacy at this size is a big benefit. “I have no need to have a big boat for show,” says Lindgren, “but I wanted to have the things I need.”

The retractable arm for the anchor roller is an engineering masterpiece. It rises from the anchor locker at the touch of a button

The most important features he wanted, which help explain the jump in size from his previous 56, were a furling boom, a large, practical galley, four cabins and a tender garage large enough to house a forward-facing dinghy. While his yachts have grown and become more complex, Lindgren maintains that the methodical way Baltic builds boats results in a lot fewer problems.

A carbon furling boom is an eye-watering investment, but it does make the hoisting, reefing and lowering of sails a quick and largely hassle-free procedure. It can make the difference to whether you go sailing or not. Within minutes of leaving Palma’s breakwaters, we had main and jib unfurled and were matching the 8 knot wind speeds.

Manyeleti is hull number one in the Baltic 67 series

Easy performance

The Hall carbon boom uses an electric mandrel motor that is synchronised with the halyard to avoid too much sail spilling out during a hoist. The traveller is also electric, while the sheet car pullers, backstay, vang and furlers are hydraulically-operated. The result is the ease of push-button sailing typically used on modern performance superyachts.

We spent the first few hours reaching across Palma Bay. Despite having 24 hours aboard, the most breeze we found was 11 knots, which translated to 9.5 knots boatspeed – very respectable under white sails only (fully battened main and non-overlapping jib). The majority of the time was spent close-hauled, matching the single-figure wind, even exceeding it when it dropped below 6 knots.

Neat details: the forward end of the jib car puller, which is hydraulically powered

I found myself gravitating to the side deck to sit and steer, instinctively wanting to sail the Baltic 67 like a cruiser-racer. There are good views over the low coachroof and flush foredeck, but nothing except freeboard height to prevent a wet backside if the decks ship green water.

The helmsman can also sit forward of the wheel and reach the two winches. I like the way the primary is mounted inboard, though the positioning of the turning block for the jib sheet creates an obstacle on the side deck. Baltic reasons that it helps provide the option to use either winch for the sheet.

Speed for oceans

A flying sail would have helped to get the most out of the conditions, but Lindgren was still awaiting delivery of a Code 0 and A3, both on top-down furlers. However, even when the evening breeze died to around 4-5 knots, the Baltic 67 still provided an enjoyable experience on the helm. It’s rare that you can say such a thing while only using main and jib.

The 67 is designed for potent offwind performance, to limit engine use on transocean voyages. The aggressive sail area to displacement ratio of 30.9 is possibly taking things too far: the boat has so much power to weight that it will need to be treated as a real performance cruiser and tamed accordingly (i.e. reefed early). But what our trial sail did show was how well the Baltic 67 fulfils its brief of being able to offer enjoyable sailing in light wind.

“Bluewater boats don’t usually sail in 10-15 knots downwind – and we had a lot of that,” Lindgren points out, with reference to their previous Pacific crossing. “At 150º true, this boat is sailing at 8-9 knots, which is a big difference. As long as you are over 8 knots you are properly moving through the water,” he reasons. “Below that you’re in the swell and not in control.”

The twin pedestals are well designed to site plotter screens and remote controls for powered deck functions and sail handling

With the relatively low coachroof and cockpit backrests and aft positioning of the helms, protection from the elements may be a concern. When you look at Baltic’s large new designs in build, the 142 and 146, both have lengthy deckhouses that provide plenty of protection. But it chose the more in-vogue deck design for this semi-custom size, so its solutions for cockpit protection depend largely on a retractable sprayhood and bimini. These can remain in place while sailing and have already been tested in up to 40 knots.

The cockpit area on this first Baltic 67 has been adapted according to the owners’ wishes, including a narrower space between benches and no fixed table. The Lindgrens like to be able to brace feet between benches and to be able to sleep on the sole between them when offshore. The table and carbon legs stow beneath the central saloon soleboards.

We anchored at dusk at Es Trenc beach, 25 miles to the south-east of Palma, in water so clear we could pick the spot to drop the hook between weed patches. The ability to anchor in less than 4m amply demonstrated the appeal of a lifting keel. The keel system, from the highly reputable Italian brand APM, raises the T-keel hydraulically up to 2.5m.

The anchor arrangement is another fine piece of engineering: the arm is concealed in a shallow locker and rotates over and into place at the push of a button. The roller then extends out to keep it clear of the stem. The second Baltic 67 will have a fixed roller incorporated into the bowsprit.

The furling jib and powered padeye are recessed neatly

Open transom choice

The garage houses a 3.2m dinghy stowed longitudinally, with the engine mounted, between the dual rudders. Lindgren chose an AB tender with aluminium hull (53kg). It has a 20hp outboard so can plane with four adults yet is light enough to be dragged up the beach. He also opted for an open transom that, although an unconventional choice for ocean cruising, gives easy access to the swim platform and dinghy.

There is copious stowage space throughout the Baltic 67. In addition to the tall sail locker in the forepeak, the aft quarter lockers easily swallow electric bikes, inflatable paddleboards, snorkel gear, waterskis, spare fuel and a liferaft valise. Here there’s also access to the steering gear with independent autopilots used on both quadrants.

I particularly like the way multiple Antal T-lock fittings are flush-mounted along the toerail and in the cockpit. These enable quick and easy swivelling toggles to be inserted for loops and blocks, or for harness attachments.

Weight versus noise

The following morning was windless, leaving us with a three-hour motor back to Palma. The 150hp six-cylinder Steyr was specified for its low noise and emissions, and drives a four-blade Bruntons prop via a standard shaft.

E-glass was chosen over the standard carbon hull. Lindgren’s previous Baltic 56 was carbon and he wanted the better noise insulation over the weight difference (up to one tonne). The 67 is a very quiet, relaxing boat under motor, with no need to raise voices under power.

The spacious saloon has enough room for both dining and coffee tables

Down below the Baltic is an aircon-cooled haven of charm and exquisite quality. The more time I spent aboard and the more I learned of the systems and engineering, the more I began to appreciate what sets this boat apart.

The Design Unlimited styling is elegant and tasteful, with a mahogany finish on this first boat. With four different layout configurations plenty of scope is allowed for owner customisation. But behind the scenes is what you really pay for with the Baltic. It’s the telling result of what happens when a yard goes down in model size – this 67 is built like a superyacht.

For example, the engine room, used for hot items like engine, genset and water-heater, links through to a proper mechanical/utility room abaft the galley, where equipment is mounted on three walls for easy access (including chargers, inverters, pumps, watermaker and compressors).

“The thinking is that everything should be in reach and that you should be able to maintain it easily,” says Lindgren, pointing to the Spectra watermaker (his fourth) mounted on one bulkhead.

The boat’s systems are beautifully laid out for ease of inspection and maintenance

Stowage throughout has been brilliantly conceived. The 2,000lt of water and diesel tanks, plus the batteries, are all mounted centrally, under the saloon, leaving cavernous practical stowage under the berths. Custom-made fabric bags are used under the saloon seats to maximise useable volume.

Lifting the carbon sandwich soleboards at the base of the companionway reveals the sea chests and main manifolds for fuel and water, a prime example of the meticulous and practical systems layout. The 1,440Ah of lithium gel batteries further forward have a reservoir surrounding them, which can cool the cells if necessary without flooding them. And there are custom-made drip trays below any filters to prevent mess or corrosion.

The keel uses a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) to activate the hydraulics, the cylinders for which can be replaced from within the boat. All other electrics are on manual relays. The fuse locker is a work of art and opens out for full access to the wiring, with every wire and fuse numbered and labelled.

Smart cabin choice

Manyeleti ’s owner’s cabin, with adjoining heads and shower in the forwardmost section, has an offset double berth positioned aft by the main bulkhead, a relatively central area of the boat to sleep. However, on passage, Lindgren says he sleeps on deck, or in the single cabin amidships. There are also leecloths on the saloon berths, a comfortable option if guests don’t want to share the twins.

The owner’s cabin is (purposefully) the only one aboard Manyeleti to feature a double bed

There is a good reason why there is only one double bed. Lindgren often sails with male friends, hence twin and single berths are a pragmatic choice. The use of a split heads and shower shared between the twin and single cabins is also sensible.

The central section of the interior is superb, with a traditional lower saloon, a navstation beside the companionway and a formidable U-shaped galley. It was important to the Lindgrens that the galley was large enough for two to work in yet still be seamanlike. The result is a very practical area with superb chilled, dried goods and crockery stowage. Ventilation ducts keep it nice and cool, though personally I’d want to have a hatch through to the cockpit.

Lindgren swears by the dishwasher, reasoning that it uses less water than washing up and helps keep the galley tidy. This and an induction cooker would be sensible options if you had sufficient power, and would avoid the need for gas.

The exemplary finish and smaller details help furnish the boat with a top quality feel. From the hinges, light switches and showerheads to the gas sprung hatches and overall joiner work, the Baltic 67 oozes quality.

The Baltic 67 has been designed with short-handed sailing in mind

Baltic 67: the verdict

Baltic has spent the last decade building some of the finest performance superyachts. You don’t receive commissions for yachts such as Hetairos , Pink Gin VI , or My Song without a top reputation, and to get that sort of quality on a 67-footer is truly special. Attention to detail and class of engineering and finish are hallmarks of this new model.

The Baltic 67 has the performance in light airs to match her on-trend looks and is a joy to helm. The choice of a comparatively unprotected cockpit and an open transom may not sit well with conventional bluewater sailors, but times are changing and this design is aimed as much at port-hopping from Portofino as at Pacific passagemaking . It is the solutions, stowage and systems employed throughout that help make it a valid option for distance cruising.

The Baltic 67 has the legs to outrun virtually any other cruising monohull and to keep sailing fast in light apparent winds. To know you’re buying the best in terms of design and composite build – and created by the same team involved in a yacht that costs tens of millions – must help compensate for the significant initial outlay. For the rest of us, we can but dream.

Specification

LOA: 20.52m (67ft 4in)

LWL: 19.20m (62ft 12in)

Beam (max): 5.45m (17ft 11in)

Draught (max): 3.90m (12ft 10in)

Draught (telescopic): 2.50m (8ft 2in)

Displacement (lightship): 24,400kg (53,792lb)

Ballast: 9,000kg (19,841lb)

Sail Area: 255.6m2 (2,751ft2)

Berths: 7-8

Engine: 150hp

Water: 1,000lt (220gal)

Fuel: 900lt (198gal)

Sail Area/disp ratio: 30.9

Disp/LWL ratio: 96

Price: €3.95 million (ex. VAT)

Design: Judel/Vrolijk & Co and Design Unlimited

• Discover the wonders of sailing the Baltic Sea: a complete guide

The Baltic is a unique destination with countless sailing routes and stunning locations to explore, offering new experiences and endless possibilities. It stands out from more typical destinations like Croatia , offering its own advantages and specific considerations to keep in mind. Whether the Baltic is the right fit for you depends on a few factors. Our guide includes recommended routes, must-visit places, potential challenges to be aware of, as well as tips and rules for sailing in this region — everything you need to know when planning your trip to the Baltic Sea.

Geographical delimitation

Our guide won't be focussing on a single country, but rather an entire region. The Baltic Sea encompasses Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, covering a vast area. It is one of the largest brackish seas, and is often considered the edge or arm of the Atlantic. Since it is an inland sea, it has an average depth of only 55 metres, with the deepest point located in the Swedish part measuring 459 metres.

The Baltic Sea is inland.

Why sail the Baltic Sea?

Perhaps you've wondered: why sail in the Baltic when Croatia always has great weather? Here are some reasons why you should consider venturing further north.

Accessibility

The Baltic Sea area is strategically located as it provides easy accessibility to almost all parts of Europe by car, which can lead to significant cost savings on air travel.

Savings 

When it comes to expenses, it's worth noting the significant cost savings for meals and overnight stays in ports around the Baltic Sea. These costs are substantially lower compared to Croatia, making it a more affordable destination.

Fewer people 

If you prefer more freedom and fewer crowds while sailing, the Baltic Sea might be the perfect destination for you. Unlike the popular yachting spot of Croatia, the Baltic Sea remains relatively uncrowded, with fewer boats and less congestion even during high season. This means you can enjoy more flexibility and spontaneity, without having to plan your itinerary too far in advance or worry about making reservations at marinas well ahead of time.

Beautiful nature 

While many Mediterranean countries are known for their arid landscapes in the summer, the Baltic region boasts lush, evergreen nature. What's more, the area has remained largely untouched by human activity, creating a paradise for those who love unspoiled, natural landscapes.

Although we cannot guarantee favourable winds throughout your sailing trip, the Baltic Sea region benefits from frequent and consistent winds, providing a great sailing experience. So, you can rest assured that there will almost always be wind to power your vessel.

Weather and climate in the Baltic Sea

Shake off the stereotypical image of the Baltic as a harsh, cold and merely unwelcoming region, where the sea is wild, choppy and the water splashes high. Of course, the Baltic Sea is colder than the Mediterranean, but it's also a few latitudes further north. On the other hand, it is an area where there is very little chance of experiencing windlessness. The winds are favourable for sailors and those who enjoy trimming the sails will find a lot to like here. 

Sailors on discussion forums agree that there is often a so-called mythicization of the Baltic as a bad weather region. You will be surprised to know that in the summer season (July, August) temperatures here very often reach almost 30 degrees. In the high season, you can swim in the sea without any problems.

When to sail the Baltic?

During late May and early June, the Baltic Sea experiences the longest days, providing more time to enjoy the good weather. The summer season from June to August is also a great time to visit. However, for those seeking more adventurous and sporty experiences, the Baltic Sea can still be an attractive option from September onwards, although it may be less suitable for holidaymakers.

Paying and currency

Most sailors agree that they can make do with using euros and credit cards. Where they don't accept euros (machines in marinas) you can pay with a credit card. This means you don't necessarily need to exchange to Swedish, Danish or other kroner. 😊 But sometimes you may find that the shop will change the local currency into euros.

Who would we (not) recommend the Baltic to?

Sailing on the Baltic is suitable for all sailors who:

• are tempted to try something different from the traditional sailing destinations,
• enjoy racing the wind,
• don't enjoy the hot days in southern Europe when it can be impossible to sleep at night and you easily get sunburnt during the day,
• they're thinking of doing a more advanced skipper course.

On the other hand, we would not recommend sailing in the Baltic Sea:

• those who like warm waters (Caribbean, Greece, etc.), because the water in the Baltic is a bit colder,
• families with very young children, babies and toddlers,
• complete sailing beginners as their first sailing trip after the skipper's course, as it is a more demanding area to navigate and sail.

Considering another destination? Take a look at our tips:

Discover the best of the Balearic Islands

The 10 most beautiful harbours in the Baltic

The most beautiful Greek islands

Discover Corfu: sailing adventure in the Ionian

5 best sailing routes in the Bahamas

Yachting guide to the Bahamas

Sailing the Maldives: paradise

Croatia in autumn? A definite yes!

Top marinas in Montenegro

Yachting without crowds

Top marinas in Croatia

Yachting and accessible hiking routes

Greece's marinas: an insider's view on the top 3

Croatia 2023: prices, borders and news

Yachting in France

Waters for experienced sailors

Getting to the baltic region.

The Baltic region is easily accessible by various means of transportation, with many European destinations accessible through direct flights or transfers, such as Stockholm and Tallinn, respectively. You can also reach most places in the region by car overland, like Szczecin, or by ferry across the sea. In addition, the Baltic Sea countries have good rail services that can be combined with other modes of transport for convenient travel.

What makes the Baltic unique and what to look out for?

The Baltic is not the Mediterranean and has its own specific customs and yachting habits. What might surprise you, what differences to expect and what do we consider the main benefits?

Mooring bow to the pier 

This fact can be seen at a glance. In the Baltic, in the vast majority of cases, you dock at the pier with your bow. The stern therefore remains open towards the water. This may seem strange to some, but many Nordic boats do not have a gangway but only steps attached to the bow. However, this type of docking gives you more privacy but the downside is that it's not at all wheelchair accessible for people with less mobility.

Mooring between stakes 

For boaters who have never sailed up north, mooring the boat between wooden stakes will also be a novelty. If you know how to manoeuvre in harbours, you'll have nothing to worry about, it's just unusual.

Wooden stakes in a marina on the Baltic.

No mooring ropes

Mooring ropes are not a common practice in the Baltic. You will come across the aforementioned wooden stakes, mooring buoys or transverse finger piers. It is also common here to moor boats together in a "raft" style, i.e. sideways to each other. So don't be alarmed if a boat does this to you, although it is customary to ask the owner or skipper for permission beforehand.

Paying at a machine 

In the Baltic ports, you shouldn't expect to encounter marina staff looking to make a quick profit by overcharging you. Instead, mooring fees for the pier are often paid at a machine located on the pier itself.

Save money on marinas 

If you're used to pier rates approaching the price of a luxury hotel in the Adriatic, then forget about it in the Baltics. In the north, marina prices are lower. In Germany specifically, marina prices are similar to those in the Mediterranean, but lower in Poland or Estonia.

Less dense yachting infrastructure 

You have to plan your voyage here more carefully. You certainly won't find a fully equipped marina or buoy in every bay. So be prepared for longer crossings.

More complicated navigation at sea 

In addition to the fact that there are plenty of fairways, channels and therefore cardinal marks and other markings at sea, you may encounter unexpected shoals that are not always marked on charts and plotters. It is therefore important to be vigilant at all times.

The Germans and Swedes are meticulous in their marking.

Read about other destinations:

The best of Croatia: a guide for sailors

What preparations to make before sailing on the baltic sea.

As the Baltic Sea presents different sailing conditions from those in Croatia, it's important to acquire relevant knowledge and skills before embarking on a sailing trip.

Colreg and brands

Before sailing in the Baltic Sea, it's important for the skipper to have a good understanding of the sea markings, such as cardinal and lateral marks, as well as the Colreg rules, including the rules of the fairway. It's crucial to study terms like "channel" and "divided navigation section" to be prepared for navigating in the Baltic Sea. With a lot of cargo ships and busy shipping lanes and canals, it's important to be aware of the heavy traffic in some areas. While it's important to follow Colreg rules, it's also important to use common sense and stay safe, as a big container ship won't always give way even if you have the right of way. In some situations, it may be better to avoid the ship altogether and sail around it in a big arc.

What can AIS do? 

AIS, or Automatic Identification System , can be a valuable tool when sailing in the Baltic Sea, particularly if you plan to sail after dark. It allows you to track the position and course of large ships in your vicinity, providing valuable information for safe navigation. To ensure that you are able to use this system on your boat, check with the charter company and ask them to demonstrate how to turn it on.

Watch a video 

To get a better idea of what to expect while sailing in the Baltic, check out YouTube videos showing the unique features of the region, such as docking at wooden stakes. These specialties are not commonly encountered by Mediterranean sailors and can provide valuable insight into the specific practices and customs of the Baltic.

Sailing related vocabulary

It's worth noting that there are many regional terms and expressions used in the Baltic that may be unfamiliar to Mediterranean sailors. For instance, "hafenmeister" means "harbourmaster". While you can learn many of these terms on the spot, we suggest reading some yachting forums and familiarizing yourself with the Baltic vocabulary before setting sail.

YACHTING.COM TIP: Although AIS is not mandatory on small boats, any aid that can help prevent a collision is welcome on board. Find out about it in our guide,  What is AIS and how does it work? .

It doesn't hurt to brush up on the basics of navigation in classic nautical charts before sailing the Baltic.

What equipment to bring to the Baltic?

When sailing in the Baltic Sea, it's important to be prepared for a range of weather conditions, including hot days and rain as well as sudden winds. Even if the harbor is calm, you may encounter strong winds of up to 30 knots once you're out at sea. To avoid any mishaps, it's essential to have the right equipment on board. Some of the items you shouldn't overlook include:

• Waterproof sailing jacket and trousers (can I rent if you don't want to buy your own)
• Thermal underwear
• Warm socks (we recommend merino wool)
• 2 hats in case you lose one (which happens unexpectedly often)
• Sailing gloves
• Neck warmer
• Good quality life jacket
• Sleeping bag
• Hand cream (the wind dries you out)

The captains are advised to carry a lifeline, which can be installed on the deck of the boat and used by the crew with a harness as they move around.

YACHTING.COM TIP: For more tips on how to kit yourself out and what gear to wear for sailing, even in colder destinations, check out our guide — How to choose sailing clothing: what to wear .

It takes special sailing clothes for Balt.

Must-see Baltic destinations

What places must not be missed in any case?

Copenhagen (Denmark) 

If you've never visited this Danish gem, it's a must on your voyage. Anchoring in the heart of the city is a treat, and a stroll around the harbour in the early evening or a photo with Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid is a must-do activity.

Bornholm Island (Denmark) 

If you're sailing in the Baltic, this island should be high on your list. It's a popular destination for yachters and offers beautiful sandy beaches, including Dueodde Beach, which is considered the sunniest spot in Denmark. The island is also great for cycling, kayaking, windsurfing, diving, and even rock climbing. Anchor your boat in Hammerhavn, Ronne, or Svaneke and explore all that the island has to offer.

The small town of Ronne on the island of Bornholm is picturesque.

The islets of Christiansø and Frederiksø (Denmark )

Connected by a swinging bridge, these small islands are mostly inhabited by local fishermen and artists. With their remote location, they offer a unique charm and a chance to experience a peaceful getaway.

Marstal (Denmark) 

If you're looking for a relaxing spot to park your boat, Marstal marina is a great option. The town boasts a beautiful maritime museum, and there's also a nearby beach where you can go for a swim in the sea. It's the perfect place to unwind and recharge.

Marina Kåseberga (Sweden) 

Most sailors agree that Kåseberga marina is a particularly beautiful spot. Visitors should pay berthing fees at the local shop, and be careful of the shallow boat launching rails when entering. Not far from the marina is Ales Stenar, an old stone resembling the more famous Stonehenge. Here you can tap mystical energy.

Malmö (Sweden) 

Malmö, the third largest city in Sweden after Stockholm and Gothenburg, was highly industrialized until the end of the millennium. Today, while it still has many historical buildings, it is a city of contrasts, with modern skyscrapers popping up alongside traditional architecture. Walking in the city centre, with its little houses by the canal, can make you feel like you've entered another world.

Malmö is amazing.

Stralsund (Germany) 

This is a former Hanseatic city with a maritime museum, numerous historical buildings and restaurants. It is well worth a visit.

Marina Kołobrzeg (Poland) 

This modern marina offers a full range of yachting infrastructure, including berthing facilities and supplies, making it a convenient stopover for sailors.

Świnoujście (also Svinoústí or Ústí nad Svinou) 

Świnoujście is not only a strategic location for shipping, but also a spa town. In addition to being home to the tallest lighthouse in Poland, the town's charming atmosphere is sure to win you over.

YACHTING.COM TIP:  We have written a specific itinerary for you in our article —  Sailing the untamed Baltic: get inspired by our route .

Boats available on the Baltic

Opting for a smaller sailboat when renting on the Baltic is advisable as it allows for easier access to the marinas and navigating under bridges. The shallower draft is also beneficial due to the frequent shoals in the region. While the rental market offers a variety of sailboat options, Bavaria, Hanse, Dufour, and Sun Odyssey tend to dominate the charter industry in the Baltic Sea.

We recommend the Bavaria 32 Cruiser, Linnea or the larger Bavaria 40 Cruiser, Ester . Also very popular are the Dufour 375 Grand Large , Smilla or the Sun Odyssey 439, Bowmore .

What food to sample on the Baltic Sea?

To truly appreciate the beauty of the Baltic region, it is essential to indulge in its delectable cuisine. The local seafood is a must-try, boasting of its freshness and distinctive aroma. Smoked fish is a specialty that should not be missed, with a variety of fish, from small sardines to large ones, being prepared in the smoker. Another local delicacy to try is the pickled fish, which can be enjoyed in a fresh baguette or paired with calamari tripe soup. To complete the meal, wash it down with a refreshing Tuborg beer.

Additional activities to sailing in the Baltic

In addition to sailing, the Baltic offers a variety of water and land-based activities. For instance, Rügen boasts numerous kitesurfing spots, while the coast of Poland is renowned for its high-quality cycle paths. Sightseers can explore the many lighthouses dotting the coast, while fishing enthusiasts can try their luck in the Baltic's waters. While the fishing may not be as bountiful as in Norway, it's still possible to reel in some good catches. Be sure to check for necessary permits before casting your line. With plenty of things to see and do, there's no chance of getting bored.

You need a wetsuit for water sports, but fans of kitesurfing, windsurfing or kayaking will have fun here.

Would you like a boat on the Baltic? Let me know.

Denisa Nguyenová

Faqs: all about the baltic sea.

• Service & Refit
• Baltic Yachts Rendezvous

BALTIC 111 RAVEN ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT SUPERYACHT WITH A COMFORTABLE AND STYLISH INTERIOR

Designed for fast coastal and offshore sailing, the Baltic 111 Raven has taken full advantage of Baltic Yachts’ ability to build an advanced composite structure to the most exacting standards, creating a modern, stylish living platform within a high-performance design envelope.

Baltic Yachts worked with a highly-skilled team assembled by designer Jarkko Jämsén, including in-demand Spanish race boat naval architects Botin Partners. Structural engineering by PURE Design and Engineering. Project Manager Sam Evans and project Co-ordinator Mattias Svenlin led Baltic’s internal team, while A2B Marine Projects, was the owner’s representative responsible for project management externally.

Interior and exterior design are by award-winning Finnish designer, Jarkko Jämsén. With light weight and performance the over-arching features of the project, the yacht’s interior is minimalist and modern in style.

To save weight, the yacht’s structure is used as part of the interior and materials like bamboo and rattan are featured in the finish. A luxury interior, with a fully-fitted galley and air conditioning throughout, adds to the challenge of hitting weight targets with precision.

DELIVERY YEAR

MAIN SPECIFICATIONS

• L.O.A. 34.00 m
• D.W.L. 33.10 m
• BEAM 7.40 m
• DRAFT 4.80 m
• DISPLACEMENT 55 ton (Light Craft Mass)
• INTERIOR & EXTERIOR DESIGN Jarkko Jämsén
• NAVAL ARCHITECT Botin Partners

EXTERIOR RENDERINGS

INTERIOR RENDERINGS

Here is a first glimpse from the successful sea trials in Finland when Raven finally spread her wings. The revolutionary superyacht, the first sailing yacht of her size and type to use hydrofoils mounted on adjustable side arms to support a high percentage of her displacement, will be handed over to her owner during October completing a successful two-year build and trials period.

Launch & Sea trials

Baltic 111 Raven is a remarkable study in functional and aesthetic design overlaying the most advanced sailing systems ever seen in a superyacht. Watch the final stages of Raven’s two-year build and trials period at the yard in Finland before she left for training and testing in warmer climates.

Far north, in a distant and cold climate where the isolated Finns are a people of few words, there is a long tradition of shipbuilding and exquisite handicraft. Here are also the most extraordinary, futuristic hitech yachts conceived and built based on the same principles as our ancestors. Meet Raven.

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BALTIC 111 RAVEN OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED AHEAD OF FOILING TRIALS

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