Mile building: Vyborg — Lappeenranta

This is good training for the IYT Bareboat Skipper certificate and for those who want to take the boat on charter, but are not sure of their navigation skills and the ability to moor a yacht in all conditions.

During this mile building trip, there will be an opportunity to sail both under sail and with the motor, since we will need to go through the Saimaa Canal to enter the Saimaa Lakes system. We will start in Vyborg, cross the border, enter the Saimaa Canal and go to the lakes, sail there for a little while, and finish in Lappeenranta.

You will practice passing locks and opening and closing borders which is very important for route planning, and overnight stays. These skills will be useful to you on the Mediterranean, for example, when passing through the Corinth Canal.

The Baltic Sea and Saimaa are very interesting for sailing because of their geography. If the weather in the sea is not so good, we can always hide behind the islands where we can safely work out maneuvers, navigation and planning the route. Of course, given the peculiarities of this place terrain, you can fully relax only on land, because Finnish skerries have the biggest number of navigational signs. The navigational practice is equal to a week in the Mediterranean.

Sailing in Finland is particularly comfortable thanks to the infrastructure. Every third of the Finnish families owns some kind of boat. Even on the smallest islet, there is a place to relax, where you can fry kebabs or fish, a free sauna and the opportunity to swim in the clearest water, electricity, and water in larger mooring places.

The weekly training program is packed:

* Yacht design and marine terminology in English and Russian. (So that you can talk to the charter company and understand the commands of a foreign skipper)

* Preparation for going to sea (check-in, an inspection of the yacht, purchase of products)

* Work on the deck (setting sails, changing sails)

* Work with the helm 

* Navigation

* Planning of the crossing

* Maneuvering

* How to act in an emergency

* Mooring, anchoring

* What they don’t write in textbooks or Good marine practice.

In addition to good practice, this is a great vacation and beautiful nature with a very interesting coastline. Fishermen will be interested in fishing, just don’t forget to let us know beforehand! In the first months of summer, there will be white nights. After a good day’s work, you can sit on a yacht or on the beach with a drink enjoying white nights and sunsets.