We all need friends...
...even boats. And Mariefred is lucky in that way. Her society at home in the small town of Mariefred has about 500 members, who year in and year out contribute to her maintenance and well-being. And furthermore, in Stockholm we find Stiftelsen Skärgårdsbåten working for the same noble purpose.
In order to heighten the public interest in old steamers the society Stiftelsen

Skärgårdsbåten was founded in 1963. The fifties and sixties saw many old boats disappear. Some became freight barges others were simply scrapped. A new era saw modern diesel- engined and fast sea buses take over. Stiftelsen Skärgårdsbåten´´s ambition was to save at least a few of the old steamers and in 1966 the society bought a major share of the stock in the Mariefred shipping company GMÅA.
By raising funds and subscriptions and a lot of voluntary work the society managed to keep the old steamer afloat and on her original route Stockholm - Mariefred. Around 3 700 members are now the proud owners of yet two smaller steamboats, the ferryboat Djurgården 3 and the steamlaunch Tärnan.

The hometown society - Ångfartyget Mariefreds Vänner - was founded in 1989 in order to keep the steamer as a living steamship museum on her original and only route since 1903.
- She is our boat, there is no other like her, says Eva Insulander, resident at Mariefred and chairwoman. Generations in this town have seen her come and go, and nowadays when time seems to fly it´´s a good thing with something stable, slow and seemingly everlasting. Furthermore, she is our sign of summer. There is no summer in Mariefred until she arrives sometimes in May.
Collecting funds is the main purpose. The old steamer would not survive without the friendly support from the two societies.
- Their voluntary work is of vital importance, says Claes Insulander, captain since 1978, we wouldn´´t be sailing today if it wasn´´t for them, he says.
Stiftelsen Skärgårdsbåten definitely saved her. If the society had not acquired a majority of the shares in 1966 s/s Mariefred would not have celebrated her coming hundreth anniversary at all.