Imagine your phone rings, and like a superhero, you’re called to duty.
This isn’t Gotham, it’s customers in need. Preparations involve neither capes nor masks but an array of tools. Bjarni’s toolkit is his Batmobile, and the cape? Warm clothes and a jacket against the Icelandic chill.
Iceland: More than just a Cold Country
Icelanders and Faroese have a lot in common. Even though we’re far apart, we’re both located in the chill North with lots of ocean surrounding us, an ocean full of fish. And the passion for fishing is, of course, what brings us even closer to the fishermen who we recently got to know even better.
There has been a growing interest in Oilwind gear in Iceland, especially now that VOOT has become the distributor of OILWIND products and provides local support to the Icelandic fishing community.
The strengthening of our bonds with the Icelandic fishermen has lead to a desire to get to know them even better, to assure everyone that that we are there to help and offer advice and share tips and tricks about the OILWIND JigReels. So we decided that it was time for us to pay them a visit.
Bjarni, the unsung Hero of OILWIND JigReels
There was no doubt in our minds when we decided to let Bjarni, our JigReel expert, set course towards Iceland this day in May 2023.
Bjarni’s expertise lies in the mechanics and wires that make up the OILWIND JigReels – a smart and simple electric jigging reel that packs a punch when targeting cod fish and other bottom and pelagic fish. His role? To ensure that these machines run as smooth as a still fjord, and provide users with a little bit of training and repair services.
Hands-on Training: Bjarni’s Masterclasses
When one hears about a journey to Iceland, images of awe-inspiring glaciers, steaming geysers, and the ethereal Northern Lights often come to mind. But for Bjarni, the voyage to this Nordic island was not for its touristic appeals, but a professional endeavor.
Once Bjarni’s boots touched the Icelandic ground, he jumped straight into his mission. His first act was to roll up his sleeves and dive into a series of hands-on OILWIND JigReel training sessions. Later he worked with local technicans to repair and install machines.
Fishing alongside the Locals
In an attempt to truly understand the local requirments, Bjarni set his alarm to get up early, swapped his toolbox for fishing attire and stepped aboard a local fishing boat with our very good friend, Guðlaugur Jónasson.
Here, Bjarni got to experience the Icelandic fishinggrounds and environment firsthand, providing him a unique perspective on the requirements of the fishermen he serves.
Guðlaugur is the happy owner of 5 of JigReels on his boat. Guðlaugur is an excellent fisherman and knows where chances are to catch a good load of cod. Bjarni and Guðlaugur went out this beautiful day in May, and with a smile they reeled in one large cod after the other.
After approximately 5 hours, their boat was full with the maximum limit of shiny, Icelandic cod. They sailed back to Ólafsvík harbour, laughing and chatting all the way along with the humming from Guðlaugur’s Volvo Penta motor.
Heyrumst Fljótt!
Even though Bjarni’s agenda was to serve the OILWIND JigReel users in Iceland, he also got some unforgettable memories. Bjarni was blessed with the kind hospitality of Guðlaugur. He got to experience a taste of Icelandic quisine. He had never before had Icelandic icecream with liquorice and banana sauce and would gladly give that another try some day.
The Icelandic people have got a warm place in our hearts, and every now and then Guðlaugur catches up with us to tell us about his endeavours and experiences. We love that.
We see a great advantage in working with and for the Icelandic fishermen. We can learn from them and they can learn from us. We are always trying to improve our products, so we’re all ears whenever you have good ideas.
We bid adieu – Bjarni’s trip is likely the first of many more to come.
Written by Nicola
Accounting & Marketing Coordinator
Oilwind – June 2023
