2007-2008

2007 (our 1. year)

On January 16, 2007 all new owners were together at the dock yard for the first time loosening batteries and covering and tidying up Aura. For the first time Aura will now carry the flag of HSS. The applications were sent in the beginning of January. This is where it starts for us new (7th) owners of Aura!During the spring there was a lot of work. It felt like everything had to be repaired. The hatches were scraped down to the wood. All over we found “surprises”. We found at least four rotten spaces, the engine and the electrical system was in bad shape. Aura had been in the shipyard since autumn 2005. On top of all we started the work too late and we would have needed more hands. I think we will learn from this.
The dust is all over but hopefully most of the boat teams will use vacuum cleaners when they work with the boats?The fore peak has to organized in order to take all the sails and other stuff meant to be put in there.In the winter we purchased some  TackTick instruments to meter the speed, depth and wind. The hatches ready to be re-installed.
These are the hatches cover with lacquer and just reinstalled.There was a lot of work to be done!! The other boats were finished in May. In the end we faced some problems with the new TackTick system and the installation of the transducer.Aura moved outside after almost 1½ years. Last time Aura had been in the sea in the autumn of 2005.
June 26, 2007 almost there. Soft, rotten spots were the flat stern and three other locations the bow and the hull. These were now given only a "esthetic" repair by Paavo but in the autumn and next year we will fix them thoroughly and professionally. Finally the touch.down in the correct element. The toes of Aura touches the sea after a long time. Aura was up on land for a total sailing season before we bought her. There were a lot of cracks and rifts because it was really warm outside. We had to keep her in belts for a couple of days. We had additional troubles because the bilge pump did not want to function properly and finally "somebody" very friendly decided to disconnect the pump from the electricity and Aura almost sunk.
Aura was taken to HSS on Sunday July 8, 2007. The same day we raised the mast and took care of the night watch at the 
Yacht Club. Helsingfors Segelsällskap Yacht Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs in Finland, established in 1893. The home harbor for more than one thousand members is located on Liuskasaari island in Helsinki. Liuskasaari represents idyllic Finnish archipelago atmosphere at its best - and only a few minutes ferry ride away from Merisatamanranta (Link to ferry timetable). 
Helsingfors Segelsällskap is famous for its wooden sailing boat fleet, sailing competitions, activities for youngsters and a great team spirit with get-togethers and  parties.In July we finally could sail out and test all the sails. One of the first trips outside Helsinki with Paavo and Punni. Testing.
Ensimmäisiä tutustumisajoja Auran kanssa! Takaisin HSS:n laiturissa. Punni viikkaa purjeet. Back at the Yacht Club.August 1outside Helsinki testing the rig and the sails. Wind 10m/s. Speeding Micke, Punni and MarkoAura held her sails nicely and we had a speed of over 9 knots. Practising for the Viapori Tuoppia (August 11).
Viaporin Tuoppi was again in August and Aura finished 11. in her class LYS 2, timing hours 3.18.44 (totally 28 boats attending), Lygaia (owned by Antti Herlin, the son of Pekka Herlin) did not attend and  Havis Amanda finished 2. in her class LYS 1, timing hours 3.48.40 (totally 31 boats attending).August 11, 2007 we took part in the Viapori Tuoppi. Besides the owners we had additional tactical support from Ilari and Kimmo. the start was at 11:11 and in the beginning there was no wind at all. this time we were 10. in the class of LYS 2.Viapori Tuoppi 2007.Viapori Tuoppi 2007.
Viapori Tuoppi 2007.In the harbour of SuPS after the race.In the harbour of SuPS after the race.In the harbour of SuPS after the race.
In the harbour of SuPS after the race.There was no wind at all in the start.
Fantastic job of Matti Rinne. In the autumn of 2007 we discovered more problems on the starboard side. Picture from inside. During the winter we accomplished great and difficult wood work. On starboard side we restored large “soft” areas on the deck and the hull with the professional help of Matti Rinne. Grand job!
The water has probably entered by the rigging screws and we could find a lot of soft wood. When I later read more about the adventures of Aura in the Danish Skaw Race in the summer of -66 I understood that there the starboard shrouds collapsed even if the rig was kept up and then Aura had to break.
In November 2007 Micke took part in the ARC rally (www.worldcruising.com/arc) from Las Palmas to St Lucia Rodney Bay. The message of Aura was spread with the boat of Olli Pajunen for totally almost 3 500 nautic miles. Micke has a separate story about this. Based on traditional facts which have not been verified a member of the New York Yacht Club who have crossed the Atlantic (with a boat registered at the yacht club) may use red pants at ceremonial occasions of his yacht club. I think that my own yacht club HSS could introduce a similar noble tradition already for the next season in spite of the fact that I crossed the Atlantic with a different boat. I have already looked for suitable red pants! There is a separate story about this in Finnish.The ARC crew of Anni (catamar Fountaine Pajot Belize 43) on deck. From left Mika, me, Olli, Markku, Jukka and Eetu.On the Atlantic in December 2007. The distances on the Ocean are great. After the start it took us many days to get rid of the Canary Islands in the horizon, the “half-way mark” did not come closer at all and then it took us very long to get closer to the island of St. Lucia. In the calss of Multihulls Division A we cut the finish line as number 10. We had five longer cats and 4 shorter cats in front of us. Our sailing took 17 days, 12 hours, 5 minutes and 7 seconds. The instruments listed almost 3 000 Nm. 
I have heard that when a member of the New York Yacht Club (with a NYYC boat) crosses the Atlantic Ocean he/she can wear red pants at the NYYC parties. I think my own Yacht Club HSS could adobt this valuable and honorable tradition already for the next season even if I crossed the Atlantic with a different boat not from HSS. I have already been looking for red pants in many shops. When you sail west you can choose between two routes. One is to sails south towards Cap Verde and the trade winds, and you turn west when you have the winds from the east. Long ago they said ”sail to the south until the butter melts and then turn West”! The other route is to the Rhum line, where you sail straight towards the goal. This melting of the butter isn’t always so easy because it can be quite cold as you see on the picture.
Klikkaa kuvaa nähdäksesi siitä suurennoksen.

2008 (our 2. year)

In the beginning of 2008 we scraped the bottom of Aura totally down to the wood in order to see in what shape it was. At the same time we got a possibility to see the traces of the repair of the keel that was accomplished in the autumn of 2002. The bottom of Aura was completely clean in the end of March and then we started impregnate. That did not prove to be a case which is entirely definite! Afterwards we had to listen to all kinds of experts who were for and against. The bottom was impregnated thoroughly. Pave in the other end of the paint brush.Punni, Pave and Thomas tried to sell their Havis Amanda.
Our experiences from the summer of 2007 let us understand that a new engine could be a good subject and something we should start to make plans for. The old Bukh 10 DV m/73 should make room for a more powerful, smaller and lighter engine. At the same time we will install a new more matching/a little larger propeller? Aura was build without an engine and only later it got an electrical engine and later this Bukh 10. The launching of Aura took place in the beginning of June.However we did not install a new the engine this year and we were content with a new propeller, which later on will fit the new and planned engine.  This is the old propeller that had to give room for a new one before the summer of 2008.Toes in the water.
Mast job at Särkkä.The register of Finnish boats was extended to include also sailing yachts and the new boat register number of Aura is now A-51850. Aura was present at Mickes’s 60th anniversary at Kulosaaren Casino restaurant’s mooring. Inspite of the rain the ceremonial flags were hoisted. In the summer we sailed more that last year and we also sailed Helsinki-Uusikaupunki-Helsinki and many other shorter trips. Marko.In the habour of Hanko.
In Hanko summer 2008.Our friend the 2008 Finnish champion of X-class 2008 - Ilari Angervo.Pave and Marko. Family picture in the harbour of Uusikaupunki.
The yatcht club of Uusikaupunki UPS.At Mickes summer place in Sundholm, Uusikaupunki.Marko.Pave.
Dishwasher.On the way."Butterfly" with Aura.
The gang in Uusikaupunki.Close to Uusikaupunki.
At the quay of Sundholm, Uusikaupunki.Viaporin Tuoppi was again in August and Aura finished 19. in its class LYS 1 timing hours 2.37.44 (totally 25 boats attending), Lygaia was 16. timing hours  1.54.43 and Havis Amanda was 24. in its class LYS 2 timing hours 3.36.44 (totally 27 boats attending). In the end of the year Punni gave up his ownership and we were then three owners left to live the life of Aura. Viaporin Tuoppi 2008.This is the old engine. Our experiences from the summer of 2007 let us understand that a new engine could be a good subject and something we should start to make plans for. The old Bukh 10 DV m/73 should make room for a more powerful, smaller and lighter engine.
Klikkaa kuvaa nähdäksesi siitä suurennoksen.