Sebleke Sailing Charter
Elan 45 2018 modell
Seven of us chartered the Elan 45 Impression ‘Bravo’ for an April sailing trip from Bergen. The boat is based at Hjellestad, just a 10-minute taxi ride from Bergen airport. The owners met us at the mooring and were really helpful in showing us around and giving us some local touring tips. The mooring is right next to Hjellestad marina, where fuel and water are available. There’s a supermarket too for stocking up on food before heading out. Beers are available but wine and spirits have to come from duty free or a 'Vinmonopolet' further away (Norway rules!).
The boat itself is quite new (2018) and in great condition. It has a fairly shallow draft (2 m) which is useful in some of the small bays and harbours. The colour plotter on deck makes for easy navigation and has a nice wind tracker and tide tracker function, and there are charts and harbour guides down below. We found the ‘lazy jack’ a useful feature for storing the main sail, which could then be zipped shut. One of the windlasses is electric, which makes hoisting the mainsail easier. Twin wheels give good visibility on both port and starboard tacks. The bow thruster was very useful for mooring in tight places.
In theory the boat sleeps 10, but the bunk room is quite small (especially the lower bunk) and has limited storage space. A full boatload would also mean two people sleeping in the galley. We found it ideal for seven large men, but you could accommodate more people if they were a little smaller! Linen was available for an extra fee, and some of our group went for that while others brought sleeping bags and pillow cases. The rear bathroom is good-sized with a shower in its own cubicle. The front bathroom is small, functional but a tight squeeze for big people. There are two sinks, making washing-up easier. The gas stove has an oven as well as rings (but no grill). Two fridges mean you can have one for beer and one for food
The sailing options around Bergen are fantastic. You have the outer islands in the North Sea, which are fully exposed to the ocean elements. The inner islands are forested and populated, many connected to the mainland by bridges (you have to check the heights as the yacht can’t get under all of them). Lots of channels, inlets and islets to explore, and places to shelter if the weather is challenging. Inland again are the fjords, of which Hardanger is the closest. We didn’t go there due to time – it would need one day in and one day out, probably motoring as the winds can be fickle. The tidal range in the area is less than 1 metre, so not a major issue. Navigation was very straightforward. The seas were generally calm as you’re protected by all the islands. We didn’t see any other yachts as it was early in the season, but plenty of ferries and commercial boats, especially near Bergen, though easily avoided.
There are lots of small towns to visit with floating pontoons and fixed docks. Many have shops and you can get cooking gas refills. We decided to moor only at private locations on the islands, so we rented the optional tender plus outboard for getting to shore. Many inlets have mooring pins on shore, to which we sometimes tied the stern and then anchored the bow.
Overall it was really a wonderful sailing area and a great boat.