SHIP’S LOG
One of the main advantages of the huge sailing area of the fjords on the west coast of Norway is that the zone of open sea is reduced to a minimum thanks to the numerous islands scattered offshore. Therefore, the sea is often not particularly choppy, even in windy conditions. Another advantage of this region is that even if the «southern» Stavanger area naturally attracts more people than the extreme north of the country, you’ll still be able to enjoy peace and quiet here. Norway has only 5.6 million inhabitants, and even though there are a million boats here, the density of sailboats bears no resemblance to the Mediterranean countries, the east coast of the United States or the Caribbean.
Sailing in Norway means discovering sublime and preserved landscapes, mooring in tiny anchorages and colorful fishing ports, going hiking and why not skiing if the season is right? Another exciting activity to practice in Norway is fishing: there are plenty of salmon, cod and impressively sized sea bass!
The only drawback of the region is that the practice of pleasure cruising has remained very traditional - meaning that monohulls are still favored. The interest in multihulls over 40 feet, in Scandinavian countries, is indeed very recent. Builders are solicited but the infrastructure is still not very well adapted - at least when it comes to mooring at a pontoon all year round. This is the reason why multihull charter companies are still rare in Norway - but this will quickly change! For the moment, the Dream Yacht Worldwide base in Stavanger does not have any catamarans. Small folding trimarans, on the other hand, are already very popular.
SAILING
Usually, when departing from a particular port, we would normally propose a typical itinerary for one week and sometimes a second one for 15 days... Here, the charter company DYW offers no less than three typical one-week cruises! We have put together an ideal multihull mix for you.
Enjoy the restaurants of Stavanger before heading east for a first sail among the islands.
Day 2 - Jørpeland
Discover Jørpeland and its two small, deserted islands nearby and then go overland (on foot or by bus) to Preikestolen - this is where you will discover the famous 1,982-foot cliff with a flat summit and a breathtaking view over the Lysefjord.
Day 3 - Jørpeland/Lysefjord (10-20 nm)
Venture into the Lysefjord upstream from the suspension bridge. It is possible to anchor on the southern shore. A little further on, Kjerag and its famous hanging boulder are within reach of your bows (after a few hours of walking).
Day 4 - Lysefjord/Kvitsøy Ydstebøhavn (23 nm)
Head west again towards the North Sea! You will not really be out at sea as there are many islands and islets to protect you from the swell. Discover the island of Kvitsøy with its perfectly protected fishing harbor, not to mention its typical lighthouse - you are now in Norway’s smallest municipality...
Day 5 - Kvitsøy Ydstebøhavn/Skudeneshavn (8 nm)
Head northwest to discover a charming village with white painted wooden houses. The streets are sometimes extremely steep! If the day offers the opportunity for a nice sail, head first to the island of Utsira, one of the most distant places from the mainland (36 miles) and then why not head for Røvær and its ancient Viking site.
Day 6 - Skudeneshavn/Vatlandsvåg (25 nm)
Reach the shelter of the fjords and head for Vatlandsvåg. From there, go for a pleasant hike, heading west to the nearby Grytenuten Peak. The altitude is a little less than 1,650 feet and the panorama is splendid.
Day 7 - Vatlandsvåg/Stavanger (30 nm)
Return to Stavanger. Taking the «inland» route, you can enjoy a wonderful lunch break at Rossøysundet, a perfectly sheltered anchorage.
PRACTICAL NORWAY
Norway extends over 13 degrees of latitude, from 58° N to 71° N - without taking into account the Svalbard archipelago, located at beyond 81° N. The country therefore practically straddles the Arctic Circle (a little over 66° N). Stavanger, located at a latitude of 58°58′12″, is therefore at the very south of the peninsula.
Population: 5,600,000 inhabitants
Surface area: 148,209 square miles (385,207 km2)
Languages: Norwegian, but English is spoken by everyone
Time zone: UTC/GMT + 1 hour in winter; + 2 hours in summer
Currency: In Norway, the krone (Krone - NOK) is used. 1 € = 10.44 NOK and 1 US$ = 9.80 NOK. There are many ATMs in the cities and you can pay by card everywhere. On the small islands or in smaller villages, it is better to have cash with you.
Getting there: Norway is easily accessed with direct flights from all European and North American capitals. All major cities in Norway have an airport - often international - which is of course the case of Oslo, Bergen, but also of Stavanger (SVG). It is also easy to travel to the south of Norway by car, via ferries from Germany or Denmark, or via the Oresundsbron, a 10-mile-long bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö in Sweden. These options make it possible to tow a folding trimaran on its trailer to Stavanger.
Formalities: Europeans only need a valid identity card or passport to enter Norway when staying for less than three months.
Charter companies: Dream Yacht Worldwide (monohulls only for the moment)
Top Sailing Charter
WEATHER
Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to sail all year round on the west coast of Norway, as the sea does not freeze. The Gulf Stream, passing north of Scotland, manages to warm up the North Sea significantly, as the water temperature in December and January remains at 4°C (30° F). The air temperature is cold in January (average minimum of 0°C / -32° F and maximum of 5°C / 41° F) but not really extreme, even if the coldest recorded temperature is -23°C (-9 ° F). Of course, it snows often, and the shortest days are hardly longer than 6 hours... In short, a winter trip should only be recommended for perfectly equipped and well heated multihulls.
From mid-May to the end of August, sailing conditions become ideal even if the weather is changeable. It’s usually quite cloudy and the water is cool (18°C / 64° F maximum). It can be hot - the heat record is 34.2°C (93.5° F) - but the nights are generally cool with average lows of 12°C (54° F) in July and August. Being on the water in Stavanger during the summer solstice (June 21) is something of a privilege: you’ll enjoy a 4.24 am sunrise and a 10.53 pm sunset - that’s almost 18.5 hours of daylight. From May 16th to July 27th, it is the time of all-nighters, during which it never gets completely dark.
