THE FERRY m/s GUNILLA (1958–1960)

On 19 December 1940, the motor sailing vessel Gunilla was delivered to her owner, Rederi AB Tellus, for a trial voyage towards Blå Jungfrun. Sea trials showed that the vessel reached a speed of more than nine knots. The sails were also tested, but the wind was too light to assess sailing performance. The construction cost for Gunilla was 135,000 SEK. The boat primarily served as a cargo vessel, transporting mainly limestone from Gotland.

A new and unusual role began in 1958. In 1958, Gunilla entered passenger service between Oskarshamn and Byxelkrok, replacing the steamer Solö which had previously operated the route. The inaugural voyage took place on 4 June 1958 and was celebrated with great fanfare, including an onboard orchestra.

During the first year, 13,964 passengers and 2,533 vehicles were transported. The capacity per journey was 349 passengers and 26 cars. Berthing at Byxelkrok Harbour proved challenging; it was somewhat difficult for Gunilla to berth at the quay.

After the summer of 1960, Gunilla returned to being a cargo vessel. This continued until 1999 when Gunilla was completely converted into a sailing ship with 1,200 square metres of sail area. Today, Gunilla serve as a well known sail training vessel, where students at the maritime school in Öckerö combine classroom studies with practical seamanship aboard the ship.