M/S Famnen
Ship Information
M/S Famnen is a vessel that has been sailing mainly on the Finnish Archipelago Sea. In her younger years, Famnen crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and she has also tasted the sweet waters of Lake Saimaa.
The sundeck accommodates even a larger crowd. Up to 30 people can dine in style in the ship’s parlours. Dining can be arranged for larger groups as well. The ship has room for 55 guests.
Up to six people can bathe in the sauna at a time, and there’s room for more people to chill in the sauna lounge.
M/S Famnen is available for evening cruises and one-day cruises with a visit to the Bengtskär lighthouse. Or why not sail further, for instance to the Åland Islands for a weekend of golf with your friends, and stay overnight in M/S Famnen’s cabins.
Deck Plan
Forward on the lower deck there is an atmospheric spa area with a sauna and a lounge.
On the main foredeck you can savour the treats of the kitchen in the messroom. On the same deck, in the central part of the ship, you can find a cosy parlour and entryways to the sundeck and to the engine room.
On the upper deck you can visit the bridge or just relax in the sunshine on the sundeck.
For those travelling overnight, M/S Famnen has six comfortable cabins for two. Our clean and tidy bathrooms meet the expectations of even the most demanding passengers.
Year built
Passengers
Length
Beam
The story of the
ship
The keel was laid in August 1943 in Beresford, Florida, and already in October the vessel was handed over to the US Navy.
The launch was a low-key affair, and the ship set sail on its maiden voyage immediately. The ship was towed across the Atlantic Ocean, and right upon arrival, Famnen pushed an equipment barge to Cherbourg Harbour in France on Midsummer Day 1944.
Famnen took part in the biggest landing operation of all times, and did its own important bit in the transportation of a million men, 172,000 vehicles and 567,000 tonnes of war equipment.
In 1945 the ship was transferred to Rotterdam, and in the following year the Finnish Ministry of Supply bought 18 ST (Small Tug) boats from the US Army for minesweeping operations after the war.
The trip to Finland started from Schiedam’s Wilhelminahaven on July 28. The convoy arrived in Hanko on August 8.
The vessel was deployed to the Minesweeping Unit III to clear mines from the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish Navy bought the ship on December 27, 1951. It was repaired in 1956 at the Hamina Workshop Ltd, and the main engine was replaced by a 510 horsepower Wärtsilä Vasa 514T engine. The hull and wheelhouse were completely rebuilt, and the length of the boat grew by almost five metres. The boat was renamed Pyhtää in 1956.
Roaming the Finnish coastal waters, she served the Finnish Coastal Defense under the names of M/S Pyhtää and M/S Pyhäranta all the way to the late 1980’s, when she was discharged and placed in reserve.
As she was still strong and shipshape, a new civilian career beckoned her, and the change of uniform took place with ease.