ARCHER AND THE  RESCUE VESSELS

THE FIRST RESCUE VESSELS.

In 1861 already the social scientist Eilert Sundt had discovered that about 700 persons  drowned each year  along the Norwegian coast during the period  1846-60.But only towards the end of  the 1880s progress was made to establish  a rescue  organization. The pilots were to have vessels of the Archer type , and in addition to being pilots, they were also expected to  do rescue work. However, this was no success. It became evident that when fishermen were in need of rescue, the rescue vessels had to be nearby. There was no weather forecast, storms could come suddenly, and there was no radio communication to enable alarm signals.

Norwegian Society for Saving the Shipwrecked (today Norwegian Sea Rescue Society) was founded in 1891.In 1892 they announced a competition to build a rescue vessel with a fixed crew. Of the 7 propositions that were entered, first prize was awarded boat constructor C.L.Stephansen from Arendal. Colin Archer was one of the three jury members.

After the competition, Archer was however asked to submit his own proposition, and the Rescue Society then decided to build two vessels – both the Stephansen and the Archer constructions.  These became RS 1 Colin Archer and RS 5 Liv.

A terrible storm outside of Langesund in 1892, which left six widows, led to a great demand from the widows and others to have improved the rescue systems. They started a local money collection and were also given a grant from The Rescue Society. A boat was commissioned from Thor Jenssen in Porsgrunn, former foreman with Colin Archer, and based on the Archer type, only  made  somewhat larger and stronger. The RS 2 Langesund was launched in February 1893, as the first rescue vessel in operation. The same year 3 other vessels also came into operation. Archer`s construction was the template for most of the 36  sailing rescue vessels built between 1893 and 1924. Of these, 13 vessels were built at Tollerodden. The rescue vessels safeguarded the fishermen by sailing along with them at the fishing fields. Hence the catches grew, so did affluence, and thousands of lives were saved.

THE RESCUE ACT AT HAMNINGBERG.

Off the coast of Finnmark, at Hamningsberg in 1894 the excellence of the Archer vessels was demonstrated exceedingly well. This was Sunday and a day of rest for the fishermen. However, a hurricane-like storm blew up, and even in the harbor, boats were  torn apart. No steam ship dared come to rescue, but skipper Nicolay Anthonisen on RS 1 Colin Archer, sailed from Vardø to Hamningsberg. They poured oil on the roaring waves and managed to save 37 persons from certain death.

INTO THE 20TH CENTURY.

In 1897 Colin Archer improved the cutter construction, and RS 12 Svolvær was built according to this new type and stationed in Svolvær. This cutter rescued 70 lives while in operation. In the year 1900 The Rescue Society had 13 vessels in operation. These accompanied the fishermen to the fishing fields and could quickly assist when needed.  Additionally, the crew also assisted by transporting doctors, midwives or parsons. After nearly 7 years in operation almost 900 persons had been rescued and 4000 vessels with 11.000 people on board had been assisted.  In 1908  Archer again altered the design, and the new type was  called the Solli/Vardø type. An important change here was an adaptation for possible later instalment of a motor. Altogether 36 rescue vessels  were built with sails only. In 1932 Bjarne Aas designed the first motorized rescue vessel, RS 38 Biskop Hvoslef. Based on Colin Archer`s construction, he put more bearing in the stern.  Until 1940 14 such vessels were built according to the Aas design, all of them with both motor and sails.

RS 14 STAVANGER.

In the boat hall, just south of the slipway where you are now, the RS 14 Stavanger is taken care of by the Tollerodden Foundation. Today, this cutter is the most authentic of all the vessels built by Archer. With means from amongst others The Directorate for Cultural Heritage, the vessel was restored around 2000 to the condition it had at launching in 1901 here at Tollerodden.

In 1899 a terrible storm outside Titran,off Kristiansund, led to the death of 141 fishermen. This again was the reason to establish a main rescue station at Titran, where the newly built  RS 14 Stavanger was stationed .

The main dimensions of RS 14 Stavanger were the same as on earlier vessels – 47 ft.long, 4,65 metres  wide, with a saiing area of 110 metres sq., distributed on 5 sails. Stavanger features some alterations: The bow was made more undercut, making the boat more manouverable. The iron keel, one of Archer`s success elements, was enlarged, giving more stability and better towing capacity. The steering cockpit was made self-cleaning. The galley was improved, and the oil tank for codliver oil was moved to a place near the stove for better fluidity.

After 38 years of service, Stavanger was pensioned off as a rescue vessel, having saved 53 human lives and assisted more than 3000 boats, in addition to having served as transport for doctors and midwives  and also assisted as pilot boat when needed.

The experienced ocean sailor Jul Nielsen bought RS 14 Stavanger in 1939. The boat got its first motor of 15 HP in 1946, and Stavanger took part in regattas and sailing competitions in the North Sea and across the Atlantic. In 1970 the boat was restored, and the son, Jeppe Jul Nielsen crossed the North Sea and sailed in the Baltic Sea. He also lived in the boat the year round.

PRESERVATION AS A REFERENCE OBJECT FOR THE FUTURE.

The Rescue Society took over the vessel in 1998 in order to preserve it on land in a museum, as a reference object for the early history of the Society, and as a tribute to the excellent seaworthiness of  Colin Archer`s vessels. This work was supported financially by The Directorate for Cultural Heritage. In 2009 Stavanger sailed its last trip along the Norwegian coast, from Lofoten to Bygdøy. This was filmed by Norwegian Television. Lately RS 14 Stavanger has also been the main motive on the NO 500 kroner note.

In 2015 the museum plans were however shelved, and the boat returned to Jeppe Jul Nielsen in Risør. The Tollerodden Foundation then, in 2016, started planning for a Colin Archer Centre, showing his life and work and with RS 14 Stavanger as a main object. This would be a significant contribution   to the conveyance of our national maritime history. The Tollerodden Foundation bought Stavanger in 2018 and had it moved from Risør to Larvik by barge in 2019. It is now situated in a temporary plastic hall, near the Archer slipways. A generous gift from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB made this possible. Guides will show round during the summer, or by appointments.