S A R I N S B Ã… TA R
C E L E B R AT I N G
5 0
Y E A R S
M A G A Z I N E
We congratulate Sarins BĂĽtar for 50 succesful years of boat building!
Let us together steer safely towards a new boating season. We can provide you a seaworthy boat insurance for your boat. Navigate to www.folksam.fi.
An exciting year of celebrations
F
ifty years is both an eternity and a mere moment in life, and it seems to have flown by. The family business has always been part of my life. I remember that my father often worked in the evenings when I was a child. It didn’t matter really, as whenever we could, the whole family would take a long holiday. I was only seven or eight when I became involved in the factory, though I suspect I was more of a hindrance than a help. I had my first proper summer job cleaning the factory when I was 12, and at 15 I was already assembling boats. During the first decades, we manufactured a wide range of boats, but now in the 21st century we have focused on all-season boats, refining the SARGO range. When I look back, I can say that I’m happy with the versatility of our background. It provides us with a strong perspective and foundation for our operations. Fifty years is a great milestone for a family business. It reassures our customers that this company will be here also in the future. It’s brilliant to have three brothers working for the company, with our father and mother spurring us on. Discussion and interaction between generations benefit us all. Finland is a good place to build boats, and it adds to the reputation of our products all over the world. I’m pleased to be able to say that the company is doing very well. All the basics are in good order: we have excellent models, and our production, sales and marketing operations are first class. We will continue to do well also in the future. Our aim is not to become the biggest boatbuilder in the world but the best.
“Our aim is not to become the biggest boatbuilder in the world but the best.”
I hope you enjoy reading our magazine. Thomas Sarin
SARGO MAGAZINE All set for the next 50 years.................................................4
Okazaki Yachts Ltd, sales representative in Japan.........20
SARGO is the perfect boat for the German police........ 10
SARGO is a part of Naomi Yogo’s everyday life.............21
Frank van Delden, SARGO’s longest-serving sales representative............................................................ 11
Forty years of loyal service for boat assembler Ole Nyberg.......................................................22
When the Minor 650 with aft cabin was a world-first..... 13
Quality without compromise.............................................22
Kokkola region, tradition and strong competence......... 14
The SARGO 31; a small boat big on design....................24
The closest thing to a locomotive at sea......................... 16
Discovering SARGO in the USA....................................... 25
FG Racing, sales representative in Norway.................... 17
Jussin Venetuotanto Oy, cooperation partner................26
Planning new SARGO models takes time........................ 18
Certified Installation, Volvo Penta....................................26
Publisher: Sarins Båtar Oy Ab, www.sargoboats.fi Editorial staff: Johanna Rantanen, Ole Granholm, Pertti Rönkkö, John Love, John Wooldridge, Tanya Kim Grassley, Vetle André Børresen, Takeshi Shimizu. Photos: Jan Sandvik, Aki Paavola, Billy Black, David Sarin, Robert Wiik, Tomi Hirvinen, Vetle André Børresen, Nils Wenaas, Katsuhiko Miyazaki, Frank van Delden. Layout: Oy Creamedia Ab Translation: Käännös-Aazet Oy Print: Lönnberg
SARGO MAGAZINE
3
All Sarins in the same boat. Susanne Kackur, Lillemor, Edy, David, Thomas and Johannes Sarin.
All set for the next 50 years 50 years is a long time in a family business. There have been highs and lows, huge successes as well as tough situations, memories and meetings. “We weren’t supposed to build boats,” says Lillemor Sarin, laughing. Text by Johanna Rantanen Photos by Jan Sandvik, Robert Wiik, David Sarin, Sarins Båtar archive.
4
SARGO MAGAZINE
E
dy Sarin used to make boat interiors for Nautor Swan and other boatbuilders. As the boat industry expanded rapidly in the 1970s, many builders, including Sarin, started businesses of their own. Lillemor Sarin has warm memories of the 1960’s and the company’s early years. One early spring, the family received a sizeable order for 40 Optimist dinghies from Stockholm; the dinghies had to be delivered by midsummer. ”One employee fell asleep while he was painting the bottom of a boat. We worked around the clock to make sure that the customer received the dinghies on schedule.”
Unusual design to boost sales Sarins Boats came to a turning point in 1976, when it started to build boats with an aft cabin, an unusual sight in Finland until then. People were flabbergasted by the design of Minor 650. ”Nobody believed in the model. We were told that it looked like a Finnish hotdog stand and that nobody would buy it. Edy just told us to let people talk.” Hartman in Vaasa, however, recognised the model’s potential. ”They decided to include the model in their range and told us to build as many as we could.” Having survived the oil crisis, we were very successful all through the 1980’s, up until the early 1990’s.
“We were told that it looked like a Finnish hotdog stand.”
Sarins Boats’ second model with a stern cabin, Minor 700, was a huge success in the 1980’s. Edy Sarin pictured aboard the boat.
It all started in an old barn in Öja in 1967. Since then, the premises have been rebuilt and extended several times. Today, all carpentry jobs and assembly of smaller boats are carried out in Öja.
SARGO MAGAZINE
5
Stefan Sundqvist gluing veneer onto a bulkhead at the Öja plant.
”We were thinking about a large expanding, but Edy asked me if we’d be happier with 50 employees instead of the 20 we had. I’m glad we were sensible with foreign currency loans,” Lillemor explains. Just before the recession hit, Sarins Boats had so many orders in that the delivery times become really long. ”One customer said he’d pay anything for a faster delivery.” There are many stories about the wild years. A fur farmer came to buy a boat, and he had brought a friend along. The friend, watching the deal being done, said: ”I think I want one too!” Edy and Lillemor’s sons, Thomas, David and Johannes, are familiar with their mother’s stories. They grew up with the company. ”Once I helped a customer to choose curtains for his boat. I met him later at a boat show and he told me that his wife loved the curtains,” says Lillemor.
All wooden parts in SARGO boats are carefully varnished.
Three sons and a big sister who’s a head teacher All three sons work at the family company while their big sister is a head teacher. Edy and Lillemor did not allow the boys to join the company until they had seen the world. ”If you start working for the family business too young, you’ll get bored with it in five years and then you want to see the world. It’s better to do something else first and then return - if you want to,” says Lillemor. The eldest son Thomas was the first to join the company. ”When I went to study, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I studied interior design as well as furniture and industrial design. I was in Spain in 1997 when my father called me and said that if I had any intentions to return to Finland to work, that would be a good time. I promised to work for ten years; 6
SARGO MAGAZINE
The most common types of wood used are teak and walnut.
SARGO 33 and SARGO 36 are assembled at the Lahdenperä plant.
in 2007 I decided to go for another ten years, and soon I’ll have to negotiate the terms again,” says Thomas, laughing. David, who is ten years younger, went to Vaasa to study sound engineering and IT but decided to move to Kotka to study boat engineering. ”I returned to Kokkola in 2006. Lillemor wasn’t too happy and told me to travel the world a bit. I thought that four years in Kotka was enough.” The youngest brother Johannes also joined the company. ”I studied economics in Helsinki. Then Lillemor started to plan her retirement. My wife is also from Kokkola and as she agreed with the idea of moving back, we returned home in spring 2009.” The Sarin family faced a difficult situation in April 2003. ”Edy had a stroke on a Friday night. On the Monday morning I was in the office with Thomas, wondering what to do. It didn’t take long for us to realise that we had orders in and we could do it. Let’s get back to work. The boatbuilders knew their job.” Edy recovered from the stroke but did not return to work full time. Lillemor held the role of the managing director until she retired in 2010. They both remain in the company’s board of directors.
Call it SARGO In 2014, Sarins Boats decided to make a name change that they had been thinking about for a long time.
Andreas Lillhonga and Patrik Storbacka working on a shelf made according to the lean method.
SARGO MAGAZINE
7
Sarins Boats’ own all-weather terminal will be completed in February 2017
”Minor is a great name for a 13-foot rowing boat, but not optimal for bigger offshore boats” says Lillemor. ”We were quite terrified of the name change but it worked out really well. We’d been thinking about it for a while and went for it at the Finnboat Floating Show in summer 2014. Finnboat had invited all exhibitors and more than 50 suppliers from all over the world for dinner on the first night. We had dinner, socialised and over the cognac, we told the audience about the new name. We spent the following night changing our stand completely: signs, stickers, banners, clothes and all other display materials went from Minor to SARGO overnight. Lillemor and Edy were there to show their support to the new brand. The next day, we were tired but very happy.”
Everyone has a role The Sarin brothers work together extremely well. ”We all have our own jobs in the company: I’m in charge of sales and product development, David of production and final approvals, and Johannes is responsible for finances and is also involved in sales operations. We don’t interfere in each other’s duties and we always do what’s best for the company,” says Thomas. ”Edy and I are really proud of the boys and the fact that they want to keep the company going.” The family has never considered selling the company even though there have been offers over the years. ”We enjoy building boats so why would we sell it? We have everything in great order, a production based on the lean method, sales, the market and very competitive products. There’s no reason we wouldn’t be in business in 50 years’ time,” says Thomas. ”We don’t need to be the biggest but we want to be the best. We already operate on the global market, there’s not much room for geographical expansion, but we can always make bigger and better products,” the brothers say, their mother smiling on.
The little brother and the big brother. Head of Finances Johannes Sarin, with CEO Thomas Sarin.
8
SARGO MAGAZINE
The World of SARGO
SARGO factory Dealers
SARGOs are shipped all over the world from Kokkola.
Every SARGO boat is test driven before it is delivered to its owner. SARGO 33 has just been lifted up after a test drive. When the all-weather terminal is completed, SARGOs will be sheltered from the weather while being loaded.
SARGO MAGAZINE
9
The importer of SARGO boats in Germany:
“SARGO is the perfect boat for the German police” As soon as he saw a SARGO boat, Frank van Delden, the importer of SARGO boats in Germany, knew that this was a product that would be very suitable for a police patrol boat.
F
rank van Delden, the managing director of Harle Yachtbau GmbH, which offers winter storage and maintenance for boats in Esens, East Frisia, says that he immediately took to SARGO boats at an international boat show. He had already heard about the newcomers from other boat experts, but when he saw the new model by the Kokkola-based boatbuilding company, he was pleasantly surprised. SARGO turned out to be even better than he had expected. ”The boat has all the features that I know will sell in Germany. It is seaworthy, strong, fast and extremely sturdy. And best of all, you can simply start it without any complicated preparations. It’s like starting a car,” van Delden said.
Safe watercraft for the police What van Delden finds especially useful is the unobstructed passage around the steering cabin. ”This feature ensures that SARGO is safe for children and elderly alike, not to mention those working aboard. The deck is not slippery and the risk of falling off is minimal even when the sea is rough.” van Delden is the only SARGO boats agent in Germany. ”The German water police, in particular, are interested in these powerful and reliable boats. They are perfect for
situations where you have to be able to move whatever the weather,” says van Delden. Wasserschutzpolizei, the German water police, have acquired more than twenty SARGO boats to be used in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the lake district in Mecklenburg–West Pomerania. The boats, built in Kokkola, are first shipped to Emden and then to the customers using the method of transportation of their choice.
Tough test drives Every deal has been preceded by a thorough test drive, where the engine, equipment and performance have been tested with a German meticulousness. The test always covers the boat’s performance in emergencies. ”We have been in a ’take it or leave it’ situation a few times when the testers have demanded the impossible, sticking to the regulations,” says Frank van Delden. The parties have always come to an agreement, eventually. The collaboration between van Delden and Sarins Boats started years ago with the Minor range that preceded SARGO. ”Agreements were made orally, and we still don’t sign formal agreements. Our partnership is based on mutual trust,” van Delden explains.
“SARGO turned out to be even better than he had expected.”
Text by Pertti Rönkkö Photos by Pertti Rönkkö, Sarins Båtar archive
10
SARGO MAGAZINE
Teksti: Johanna Rantanen Kuvat: Frank van Delden
The trailer made it!
Frank van Delden is SARGO’s longest-serving sales representative. The partnership started in 1997.
Harle Yachtbau GmbH’s Managing Director Frank van Delden is SARGO boats’ sales representative in Germany
Getting the Champagne bottle ready. The christening of two police vessels is about to start.
”I was in Spain at the time, working as a captain on a private boat near Marbella. My father called me and said that if I had any intentions to return to Finland to work, that would be a good time. My wife and I decided to head home to Kokkola in our camper van. My father also said that a nice chap from Germany had contacted him and would be interested in importing our boats,” company CEO Thomas Sarin said. Thomas made a detour to visit van Delden and received a warm welcome. ”Not long after we’d come back home, Frank put in an order for a Minor 7600, which he exhibited at boat shows and used himself. When it was time to deliver the boat, in spring 1998, I decided to deliver it myself and show Frank how the Minor boat works. Frank was horrified when he heard that I was transporting a huge boat on a trailer for such a long journey. Even a couple of years ago he reminisced about the trip, wondering how the trailer made it. I just laughed and told him that we still use the same trailer!”
The Minor 7600 that Thomas Sarin delivered to Germany in person exhibited at the Hamburg Boat Show in summer 1998.
SARGO MAGAZINE
When the Minor 650 with aft cabin was a world-first Text by Ole Granholm Photos by Jan Sandvik, Sarins Båtar archive.
For Sarins Boats, 1976 proved to be a real benchmark year and a sign of what was to come for the company. After all, it was the year that their Minor 650, a 6.5-metre-long sharp-sterned motor boat with inboard motor and aft cabin, was launched. It was the first boat in Finland to have an aft cabin. This new concept was laughed at by the boating community. Would this type of boat sell? ”The marvelous model certainly broke all the written and unwritten rules about how a boat should look,” admits Edy Sarin, the founder of the company. The misgivings came to nothing, however, and the new concept paid dividends. The Minor 650 was devised by Sven Lindkvist, the company’s long-time inhouse designer. A few years later, he devised the Minor 700, the first walk-around boat with an aft cabin to sell in high numbers. ”Lindkvist gave the Minor boats a new shape of hull,
with square transom, deeper V bottom, straight shaft and a keel designed for increased course stability. The boats were, quite simply, made for use at all times of the year. That’s why they had to be practical and be able to take a beating,” points out Edy Sarin.
From wooden rowing boats to glass-fibre topsellers Edy Sarin has been building boats all his life. He helped his father with rowing boats, worked at Sven Lindkvist’s boat-building business prior to his military service, before constructing wood- Minor 650 was designed by Sven en boats on a smaller scale. In Lindkvist, the main designer at 1965, he got a job at Nykarleby Sarins Boats for many years. boatyard. A year later, he got a job with Pekka Koskenkylä, who founded Nautor. It was in the latter role that he played a part in building the plug mould for the Swan 36, the first-ever fibreglass Swan. Edy soon noticed how reliant Nautor and other boat manufacturers were on subsuppliers, so he started to make interior fittings himself in the evenings. This after-hours work became too onerous, however, so, in 1967, he decided to go self-employed and started his own joinery, using a barn as his premises. That is how the Sarins’ boatbuilding business that still exists today came into being. Sarins boats are now sold under the name SARGO.
Edy Sarin with the framed drawing of Minor 650.
SARGO MAGAZINE
Kokkola region
Tradition and strong competence Text by Johanna Rantanen Photos by Jan Sandvik, Aki Paavola, David Sarin, National Board of Antiquities
The region of Kokkola is the centre of Finnish boatbuilding where competence in the field has flourished for natural reasons throughout the centuries.
D
evelopment manager of the city of Kokkola, Jonne Sandberg, has followed and supported the development of the boatbuilding industry in Kokkola from a box seat for more than ten years. Before his current duties, Sandberg worked as CEO and corporate liaison officer of the regional development company Kokkolanseudun Kehitys (KOSEK). “It is common knowledge that we have always built boats in this region. And once you have built a lot of boats and had lots of training, you know that you know what you are doing”, Sandberg says. “Everything is, naturally, based on the hundreds of years of tradition of seafaring and trade in Kokkola, the northerly weather conditions and the demanding coastline in our region. When the tradesmen took to the seas with their shiploads of tar and brought back other commodities, the boats had to be durable”, Sandberg explains.
MarineGate, the boat building centre of excellence
A lot of tar has been exported from Kokkola to the world. In the Age of Sail, Finland was one of the biggest producers of tar, and the region of Kokkola produced up to one third of the tar in Finland.
14
SARGO MAGAZINE
The long-standing and solid foundation created good conditions so that the city of Kokkola has made significant investments in the development of the operational framework for the boating industry since the late 1990’s. The close cooperation between the city of Kokkola and operators in the boating industry has given rise to a strong boating cluster and the centre of excellence, MarineGate, that is also the home of Sarins Boats. “We have been successful in developing the boating industry due to our determination and our strong belief in cooperation. The boatbuilding industry in Kokkola is a good
MarineGate offers an excellent operational framework for the boating industry.
Kokkola has a strong network of boat building experts.
example of networking. Today, the city of Kokkola offers the boating industry an excellent infrastructure and an all-encompassing network of highly-competent subcontractors. Operators in the boating industry benefit from a high level of synergy when they base their operations in Kokkola”. “Other important factors in the development of the competence in Kokkola include the demanding coastline in the region and our northerly location”. “Our coastline is rocky, and due to the land rising, it also gets a little shallower year by year. We must thank these natural circumstances for the fact that in Kokkola, the boat builders have always focused on the durability of the vessels and their navigational properties, strengths that have made boats from Kokkola so attractive that it is worthwhile to export them even to the other side of the world”.
“We export top brands for the boating industry from Kokkola.”
water jets are manufactured in Kokkola. I always make quite an impression on people with that list”, development manager Sandberg says proudly and summarizes the different factors of Kokkola’s success: “We have the tradition, the competence, a strong network of professionals in the area and top-of-the-range product development. Boats are an important part of our identity here in Kokkola”.
Boating industry creates jobs For the city of Kokkola it is, of course, also important that the boating industry is a major employer. “At this very moment, the boating industry employs at least 500 people. It is also an important exporter, as around 85 percent of the boats that are manufactured in Kokkola are exported”. “We export top brands for the boating industry from Kokkola. It is no coincidence that SARGO, Finnmaster, Nord Star, Kewatec Aluboat, Grandezza, Husky and Rolls-Royce
Gamlakarleby Segelförening (GSF), founded in February 1872, is one of the oldest yacht clubs in Finland. The club has its marina in Mustakari, where SARGO has its own meeting room in the restaurant.
SARGO MAGAZINE
After trying several types of boats, Nils Wenaas has found his favourite in SARGO
– The closest thing to a locomotive at sea Nils Wenaas uses his boat all year round in demanding conditions on the west coast of Norway. It is very important for him to have a boat that he can trust in all weather conditions. Nils found what he was looking for in his new SARGO 36 Explorer, but he is not new to SARGO boats.
N
ils lives just outside Molde, and he uses his boat on a demanding stretch of the Norwegian coastline. Nils Wenaas grew up with the sea – fishing and boating – and he has owned several boats over the years. “We have had all types of boats, from a 16-foot dinghy to a bigger, 50-foot cabin cruiser. Eventually, we wanted a more practical boat that would be easier to use and could be handled by just one person in all types of weather. A boat that would be able to handle rough seas without damage, and that I could use for fishing and pulling up fish traps. We chose a Minor 34 in 2007,” says Wenaas. Nils also has a 35-foot Selfa Speedsjark that is used for commercial fishing. The boat is used around, e.g., the Lofoten islands from February to March every year, where it pulls up around 36 tonnes of cod. In other words, Nils is quite experienced in the weather and wind conditions along the Norwegian coast.
Safety Thanks to the combination of quality and functionality of the boats manufactured by Sarins Boats in Finland, this 34foot boat fulfilled the expectations. “We never felt unsafe on board, and I can say that we did go out in some pretty rough weather,” stresses Nils. Nils Wenaas uses his new SARGO 36 Explorer in demanding conditions along northern Vestlandet in Norway.
16
SARGO MAGAZINE
In spring last year, Nils upgraded his boat when he went to pick up the flagship of SARGO – a brand new 36 Explorer – from the factory in Finland. “I went to Finland with a friend, and we drove the boat home to northern Vestlandet in Norway, a distance of around 1,500 nautical miles. Along the way, we had the chance to really test the boat, and everything worked just as it is supposed to. We had some very bad weather along the way, and the only thing that went wrong was that one of the flagpole holders broke in the strong wind. The factory sent me a replacement immediately. The follow-up from both the factory and FG Racing has been very good, and everything has gone smoothly. I have had a fair few complaints about my previous boats, but with this one everything has been just perfect. The SARGO boats are very well assembled from top-class materials,” says the experienced seafarer. Maybe that was one of the reasons Nils’s friend bought his old Minor 34 sometime later.
Hustadvika Nils Wenaas has a summer home in a depopulated fishing village right by the open sea in Hustadvika. His boating season only stops during the spring maintenance on land. “The boat can be used all year round and is comfortable for sleeping. Last summer, we had several lovely boat trips along northern Vestlandet. Four people could stay very comfortably on the boat. The boat handles seas very well, and you have a full view in all directions, compared with what I’m used to from my earlier boats, where the fore was higher up and the view not so good. The boat is very stable even in rough seas and, in my opinion, the SARGO is the closest thing to a locomotive at sea,” Nils concludes.
Text by: Vetle André Børresen Photos by: Nils Wenaas archive
FG Racing has represented Sarins Boats since 2010
SARGO – from Hvaler to Honningsvåg
Nils Wenaas is happy with his new SARGO 36 Explorer – a boat that is used for fishing, family outings and trips to the summer house. The boat’s seaworthiness gets high praise from Nils.
The Norwegian importer FG Racing AS has had great success with Sarins Boats and SARGO in Norway. From left: Terje and Frode Gamlestøl.
Two energetic brothers have built up a strong
importing business with a large number of SARGO boats along the Norwegian coastline – from Hvaler in the south to Honningsvåg in the north. SARGO’s concept fits the Norwegian conditions like a glove according to the two brothers.
S
even years ago, FG Racing and Frode and Terje Gamlestøl started selling boats from Sarins Boats. “We began to appreciate cuddies and started looking for the right type of boats with cabins. We fell for Minor’s [now SARGO] nifty solutions, design and quality.”
SARGO 36 Explorer ‘Eirik’ ready for departure with Eilin and Ymir on the large swimming platform
Major actor The duo has sold over seventy new and used SARGO and Minor boats in Norway since their start, and their story is considered one of the major success stories in the Norwegian boat industry. “We have very close and good cooperation with SARGO’s dynamic and modern factory. I talk to factory owner Thomas Sarin several times a week and discuss ideas and responses from the customers. The manufacturer is very responsive and works constantly on developing the concept, studying new technologies and listening to the customers. We are hands on all the time,” says Gamlestøl.
Along the whole coastline FG Racing serves its customers from its sales office in Lysaker and Sæla Marina in Naustdal, where the brothers have built up a complete range of services for boat owners. “We have sold boats along the whole long coastline of Norway, and we have customers who live on the islands and use their boats like cars all year round in all weather and wind conditions. One of the boats sold by us, a SARGO 31, is actually used as a post boat to the islands west of Florø. The common denominator of all our boats is that they are used all year round – during all four seasons,” says Gamlestøl. Text and photo by Vetle André Børresen
SARGO MAGAZINE
17
In the last ten years, Daniel Sundkvist has designed several SARGO boats.
Planning new SARGO models takes time
Text by Johanna Rantanen Photos by Aki Paavola, Thomas Sarin, Idis.
The planning of a new SARGO model always starts in the same way – with discussions. “In the autumn, we always travel to different boat shows to talk to our representatives and customers. We listen to their wishes, ideas and thoughts. That’s what we need to base our design on – what is important and what has been highlighted, what the new SARGO should be like. It makes no sense to make something that has already been made by others,” says CEO Thomas Sarin who has the main responsibility for the planning process. While it is not possible to fulfil all wishes at the same time, the wishes and suggestions form the basis of the planning process. The plans take shape during the winter. In the spring, some six months later, it is time for another round of boat shows, and that is when Thomas takes the sketches with him. “At the boat shows, I meet with our representatives again
“ In Kokkola, sons often follow their fathers into the boat industry.”
18
SARGO MAGAZINE
so they can give their comments on the sketches before the more precise and detailed drawings are made. The drawing process takes the whole spring and summer. We stay in touch with the representatives to refine the final version.”
Organic cooperation In the last ten years, the SARGO models have been drawn in 3D on a computer. “When I started in our family business in 1997, all boats were still drawn with pen and paper, and the plugs were handmade of wood. Our first 3D model was the Minor Offshore 31 from 2007. It was also the first model that Daniel Sundkvist drew.” In Kokkola, sons often follow their fathers into the boat industry, and Daniel Sundkvist’s father Hjörvald has designed several boats. “My father also worked for Edy between1969-1973. I’ve been told that I had already said at the age of three that I wanted to build boats when I grew up. Now, I have already drawn more than 50 boat designs,” says Daniel Sundkvist and praises the smooth cooperation with Sarins Boats.
The plugs used to be made of wood, but these days they are made of epoxy paste by 3D profile milling with an accuracy of 0.2 mm.
Humming and hawing “I did have some idea of 3D modelling myself, as I had tried my hand at it while I was studying. I knew that Daniel was competent in 3D modelling, and I asked him to take part in the planning process. Since then, Daniel has designed most of our SARGO boats. “I usually join the SARGO process when the plans have already advanced and the framework – the size and the interior of the boat – has already been designed. That’s when I start drawing and optimizing the final version within the framework.” Daniel appreciates the fact that the Sarin family lets the planning process take time. “That’s exactly how it should be. New ideas may emerge during the planning stage as the boat starts taking a concrete form. It’s a good idea to allow time for development. We hum and haw and take breaks every now and then,” says Daniel Sundkvist describing the creative process.
Presentation of the new model – Finnboat Floating Show The first new SARGO boat is manufactured during the second winter of the planning process.
When the physical frame of the boat – size and interior – is ready, the designer starts optimizing the use of space.
“I partake in the making of the new boat until the model is ready for production and the leader of the production crew takes responsibility for it. The development of the model continues while the first 3–4 boats are being made, as the team refines the production according to the LEAN model under the leadership of David Sarin.” The new SARGO is usually presented at the Finnboat Floating Show just before midsummer. “The Floating Show is a very important event where all the Finnish boat manufacturers present their new models. Around 40–50 suppliers from different parts of the world usually partake in the Floating Show, which means that a successful presentation guarantees worldwide publicity,” explains Thomas Sarin. It would be possible to get the new model on the market faster than that, but the Sarin family does not consider it necessary. “You should not be too rash about decisions. The planning process usually follows the timetable described above. If we are designing a completely new model, it may even take two and half years. Most of the launches, however, are updates of existing models. If we have just given an existing model a facelift, the name of the boat remains the same, save for the year of the design. If the name is completely new, it means that the model is completely new as well.”
The latest model, the SARGO 33, was designed by Kai Ilmanen. The boat was awarded the distinguished BOB (Best of Boats) Award in November 2016 in the family boats class. www.bestofboats.com
SARGO MAGAZINE
19
Text by Johanna Rantanen Photos by: Tomi Hirvinen
Comfort and quality on Japanese waters
Text by Takeshi Shimizu Photos by Katsuhiko Miyazaki
SARGO is a part of After visiting the Sargo factory in Finland, she was very impressed by the way people used their boats as part of everyday life – so impressed, in fact, that she decided to buy a SARGO 28 to incorporate into her life.
N SARGO has brought leisure cruising and comfort to the Japanese boat market, says Kojiro Okazaki, SARGO boats´sales representative in Japan.
O
kazaki Yachts Ltd has represented SARGO in Japan since 2003. “We are a family business, and we initially focused on sailing boats. We have imported Finnish nautical sailing boats to Japan since 1997. The CEO of Nauticat, Kaj Gustafsson, had a Minor motorboat from Sarins Boats. We were so impressed with the boat that we wanted to start representing SARGO in Japan,” explains Kojiro Okazaki. SARGO has managed to bring something completely new to the Japanese boat market. “The major Japanese boat manufacturers, such as Yamaha and Toyota, make boats mainly for use in fishing. These boats lack modern conveniences and their interior is kept simple. SARGO is something completely different. SARGO has brought leisure cruising and comfort to the Japanese boat market. “The climate in northern Japan really brings out the best in the all-season features of the SARGO boats. The SARGO is a warm and safe boat with excellent drivability. “In Japan, fishing boats have largely been male territory. The SARGO is a boat for the whole family and to invite your friends to. Many of our customers see their SARGO as a floating holiday home. They don’t even always want to leave the dock.”
ow, Naomi makes jewellery and ornaments in the middle berth, turning the boat into a place for both work and pleasure. Apart from cruising, Naomi enjoys spending a night on the boat. “Drinking wine under the lantern light and feeling the waves rocking the boat make me feel as if I were part of nature”, Naomi said. But, the cookery teacher isn’t just focused on drinking wine; she enjoys the challenge of cooking on the boat. “There is something special about cooking on the boat. As the facility is limited, you need to think what you can do with what is available. It’s like camping, but unlike camping, you can use electricity which makes it a lot more enjoyable”. Naomi has been enjoying her ‘marina stay’ for four years and has learned many useful tips to make her time on board enjoyable. Managing electricity was one of the first things she learned. In the early days, she let the breaker trip by using
”We know how to enjoy boats in the marina.”
Japanese wire artist and cookery teacher Naomi Yogo enjoys cooking on the boat.
20
SARGO MAGAZINE
Naomi Yogo´s everyday life too much equipment at once. Now, she is particularly careful with the air conditioner and the kettle. As for the shower and toilet, she uses the marina’s. Washing up is also done in the marina’s kitchen sink. Despite the challenges of electricity and space, Naomi says she tends to cook something simple like what you might do when camping; however, on the day of the interview, the menu could have been that of a top restaurant. Members of the marina staff, who were the guests of the evening, were not only delighted but quite astonished to see such a feast being prepared in a boat. Naomi uses cheap and cheerful foldable kitchen tools and plastic plates to save space. So, when she sees nice things on her business trips, she makes sure to buy them. Naomi has launched Minor Club, where owners of Minors/ SARGO boats meet and share the pleasure of boating by cruising together or meeting on land. “I have learned a lot by talking to and listening to the experienced members”, says Naomi.
“There is something special about cooking on the boat.”
Naomi had invited the members of the marina staff to thank them for being always helpful. The menu included Parma ham, smoked salmon, pasta with gorgonzola cheese sauce and asparagus.
Naomi has her boat at NTP Marina Rinku in Tokoname, Aichi prefecture. http://www.ntp.co.jp/marina/rinku/
R GAOG AMZAI N G EA Z I N E21 S A R GSOA M
Forty years of loyal service for boat assembler Ole Nyberg Ole Nyberg is one of Sarins Boats longest-serving employees, having joined the company in 1976, after a few years at Nautor.
H
Ongoing development
e works as part of the assembly hall team, where one pair of employees is assigned to each boat. As a boat assembler, his job is to make sure that the lower and upper deck are assembled on the hull, that the wheelhouse is put in place, that the interior work is conducted correctly, and that engines and other equipment are fitted as instructed. ”All jobs have their pros and cons. However, working on boats and individual solutions where you see the end result is more stimulating than working on a production line in some industrial company. We work independently but are always accountable,” he points out.
Nyberg has seen many changes in the 40 years he has worked in the boat industry. That includes the methods used. Materials have evolved, the hulls have got thicker and horse powers have increased. Lamination work is outsourced to subcontractors these days, as are various parts of the interior fittings. ”We mainly make 25- and 28-foot class boats at the assembly hall in Öja, but the range produced also includes 31, 33 and 36-footers,” Ole Nyberg points out.
Text by Ole Granholm Photo by Jan Sandvik
Quality without compromise R igid quality assurance is an essential part of the making of every SARGO boat. David Sarin is responsible for the quality of SARGO boats. Together with his team he makes sure that the boats work perfectly, right down to the last detail. ”And as soon as the boat works just like it is supposed to, we then wrap it
in plastic and send it abroad,” David laments with a glint in his eye.
Boiling up water The quality assurance process at SARGO usually takes one working day – depending on the size of the boat and the level of equipment.
The boat undergoes very thorough checks. All appliances are tested to make sure that they really do work. The cooker, for instance, is tested by boiling up some water in a pot! During the rain test one of the testers is inside the boat, and others throw water on the boat from the outside. ”The test drive takes at least one hour so that the engine has time to warm up and we can make sure that it runs smoothly. Ideally, we would first ride the boat in harsh weather and then in calm. If there are any noises that shouldn’t be there, they are easier to detect in calm weather. Our representatives tell us that SARGO is a great boat to sell, as they always know that everything works perfectly. Our new single-roof all-weather terminal will be ready in February 2017. With the new terminal, it will be even easier for us to test our boats when they are in their own element, water.”
Text by Johanna Rantanen Photo by Jan Sandvik
22
SARGO MAGAZINE
GPSMAP 7400 ®
Series
Touch the power of complete integration and networking.
The GPSMAP 7400 chartplotter series is designed for mariners who demand high performance, ease of operation, and feature integration. They have convenient multi-touch widescreen displays and internal 10 Hz GPS. Fully network capable, including Garmin Marine Network, NMEA 2000 and Wi-Fi® connectivity, for components such as radar, autopilot, instruments, multiple screens, FUSION-Link™, sonar, digital switching, thermaland IP cameras, Garmin Helm™ and BlueChart® Mobile applications, and more. Plus new inovative SOS safety features and our new enhanced Auto Guidance 3.0 with optional BlueChart g2 Vision HD. It’s simply the best chartplotters we have ever offered. Garmin.com
IT’S YOUR TIME.
Text by John Love. Photos by Billy Black.
The SARGO 31; a small boat big on design I was brought up on Long Island, New York. As a boy, I went camping with my friends by the ruined foundations of the old Gold Coast mansions memorialized in The Great Gatsby. The only buildings that were still standing at that time were the Gatehouses. Those were miniature versions of the great mansions that were abandoned when they became too expensive to maintain.
M
y boating glory days were in a Grand Banks 42 Classic, MARAMOR. It was a beautiful mansion of a boat outfitted by craftsmen who took pride in their work. After a lifetime of boating in Northern latitudes, I retired down to Florida. After much consideration, I chose the SARGO 31. It hasn’t let me down. My new SARGO is like the gatehouses of my youth; a robust, easy to maintain and affordable miniature version of my old GB42. My first foray in my SARGO was across the Gulf Stream from Sailfish Point to the Abacos islands in the Bahamas, in the company of larger yachts. Crossing the Gulf Stream in April to Grand Bahama Island can be quite an adventure for a small craft, but my new SARGO handled it very well. As a CE Category B-Offshore vessel, she is designed to survive offshore voyages up to wind force 8, and with wave heights of up to 4 meters (13 feet).
24
SARGO MAGAZINE
Like the old GB42, my SARGO came with a single diesel engine, but it has a Volvo-Penta 330 HP duo-prop stern drive. She planes comfortably at 22 knots, consuming one gallon per 1.7 nautical miles. Her top end is 30 knots. All the components in the engine space are easily accessible - something I appreciate as an ex-marine superintendent. My SARGO 31 proved to be perfect for my new life in the subtropics, situated roughly ten miles west of the Gulf Stream. The boat required very little modification. I added an extra telescoping ladder from the top of the swim platform so that the fender holders are within reach for older swimmers. I also added a rudder angle indicator at the helm. What I like most about my SARGO, is walking around decks, the bulwarks, the port and starboard pilothouse doors. I love the covered aft deck, the commercial hull fendering and the stern drive. With helm door access and the backing manoeuvrability of a duo prop stern drive, I can get underway and dock in adverse conditions without any assistance. Also, by eliminating the shaft and moving the engine aft, you gain an additional cabin space beneath the pilot house. At first sight, the SARGO might look unusual in the subtropics, but once you experience this boat for yourself, you’ll never look elsewhere!
Text by John Wooldridge
Discovering SARGO in the USA
Christmas in Florida is the time for the whole family to visit grandma and grandpa for tubing, fishing and gunkholing. Seattle Boat Show is one of the U.S. largest boat shows. where SARGO has been participating since 2013. From left, Thomas Sarin, Kelly Heindel, Carl Skarne, Johannes Sarin, Michael Skeen, Chris Matison and Brian Krantz.
I have been writing about boats for over 30 years, so it takes a lot to fire up my imagination. The SARGO 27 is one of those boats.
F The SARGO is perfectly designed for both the shallow maze of inland waterways and the off-shore waters of subtropical Florida.
irst impressions of the SARGO are very, very good. It has a nicely flared and modestly raked bow, strong chines running up to the stem, two substantial rub rails, an enclosed deckhouse with raked forward windshield, and a full walk-around deck with high gunwales topped with prominent handholds. Inside, there is everything you need for weekend cruising. It is a safe, well thought-out boat for operating in open water, perfect for a couple or young family, and versatile enough to commute in all weathers to a coastal vacation home, or fish all around the deck. I’ve put the boat to the test, taking it for a late Autumn weekend cruise from Annapolis, Maryland to Chestertown. We had two hours of easy running. Overnight, a cold front swept in, and the bay greeted us with three-to-four-foot waves and high winds on the nose. It was easy to find a comfortable speed, and truly enjoyable be in complete control with waves aft or on the stern quarters. Safety, seaworthiness and versatility are key factors in every SARGO design, and this model is no exception. Perfect for owners who want to begin their season earlier, and end it later.
“Perfect for owners who want to begin their season earlier, and end it later.”
SARGO MAGAZINE
Text by Johanna Rantanen Photo by Aki Paavola
Good cooperation that brings benefits to both parties
Certified Installation
T
he Volvo Penta Certified Installation Certificate is based upon the inspection and testing of one boat within a particular model designation. Volvo Penta has issued certificates to many SARGO boats confirming that the engine installation meets its requirements and standards established for a particular boat model to which the Boat builder agrees to follow the Volvo Penta Certified Installation Procedures. The requirements include technical items such as; correct installation of engine, total air intake and ventilation of engine room, correct cable measurements, accessibility for maintenance, shut off valves etc. An instruction for engine removal and refitting for the particular boat model as well as an electrical schematic diagram also needs to be sent to Volvo Penta.
Juhani Kuoppala knows what is required of a top-class hull.
Jussin Venetuotanto Oy is an important cooperation partner to Sarins Boats. Most SARGO boats are laminated in Lohtaja, Finland. “Jens Kortell, resin salesman from the island of Öja, was acquainted both with me and with Edy Sarin. He heard that Edy needed a competent laminator and recommended me. In September 1997, Edy arrived in Lohtaja with a cast”, Kuoppala reminisces. In the past twenty years, the partners have developed a close and flexible cooperation that is based on mutual trust. “We laminate the hulls, the decks, the cabins and the small parts of SARGO boats. The amount of boats produced has remained largely the same in recent years, but the size of the boats is increasing. To date, we have laminated around 1000 boats for Sarin”.
40 years’ experience Juhani Kuoppala has been in the boat business since October 1976, when he started as an apprentice to Jalmari Lukkarila in Lohtaja. Kuoppala also gained experience at Kulkuri, Targa and Linex boats before he set up his own business, Kaunotar Boats. The long experience – and the bankruptcy of Kaunotar Boats and 17 years of payments of the debts – has taught Kuoppala to 26
SARGO MAGAZINE
really appreciate a secure cooperation. “I have 10–11 employees in my company. I have only ever had to lay off my staff once in my life, for a couple of months in 2008. Right now, our order book is full up to next summer”.
Durable and quiet The long-standing boat builder is also an experienced seafarer. “I am also a professional fisherman. I go and check the fykes every night, even though it is my brother who carries the main responsibility for the fishing. We caught a salmon that weighed 27.4 kilos in 2001. According to statistics, that is the biggest salmon ever caught in Finland”, Kuoppala says proudly and stresses the importance of seafaring experience for boat builders. “I know how to build a durable hull. I know where it can break and what is important. In the last 20 years, I have participated in the development of Sarin’s hulls into the most durable and quietest hulls in the world”. Kuoppala’s own fishing boat is, naturally, a Kaunotar boat that he has made himself. “We have two fishing boats. When we take up fykes we do it in pairs, but to take up nets you don’t need an extra pair of hands”.
The use of the Certificate (or certified installation decal) with subsequent boats within that model designation is permitted provided that the engine installation is identical to the engine installation in the inspected boat. SARGO has fulfilled these requirements in many of the boats and proudly displays the Certified Installation plate in their boats.
Volvo Penta
MORE THAN 100 YEARS OF INNOVATIONS
Ever since the famous B1 was constructed by Edvard Hubendick at Sköfde Foundry in 1907 – to today’s innovative marine products and high-tech industrial power generators, quality and efficiency has always been our guiding principles. Engines with outstanding overall performance, yet quiet and smooth-running. In addition, the fuel economy is world-class, offering you unbeatable low CO2 emissions. Combined with Volvo Penta’s range of smart features, such as low-speed mode and cruise control, you’ll have everything you need for excellent cruising. www.volvopenta.com
SARGO 33 Winner 2016, Best Family Cruiser in Europe.
2016
The jury’s opinion: With the 33, finnish SARGO has once again delivered a safe, fun and seaworthy boat with a family focussed design. Two cabins and a large wheelhouse provide fantastic all-weather cruising credentials and, combined with a hull that is widely regarded as being one of the best in its class, a ride that is unsurpassed in all conditions. It also delivers high levels of refinement, and noise levels that are usually only found in a luxury car. The Best of Boats Award was launched originally in 2014 by 17 boat journalists from 15 countries and different editorial offices which are united by two things: Their very large experience as boat testers and their particular interest in the practical needs of boaters. These professional boat journalists from all over Europe are currently members of the jury.