"in Finland" Annti Alfthan

I'm opening a thread here about the boats and building traditions in my country. We have -- rivers in the north, thousands of lakes, big and small, in the interior, a long coastline, Gulf of Bothnia and Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea - and we had much of Ladoga, those boats belonging to the tradition.

Starting here from the north, of the river boats, as we call them - long and narrow, very shallow going, up and down in currents and rapids.

I lived almost 40 years in Lapland, much of that in the wilds and on the rivers. And I was lucky in owning one of the finest masterpieces, made in 1952, boat # 92 of the builder, as carved in the aft, tarred each year, behaving splendid in cascades and rocky courses.
Photo: courtesy of Risto Kamunen

Overall length 6,8 m, beam 1,2 m. Draft... some moisture is needed underneath, with a load of say, 300 kg, it'd need 15 cm downstream, some more (and pretty much skill and energy) working upstream.

A boat from the southern part of Gulf of Bothnia restored, no bowsprit and jib though, as planned
- here about the project: http://www.puuvene.net/harro/boijan.htm

Oh - and the Ladoga... There was keel in the bow in these rather big fishing boats
- link to the article, in Finnish, but the pictures tell a lot.
http://www.metsapirtti.net/artikkeli...n/kalast05.htm
Lake Ladoga is today all in Russia

Later, at home, I took some pics of an open boat, characteristic (a few decades ago) to this lake, Pielinen. Actually the site is the closest public one for mooring to me. There is a wooden dock, sturdy alright, not in prime condition though. But I'd rather have a buoy out there.

Whew! - Lots of boats today. I start from Rauma marina. Got the feeling they have more boats than saunas in that town. - They have a joke. Elsewhere in Finland when a man dies, people ask what kind and how many kids the guy left - in Rauma, they ask about the deceased, "what kind of boats did he leave?"
I took "Albin" first, let's see
You see a new boat built to the tradition as it has been for decades in Finnish coast. Inboard engine, double ender, owners build cabins to their taste and needs, if they want it

Here a small version...

An older Swedish sailing pram

I like her lines

...

a closer look

When driving to the Laitakari port in Luvia, I passed by a boatyard. There was a bloke offering maintenance, transport and winter storing services for boat owners. I told I'm interested in tradition - he had a nice, small vessel which he was cleaning in the shop, built by himself actually, years ago, with the characteristic stem to the region, bulbous, somewhat blunt, reminding of sail ages

4.7 m long, beam 1.7 m

in the marina there was one with similar lines

The lines of this old girl differ of those some 100 miles south in Rauma and Luvia. The sea is the same though. Please note the owner has the foremast with - and the oars of course. He might want to set a spritsail for riding steady in rough seas. The mizzen is not there, just the engine.

Another weekend with all sorts of filmmakers and film addicts, not far from home this time. A couple of boats found anyway. In the northern end of Lake Pielinen.
looking in... plywood strake

Stepping outside the borders of the country now, first to Estonia, right to the south of Finland. They have been sailing the Baltic Sea like forever - fishing, trading, as home based pirates too until late Middle Ages. I haven't got enough material of their fast sailing ships yet, presenting an example of the prey instead.

These barges were last used in freighting cargo up and down river Narva, between Lake Peipsi and Tartu city in the south and the Gulf of Finland coast, Narva city.

I did'nt take the pictures, these are from the net. - Barge "Jõmmu" a replica of the old "lodi" barges, built 2006,visited Turku in July this year.

Estonian barges on the Hanseatic

Estonian barges on the Hanseatic

A dugout, usually made of aspen (hence name "haapio") is too small for rowing

you see how it is made, the pictures are from Estonia

Back in Finland;
Kainuu TAR BOAT "Paltamo"
Samuel Paulaharju writes in Kainuu countries:
"It is a strange boat, long and narrow suikelo, who is proud to bring its long beak and lift kopeana peräpuoltaan. And River tar, surging rapids and intellect are the openings of the one invented and developed."




Paltamo tar boats kastajaistilaisuus in 1995 © Melalahti village association, Paltamo

GENERAL
Oulu river of tar were transported long riverboat, which is also known as' Paltamo ". The boat has been developed into a rowing boat from Kainuu and it is made of at least 1600 to the late side. In the early days were boats 7-9 m long, which could fit a dozen barrels. Later, the boat grew to final mittoihinsa 11 to 15 m long and about 25 barrels of load-bearing boat, which usually have two rowers and the officer took the cargo of tar in Oulu. The boat's bow rise (haonnousema 1:5) took a boat to the surface oriented, and allowed raskaankin cargo transportation. Boat of facilities was also a suitable sailing winds helped the lake crossings. Sails in a boat called progressive tar "tervahanheksi", which include. Akseli Gallen-Kallela is described Vuokatti taulussaan. Also, Count Louis Sparre has been described in Kainuu tar boat drawings.

Tar boat model © Kainuu Rural Advisory Centre, Tar Project

DIMENSIONS
length of 11 to 15 meters
width of about 120 cm
depth of 50 - 60 cm
fully loaded weight of about 4000 kg

MATERIAL
Keel or sometimes from pine. Put the planks of pine or spruce, sometimes, 3 pieces on their side, in addition to platform sides varpeet tar and non räpeet. Poles (20-30 pcs) näreestä. Oarlocks birch.

All photos and other material courtesy Antti Alfthan

Antti Alfthan, a native of Finland, started a rich and vigorous thread on the WoodenBoat Forum design/plans section presenting many boats from his homeland. Needless to say, I found it irresistible, and wrote Antti requesting permission to write about it here. So here is a smattering of what is to be found on this sumptuous offering. Believe me, though I have included many photos here, there's lots more to be found. I have limited myself to workboats, but there are also yachts and tallships to be discovered. Antti has also branched out to include some interesting craft from his neighbor, Estonia. I have used Antti's captions verbatim where possible to preserve the flavor of his presentation. Please take a look. You won't be disappointed.