When first embarking on your sailing journey, it is only natural to choose more familiar European destinations—Montenegro, Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and Italy. However, the North is the new frontier. With insights from the experts at Friendly Regatta, Yachts Russia explains why you should set your sights on the cool waters of Norway and Iceland.
This is by no means Friendly Regatta’s first voyage northward. It all began with Norway, followed by the addition of Iceland. Along the route lie phenomenal natural wonders—fjords and roaring waterfalls, massive icebergs and steaming geysers, vast lava fields and rugged volcanoes.
The locals aren’t spoiled by tourists—they are exceptionally friendly, and nearly everyone speaks fluent English. Naturally, you won’t be diving into the sea endlessly as you would in warmer regions. However, an abundance of geothermal hot springs easily makes up for any minor discomforts. Throughout Iceland, you’ll find small plunge pools kept at varying temperatures; you can transition from warm to hot, or vice versa, before dipping into the icy water. In Norway, large outdoor wood-fired tubs—known locally as hot tubs—are the norm. An integrated stove heats the water, allowing the entire crew to soak together and take daring plunges into the frigid waters of a fjord.
The Friendly Regatta crew experienced firsthand just how exceptional northern sea fishing is. Cod, tuna, and mackerel are plentiful here. Every anchorage and stopover is equipped with tables and benches, often under a shelter. Here, you can light a disposable grill and cook your freshly caught fish right over the embers.
Infrastructure is solid in key hubs such as Bergen and Stavanger in Norway, or Reykjavík in Iceland. Yet even smaller villages offer unique advantages—for instance, in Norway, the water depth right off nearly any doorstep drops to almost 12 meters, averaging 30 meters, while reaching up to 300 meters within the fjords. With few people around, dropping anchor is never an issue. Modern, recently built marinas are state-of-the-art. In Norway, for example, the Rosendal marina is fully automated—you simply enter your details into a payment terminal and berth without waiting in line.
The North currently has one clear limitation: charter fleet availability is extremely restricted, so boats must be booked a year in advance. Keep in mind that the yachts available may not always be the newest models. However, they are meticulously maintained and equipped with Webasto heating systems and enclosed cockpits.
Friendly Regatta—a partner to several charter companies offering bareboat rentals across Norway, Scotland, and Iceland—helps sailors select a suitable yacht and map out a captivating itinerary tailored to various skill levels. Major industry players like Dream Yacht Charter are also expanding into this region. The northern trend is clear to everyone in the market, even if growth remains steady rather than explosive. Affordable airfares, promotional support from tourism boards, and breathtaking photos and logs shared by returning travelers continue to fuel interest in sailing regattas at these latitudes. The dramatic beauty of the fjords, cascading waterfalls, glaciers, and compelling routes are making northern yachting increasingly irresistible to those who crave the wind in their sails and spray on their faces.
Rugged northern landscapes leave no one indifferent—icebergs, black sand beaches, and lava fields prove irresistible to adventure-seekers under sail.
YACHTS Magazine, Issue 81.
