s/y FALKEN was built on the island Norröra  in the Stockholm archipelago not far from Furusund north-east from Stockholm between the years 1942 - 1944. The designer and the builder was the former Coast Card Inspector Werner Engström, 70 year old at that time. He build the boat in the same manner as many other coast vessels on the swedish east coast - on a sand beach. No drawings. He used a hand carved model of the hull, thus giving the shape and outlook of the frames. By Hand, he first laid the keel on the beach, assembling the stem and stern, then fitting stroke by stroke to the previously one by aids only of a skilled hand, a good eye, and great knowledge. The frames, 4 by 4 inches, hand carved to match the hull, was mounted afterwards, thus the hull is build in the same way as the old vikings did. The hull was then treated with clear Cuperinol (anti bacterial liquid) 16 times before penetration with a mixture of raw linseed oil, turpentine, and wood tar until no more was absorbed. 

When in water the ballast was loaded, around 1250 kg of stones. After that the rigging could take place. The draft was at that time around 90 cm, but now days  s/y FALKEN has an iron keel and a draft of around 1.2 meter.

The maiden trip was made at spring in 1945 to the outer islands named Ut-Fredel, where Werner was fishing. However, he soon realized that he was no longer a young and strong man, and the boat tends to be somewhat heavy to handle. And my father was looking for a larger boat. From Werner´s brother, he was living at the Arholma island, my father was told that it might be possible to buy the boat from Werner. And so it happens that my father bought  s/y FALKEN  early in the spring 1946. I was 6 year old at that time.

The rigging is very typical for a coast sailor in shallow water: low but stretched in order to carry enough sail. The low islands is damping the see waves but has no impact on the wind. Thus there is a short mast with a long boom with a gaff sail and a "bowsprit" (more correct a jib boom since it is not fixed to the hull). The main boom is some half meter behind the stern - and the jib boom is 3 meter in front of the stem! The gaff is 4 meter in length - and the hull is just 8 meter...  As Werner said: She is build to sail out to the outermost island - but not outside them!

In the beginning  s/y FALKEN   had only two fore sails: a foresail and a large flying jib. But with a smaller flying jib hauled in almost 1 meter and adding a smaller outer jib on the jibstay with downhaul the sail handling has become more relaxed. And when the new sails was ordered for the summer 1997 there was a new designed topsail included. That meant a lot for the light wind conditions...

During many years the winter harbor has been Arholma , close to the open see between Sweden and Åland. But now days the natural home is Kungsör , some 70 nautical miles west of Stockholm in the most western part of lake Mälaren.

During the summer holidays the heading is always for the Stockholm outer archipelago. The natural home of s/y FALKEN is the region between Sandhamn in south, and Arholma in north, and east of the islands Möja and Husarö. Everything east of that out to the far out islands is the natural place for s/y FALKEN .
 

Behave well when boating! Show full respect for life and nature. And show respect to both the water and the weather! It is never wrong to behave like an intelligent creature!