Wooden Boats by Andreas af Malmborg

Author:Andreas af Malmborg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2015-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Grulf attracted attention early on. Oden did not have a working engine and there was a large hole in her bottom. So Grulf fixed the hole as quickly as he could, fitted a two-cylinder outboard engine and slowly puffed out to the island of Björkskär in Stockholm’s archipelago with a tarpaulin covering the leaky roof. His dream was to be a sailor; maybe Oden could be sailed. The boat has a simple rig but no sail as yet. It would be reassuring if she could be sailed to land in the event of engine failure. Grulf wants to live onboard and he uses the boat for a large part of the year. Many boat owners sleep better onboard than anywhere else but few actually go as far as moving in. Grulf sleeps onboard even when the boat is on land.

Oden can be persuaded to travel at 12 knots but her cruising speed is 8 knots. She is undeterred by big seas and Grulf sails when he has time, no matter what the weather is doing. “I guess they think I’m a little bit crazy but Oden is better in the seas than a Pettersson,” states Grulf confidently. She has better stern lift and is as stable as a ship.

Oden is the name of the mythical Norse god of war and wisdom. It suits an old boat such as this, a little peevish and patinated. The name is associated with dignity and pride but some of the explanation is simpler still. The boat was originally named Gwen, which is not nearly as grand, but note that the last two letters are the same. This simplified her identity change.

The stern flag is 4 feet long and yet too short for Grulf’s taste. “A flag on a sloop like this should be majestic and of king-size proportions.” At least another foot, then, even if it has to trail in the water.

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