Classic 6-Metre Restoration

[Haguesail]

After periodically searching online over the years for my grandfather’s favorite old sailboat, the Oslo, last Christmas I received a brief but moving e-mail from a stranger in Port Huron, MI: “Merry Christmas, Oslo is safe”. I’ve much enjoyed sailing and campaigning IOR and modern boats over the last few years, but romantic notions and sense of family prevailed over good reason and fiscal responsibility, and I purchased a very old, tired and incomplete wooden boat.

She is since under restoration with the bright young boatwright J. W. Swan in Ashland, WI, and to commemorate a full year of impaired reason and fiscal irresponsibility we have created a website to chronicle the return of the Oslo. Built in 1925, it turns out she was the first 6-Metre owned by Norway’s then Crown Prince Olav, won races first in Norway and then in the US in one of the first international team sailing events, and somehow came into my Grandfather’s hands in 1935 in the Upper Penninsula's sailing capital, Escanaba. She was fast and exotic, and champion of Little Bay du Noc until he parted with her for a better family boat in 1948.

Feel free to follow the progress on the site, Home - OSLO 6-Metre N17.

Chris

[cormeum]

Cool! Nice to see she's getting the care she needs. Will she be going back to Escanaba?

[Haguesail]

Yes, she'll go back to Escanaba for 2011. We are considering bringing her over here for the European 6mR championships and 6mR Worlds in 2012 and 2013 respectively, but I have enough trouble thinking about what shirt to wear tomorrow

Regards, Chris

[tommays]

elizabeth10

An old friend of mine owns and races Elisabeth X

[Melantho]

Haguesail,

First, you are to be commended for restoring a true classic.

Second, you are totally crazy.

[Nitro]

Practice and get used to this: "Yes Dear, I'm a bad boy and it won't happen again!"

Nice boat and worthwhile project! Best of success with it!

[cormeum]

Originally Posted by Nitro

Practice and get used to this: "Yes Dear, I'm a bad boy and it won't happen again!"

That's pretty much what I say every year

[cormeum]

Originally Posted by Haguesail

Yes, she'll go back to Escanaba for 2011. We are considering bringing her over here for the European 6mR championships and 6mR Worlds in 2012 and 2013 respectively, but I have enough trouble thinking about what shirt to wear tomorrow

Regards, Chris

We'll look out for her if we get up there this year. Next year more likely.

[Jeff_H]

Back in the mid-1970's I came close to buying a 6 meter that was for sale in Venice, Florida.

The owners had a similar story to yours which was that she had been built for Norwegian Royalty and brought to the States for some major ragatta.

Almost every frame was snapped at the turn of the bilge and rotten at the keel pockets, so, having just sistered the frames on my folkboat, the idea of getting involved in another sistering was more than I was willing to deal with at the time.

My only regret was that I never did a sail trial on the boat. I would have loved to see how she sailed.
Jeff

[blt2ski]

That country must luv 6M boats. There is one here in Puget sound that came from Norway via a build for a royal. Pretty boat, and fast!

marty