High Latitude Sailor - Juho Karhu

Juho is an aspiring high latitude sailor and an experienced freeskier

With his background in match racing and his love for snow and freezing temperatures, he decided to make the jump into expedition sailing by moving on board his s/y Sylvia to experience the Arctic at its best. His current mission is is to sail from Finland to Svalbard. The plan is cross the Barents Sea as early as possible in spring 2019 to get the most out of the snowy season in Svalbard and tag some previously unskied lines from his boat. Currently he’s spending the winter above the Arctic circle in Norway, anchoring in suitable locations for skiing.

Juho talks about his equipment: “I believe in concentrating on the essentials and making the best out of what you got and going with it. Although my boat – a 1980s series produced Beneteau Idylle – is not of a usual expedition calibre, it is what I already had and I’d rather go now rather than wait until the indeterminable future before leaving on this journey. But the electronics on board are one of the “essentials”, and that is why I decided to upgrade to a simple Raymarine system. The Quantum radar is invaluable when sailing in dark and having to detect ice. I often sail solo and s/y Sylvia does not have huge battery banks, so the reliable but low power draw EV autopilot system is essential to me. When combined with a single swivelling Axiom screen I can conveniently control everything from any position in the cockpit and save precious amp hours.”