Launching of Kjerstin

Living by of The Gulf of Finland I wanted to have a small boat that I could easily launch in the spring and take up before the ice covers the sea in the winter. I designed and built the lapstrake boat Kjerstin, named after my grandmother. I have always been interested in wood working, and during the last few years I have built a number of musical instruments (guitars, mandolins, violins etc). Building Kjerstin was, however, my first boat building project. I had pine timber sawn for me, but also used some oak and ash for the steam bent frames. The spars are Oregon pine. Most blocks and fittings are also home made. Last winter, when it was too cold to build outside, I sewed the sails.