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HISTORY
The Oselvar or
Oselver is a small wooden rowing boat traditionally built
and used along the west coast of Norway. The Oselvar is a
clinker built boat with thin, very wide planks. Almost all
parts of a Oselvar are made of pine, with only the keel of
oak.
This type of boat has been very common in the outer regions
of Hordaland for hundreds of years. It was named after the
major important building site for this type of boat during
the 18th century, at the mouth of the Oselva River in Os in
Hordaland. In the early 1800s, boat building was an
important industry in Os and the neighboring village of
Tysnes, on the other side of the fjord. The stylized figure
of a Oselvar appears on the coat of arms of the municipality
of Os.
Dating from at least the 1500s and continuing until 1860,
these boats were exported in kit form principally to the
Shetland and Orkney islands. During the North Sea crossing,
the wooden boats were taken apart and then 'flat packed' for
shipping. Instead of sending complicated assembly
instructions, they sent Norwegian boatbuilders to re-build
them.
Although initially a working row or sail boat, the Oselvar
also has a long tradition as a leisure craft. A boat which
could achieve both grace and speed was perfect for sailing
and rowing competitions. The first regatta was arranged by
the Bergen Sailing Association on Midsummer’s Day in 1871.
Today several clubs and sailing associations are engaged in
promoting the traditions of the Oselvar, both as a sports
and leisure boat. In 2009, the boat was voted Norwegian
national boat in a poll held by the Norwegian Society for
Sea Rescue and even today Oselver races exist. |
