Life on board the sailing ship Gratia

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | What's it really like to sail on an old school ship? We had the chance to join the sailing ship Gratia and spend a long weekend as part of the crew.

It meant hoisting and hauling sails, pumping bilge, sleeping in bunks and trying to understand a whole new language of strange sailing terms. But also community, beautiful days in the Stockholm archipelago and the special feeling of finally sailing straight into central Stockholm.

To sign up at Gratia in Nynäshamn

Our sailing adventure began in Nynäshamn, where we took the commuter train after work one Friday. We eagerly looked out over the harbor – and there she was, Gratia. It felt not just like signing on to a ship, but almost like signing on to another era.

Gratia was built back in 1900 and is an old sailing ship that is used as a training ship by Swedish Cruiser Club Sailing School Foundation. The history is chequered to say the least: she has had several names and owners and has, among other things, been a luxury yacht with both a bathtub and a grand piano.

READ MORE: Gratia's history - from luxury yacht to school ship

Now we would get to try out life on board ourselves during a long weekend in the Stockholm archipelago.

We met the officers, instructors and the other participants. There were both young and old, women and men and people with very different experiences of sailing. Some were experienced sailors. And then there were those like me, Helena. I had hardly sailed at all.

Everyone helps each other on board

It quickly became apparent that you don't join a training ship to sit back and admire the view. Here you are part of the crew.

Sails had to be hoisted and hauled, moorings had to be handled and maps had to be studied. We had to keep an eye out, clean and pump bilge. Wooden boats always leak a little, we were taught – and they will.

When there was nothing more urgent to do, there was almost always some rope that could be coiled, that is, folded together and hung up properly. Sometimes you had to cut really hard. Other times there was time to just sit on deck, feel the wind and enjoy the archipelago.

A whole new language to learn

The work itself was one thing. The language was another. Forked sail. Pikfall. Claw. Cleaver. Kvajla. Musning. And so it went on...

The instructors gave clear instructions, but to a beginner it could sometimes sound like everyone was speaking a completely different language. When you didn't understand how something was connected, you were given a recurring piece of advice: Look up.

That's where the answer often lies. Follow the ropes with your eyes and try to understand what they're attached to and what happens when you pull on them.

On board we also learned an important sailor's joke: Why can't pigs sail? Because their necks are too stiff and they can't look up. In other words, the level of humor was high. The level of knowledge when it came to sailing terms was at least developing slowly but surely.

Life below decks – bins, mess and food

After a long day at sea you are tired, and then it is surprisingly easy to fall asleep even if the sleeping place is significantly smaller than the bed at home. We slept in bunks down in the ship. It was cramped, but also very cozy in its own way.

The mornings began with breakfast and then cleaning the ship. On board, everyone helps each other and everyday chores are as natural a part of life at sea as the sailing itself.

Another important place is the mess hall, where people eat and socialize. And of course there is the galley – the kitchen – which is impressively small considering how much food can be produced there.

Our chef Emil managed to conjure up breakfasts, lunches, coffee breaks and dinners throughout the weekend despite the small space and a floor that wasn't always level. Plus, sailing makes you hungry.

From Nynäshamn to Utö

The first evening offered calm and sunny weather. A little more wind might have been good for the sailing itself, but for those of us who had just come aboard, it was quite nice to start cautiously.

On the first day we had to help hoist and haul the sails and try to put all the instructions into practice. In the evening we docked in Utö harbour.

After a day filled with new people, new tasks, and an almost incomprehensible amount of new words, it wasn't difficult to fall asleep in the bin.

A day at sea in the Stockholm archipelago

The next morning started with a porridge breakfast, morning chores and cleaning. The flag was raised and then we headed out again.

Now a whole day at sea awaited. The longer we were on board, the more we began to understand how life on Gratia worked. When the sails were to be raised, everyone needed to help. When something was to be taken down, it was important to listen to the instructions and pull the right rope at the right time. Or at least try to.

The great thing is that you quickly become part of a team. It doesn't matter if you know all the sailing terms from the start. Everyone is needed and everyone gets tasks.

And in the middle of all the work, you find yourself in the Stockholm archipelago. Islands glide past, the wind fills the sails and sometimes those quiet moments come when you actually have time to sit down and just enjoy.

Evening at Träskö-Storö

In the evening we docked at a cliff on Träskö-Storö. There is something special about suddenly lying still on an island in the middle of the archipelago after a whole day at sea. The working day was over and we could gather in the mess for dinner, chat and laughter.

After many hours out in the fresh air, the food tasted extra good. It was a really nice evening together before it was time to crawl into the bins. The next day was our last day of sailing – and a pretty spectacular end to the adventure.

Last day – sail to Stockholm

It was really cold when we woke up at Träskö-Storö on Sunday morning. The morning started with a hearty ship's breakfast including eggs and bacon, scones and porridge, followed by the obligatory cleaning. Then we set off and set course for Stockholm.

The sun rose slowly and warmed the air, and we had a fantastic last day at sea. Every now and then Gratia picked up some serious speed with the wind in the sails, and in between we could enjoy quieter moments on deck.

For lunch, Emil served creamy spaghetti with oven-roasted vegetables on the deck. Then the surroundings began to change. At first it was still an archipelago with islands and nature. Gradually more and more houses appeared and the traffic on the water increased. We passed Vaxholm and met more and more boats. And then Stockholm began to approach.

Sliding into Strandvägen with Gratia

It's a special feeling to arrive in Stockholm from the sea, and even more special when you do it on board a historic sailing ship. Suddenly the familiar silhouettes of the city were all around us. We heard the roar of the Gröna Lund and continued towards central Stockholm.

Finally, Gratia headed towards Strandvägen. People were sitting at the outdoor cafes along the quay and watching as we glided by. Several took out their phones and cameras to photograph the ship.

And there we stood on board, a little tired after the weekend but much more at home on Gratia than when we had nervously stepped aboard in Nynäshamn a few days earlier. We still didn't know all the sailing terms. But at least we had learned to look up.

Can you sail with Gratia yourself?

Gratia belongs to the Swedish Yacht Club Sailing School Foundation, which conducts sailing activities where participants learn sailing by being part of the crew themselves.

The activities are primarily aimed at young people, but other types of sailing are also arranged. Since the range, age limits, routes and prices are subject to change, it is best to check the current information directly with the Sailing School.

One thing that impressed us was the commitment behind the operation. Many people work voluntarily as captains, mates, instructors and in other roles, while the ships require work and care even when they are not sailing.

Film – follow along on board Gratia

Peter filmed during our long weekend on board and afterwards put together a film from the sailing. Here you can follow along from Nynäshamn, out into the Stockholm archipelago and all the way into Stockholm.

A weekend we still remember

There are trips where you are primarily a passenger and let someone else take care of the rest. This was definitely not one of those trips.

During the days on Gratia we had to work, learn new things, try to understand all these sailing terms and, together with the others on board, get the old ship to sail through the archipelago.

It was the combination of work, community, the historical environment and the nature experience that made the weekend special. And the feeling when we glided towards Strandvägen in Stockholm after a few days at sea was hard to beat.

This sailing was carried out in collaboration with the Swedish Sailing Club's Sailing School Foundation. Text, images and opinions are our own.