Edvard

Finnish "skötbåt" from Malax, 1910

The narrowest part of the Baltic Sea is at Kvarken, where the Swedish and Finnish coastlines are both characterised by the many skerries. The seas between these islands provide ideal conditions for sailing open boats of various sizes. The local boats are special because .. they are built using methods that contain many features from olden days. The boats are strengthened athwartships, for example, with "bites" (crossbeams) in much the same way as the Viking ships were. Edvard has three such beams, two afore the hold, which is known as the "bunki", and one aft. The boat is built of spruce and is of the "knärrstamnade" type, characterised by a curved, bluff-bowed stem as distinct from the "Jullbåtarna" boat type which has a very flat and raking stem that, among other things, is excellent for breaking ice!

The "skötbåt" was used for fishing herring with floating nets, so-called "sköter", and for transporting villagers to church and market. Edvard was built about 1910 for the fisherman Edvard Ahlskog from Malax, who sailed in it throughout his life. It was donated to the Viking Ship Museum in 1990 by the Kvarken Boat Museum.

The boat is propelled by two spritsails on unstayed masts. The larger sail has a boom below and is positioned aft. 

 

Currently the boat is in storage.

Informations about Edvard

Dockyard: Malax (Finland)
Owner: The Viking Ship Museum 
Year of construction: 1910


Length: 7.00 meter (23 feet)
Width: 2.00 meter (7 feet)
Depth/draft: 0.40 meter (1 feet)
Total sail area: 16 m2
Number of oars: 4
Crew: 3-5 men
Estimated maximum speed, oars: 6-7 knots
Estimated maximum speed, sail: 4 knots