For Erlend and Deniz Jensen – better known under their Instagram alias S/V Leonora – sailing became a recent passion. And despite what one might think, they have not been boat owners for years. Rather the opposite.
The Norwegian couple, based in Stavanger on the west coast of Norway, caught the bug and started off by taking yachting courses and then cruising in a rented boat while they waited for the delivery of what would become their first boat: The S/V Leonora. The delivery of the Elvstrøm Sails-powered Dufour 412 took place in 2022, and since that time, the family of four never looked back.
Their common interest in sailing is, however, relatively new, Erlend says:
- We didn’t have much experience in sailing before buying our boat, but we decided to go all-in. We had been sailing with friends on and off for the last 5 years, but it never got more serious than that. Then we started to spend more time sailing and rented boats to cruise in the summer. We also met a local sailor, who helped us learn a lot more – and when we eventually bought our boat, we waited about a year for the delivery. Time we also spent getting better with rented boats.
Their initial plan was however much different than where their first venture into boat ownership ended:
- First, we wanted a smaller and older boat, but then we ended up with our Dufour. Granted, it is completely different from anything we had planned, but as soon as we saw one live, it just ticked all the boxes for us. In short: We had to have one. And as soon as we had our own, we sailed a lot – we made it to both Denmark and Sweden in that first summer, and it was a fantastic feeling to get out and sail after waiting around a year, he remembers.
The Dufour 412 came factory fitted with Elvstrøm Sails, and this is also the route which Erlend and Deniz has followed since the purchase. The main sail, genoa and jib came with the boat in 2022, and since then, they added an Elvstrøm Sails jib to the inventory:
- When you buy and specify the details on a new boat, you always push the budget a bit. We upgraded with a jib and kept the mainsail and genoa, which has served us well. All three are made from Dacron, so it is more or less what you would have the boat delivered with. We do plan to do more offshore sailing and longer distances in the future, and at that point we will probably look for a new setup with laminated sails and a gennaker.
Sailing as a family
And the family was ready to set off for new adventures. Erlend and Deniz named SV Leonora after their two kids, Leo, 9, and Nora, 7, – a fitting name. And then they went on Instagram – mainly for friends and family to follow their journeys, but the account soon took off and became one of the big names in Scandinavian cruising.
- We are still surprised how much interest that Instagram account gained. We never had plans for anything commercial or anything. But it soon seemed like we had hit something for a broader audience. Many other accounts are all into perfect trimming, sailing the Caribbean or just producing this very professional content all the time. We are just ourselves, an easy-going family that just wants to share what we do – and of course to pick more inspiration for our own adventures, Erlend says. Deniz adds:
- We have many guests that want to learn more about Norway – and then there’s our way of sailing. We sail a lot, and even in the wintertime, whilst also having our two kids with us. Every time we are on the water, we try to make the most of the experience no matter the conditions. I think that has something to say as well, as we sail nine months every year, and even when the winter is about to start, the four of us still manage to get out and enjoy sailing. That’s also important, Deniz says.
Creature comforts
Especially the chance of sailing as much as possible as a family has been very important from day 1 for Deniz and Erlend. Keeping the right mood on the longer journeys makes it work, they say:
- We started this three years ago, and the kids were of course younger at that time. They enjoy sailing a lot, and we only really see them being challenged on longer runs such as sailing for 15 hours to Denmark. We try our best to make our journeys shorter to avoid this, and to keep spirits high in general. It’s simple – if they are happy, then we are, Erlend says and adds:
- It’s just like driving a big distance – they will also ask when we’re there, but the difference is that you just can’t stop and take a break in the same way here. That said, they love visiting and exploring new places, and the kids know nothing better than going to a new marina. This and then making sure that the boat feels homely and has some of the same creature comforts as you have at home, then you’ll get a long way, he points out.
‘Sea and ski’
- Our season starts early, and when we pick up sailing at the end of March, there’s still snow in the mountains here. We have a thing we just call Sea and Ski… There are a few places around here like Sauda, not far from Stavanger, where you can start the day sailing and then go skiing. It is a relatively local thing for us, but it’s just great to combine two hobbies into one. It’s super fun to have an extended weekend where you can go sail, go skiing and enjoy the nature all at once. Anchoring somewhere at the edge of the season has some magic in it for us – it can be 0 outside, but you are still warm and comfy onboard. It’s amazing, Erlend ends.
You can follow SV Leonora and their journeys on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruising.norway.with.svleonora/
