Most of the OE boats were completed a long time ago. A handful of hulls had barely managed to leave the mould at the shipyard before they ended up in some more or less out-of-the-way place. The owner gave up building at this early stage and left ”the boat” to its fate.

One such ”boat” was found by Åke Carlsson in 1997. The hull had stood untouched for the whole17 years since the building began in 1980. Here, Åke tells about resuming the building.

I, Åke Carlsson, am a real landlubber who, for a large part of my life, has mostly slid around the frozen water. I grew up in Gröndal, Stockholm and moved to Värmland in 1970. Unfortunately, I feel a little "offside" about material and education in my new place of residence. The city areas have a big range of courses, meetings etc.

I have a little experience of yachting life with only four seasons on Lake Vänern in an Albin Accent.

The hull of my OE 32 had begun to be built in October 1980 at the Sundsör shipyard. The builders were the brothers Mats and Per Lindahl. The hull and deck were screwed together and afterwards the “boat” was freighted to Åseda in Småland. There she remained stored until the late summer of 1997, when she was acquired by me. No additional work had been performed since the hull was ”completed” in 1980.

The resumption of the building of what would be my OE 32 was an interesting and fulfilling project. I saw the work as an education in - "living is about learning". I sought knowledge from other people and they were happy to share their experience. For different reasons I didn’t have the time that I would have wished together with the boat, but I persisted to get her ship-shape.

”Ardanza” - which is what she is called – was provided with a new 3-cylinder Yanmar diesel engine of 40 hp and a 3-bladed fixed propeller.

She has a water heater with double loops of pipes including a immersion heater. Further, a waterborne heating system with a Reflex-type of diesel heater next to the mast in the cabin. I have supplemented that with a 230 V immersion heater and a 12 V heating fan which is connected to the engine’s cooling system.

The galley is equipped with an Eno-Gascogne LPG stove with oven and a Isotherm SP ASU cool box. The galley is now half completed.

Picture: Cupboard under the galley sink Click on picture to enlarge

The boat is equipped with two Viking manual bilge pumps.

I am considering assembling a Furlex roller at the bowsprit and a detachable forestay with a pelican hook on the regular forestay footing and a device for a self tacker.

Fore cabin, the head and the wardrobe are mostly complete.
 

Left picture: Fore cabin. Right picture: The quarter berth.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

I am now working with the cabin ceiling and with the navigation station (cable pulling, the distribution box and the 12 V and 230 V intake).
 

Left picture: The main cabin. Right picture:: The distribution box.

Click on pictures to enlarge

I welcome contact with like minded people in order to "toss around" ideas, discuss solutions or to talk about yacht life. If any club members know of someone - especially a retiree – who is able to contribute to the completion of the woodwork in “Ardanza”, I would certainly be grateful..

Kind regards,

Åke Carlsson