The rich yacht Ester was a grand success at the race competitions during the early 1900s. But in the late 1930s, the boat sank after a fire outside Örnsköldsvik. It would take almost eight decades before Ester was found.
In 2012, three wooden boat enthusiasts, with Bo Eriksson at the forefront, made a breathtaking discovery. With the help of sonar they managed to locate the yacht at 52 meters depth in the Baltic Sea. Three years later, in 2015, the boat was salvaged and for Bo Eriksson it was an almost unreal experience.
– It was a fantastic feeling to see her get out of the water, he says.
Extensive renovation
But it would not be an easy trip to restore Esther to its former brilliance. The extensive renovation, went intensively for three and a half years,
– We probably did not know what we were getting into even though it was a highly risky project that could end in failure, he explains.
To get the sailing hunt back to its original condition, Planka was changed after plank. The meticulous renovation, which required about seven years of hard work, meant that the entire boat was reconstructed. The mahoganyir, which had lost its fibers by the pressing water over the years, was replaced bit by bit.
In 2019, the boat was finished and participated in a prestigious competition in Monaco. There, it was awarded the coveted prize for best renovated sailing yacht – a business that was estimated to have required 25,000 hours of work and a broad collaboration between fire souls and experts.
The sailboat ends up in Stockholm
But now the yacht has been sold to an owner consortium in Stockholm. Ester leaves the High Coast and will anchor in a port near Vaxholm. According to Bo Eriksson, it is a place that is better suited for the competition -oriented yacht.
– The boat should be competed and shown. It doesn’t go as well up here, he says with a smile.