Wyvern

Wyvern was designed by Colin Archer in 1897, for the English timber merchant Frederick Croft. It was built by the company Porsgrund Baatbyggeri, and Croft used it for his many crossings of the North Sea. The 60-foot hull is similar to traditionally designed Norwegian vessels, but its furnishings are inspired by British tradition. The name ‘Wyvern’ refers to an awe-inspiring sea serpent from Norse mythology, in folktales called ‘lindormen’.

In 1909 Wyvern was sold and thereafter changed names several times. While called Havfruen III, it crossed the Atlantic many times, and in the 1950s it circumnavigated the world.

In 1978 the boat returned to Norway when it was purchased by a group of oil-related companies in the Stavanger area. The newly-restored Wyvern was then given to Stavanger Maritime Museum in 1984, as an object of national cultural heritage. It has since participated in many national and international regattas and sailing ship festivals and come in first in its class and in combined classes in legs of Tall Ships’ races.

Text: Anne Tove Austbø