Farmar Aton rescued former fishing vessel

Text: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

The vessel had been moored at the outermost part of the marina in Lauervika, Farsund, for a long time. It had a bilge pump on board, but this had likely become clogged and stopped working. As a result, the boat gradually took on so much water that it eventually sank.

Farmar Services was assigned the salvage operation. The process began with an ROV, a remotely operated underwater vehicle, being sent down to survey the site.

"THE BOAT WAS LYING slightly on its side. We managed to straighten it up and then sent down divers from Industridykk. They placed straps around the hull, and then the lifting operation could begin," says Ronny Christoffersen, workshop manager at Farmar Services.

Full of water, the 48-foot cutter weighed 37 tonnes when it reached the surface.

FARMAR ATON had to fully utilise the lifting power of two of its four cranes to recover the boat from the 16-metre depth. Had the boat been lying deeper, the A-frame would have been used. It can lift up to 50 tonnes from a depth of 250 metres.

"Fortunately, the owners had emptied the boat of fuel, so the sinking did not lead to pollution," says Christoffersen.

THE BOAT WAS originally built in 1947 in Hasvik as a so-called "Nygaardsvold boat," a term used for fishing vessels built from 1936 with government subsidies.

As part of the social initiatives launched by the Nygaardsvold government in 1935, state grants and loans on particularly favourable terms were provided for boat purchases. Active fishermen who formed cooperatives were eligible to benefit from this scheme.

The Directorate of Fisheries designed plans for two different carvel-built fishing cutters, and many of them were constructed. However, it was up to each cooperative to negotiate with the shipyard regarding the boat’s final design.

Traditional Nordland boats were built, including both eight-oared and six-oared versions – equipped with both engines and sails.

THE BOAT THAT SANK had been restored as a leisure vessel in Northern Norway several years ago and had since been sold multiple times before ending up in Farsund a couple of years ago. It has had several owners there.

"We have now lifted the boat onto land further inside Lundevågen, where it will be dismantled," says Christoffersen.

He describes the situation as "incredibly sad" for the owners, who had envisioned a different and more pleasant experience in Farsund harbour with the boat rather than having to dismantle it.