Meet Lightship No. 25, Finngrundet, now moored at Sjöhistoriska’s pier as a museum ship – a silent but proud reminder of the vital role of light at sea.
Built in Gävle in 1903, it served for over 60 years. During the ice-free seasons, it anchored on the Finngrundet banks in the southern Bothnian Sea. Painted bright red with large white lettering per international regulations, it was a familiar sight to seafarers.
The lightship was staffed by a crew of eight, working in shifts and often spending weeks on board. Daily life was regimented and sometimes monotonous; leisure hours were filled with woodworking or fishing.
As technology advanced during the second half of the 20th century, lightships began to be replaced by caisson lighthouses—fixed towers on the seabed that required no crew. Finngrundet was decommissioned in 1969, and already the following year, she became a museum ship.
Today, you are warmly welcome to come aboard and experience what it was like to live and work on a lightship. From the engine room to the lantern mast, Finngrundet tells a powerful story about the people who watched over the sea and the light that could never go out.
Facts
Length 31 m
Width 6.85 m
Draught 3.1 m
Range of beacon: approx. 11 nautical miles
Crew: 8
