Norway
The Royal Yacht NORGE
Starboard (right) view
Port (left) view
The Royal Yacht NORGE was the Norwegian people's gift to King Haakon VII in 1947. NORGE is owned by the King but maintained and manned by the Royal Norwegian Navy. The Royal Standard is flown when the King is on board.
History:
When Prince Carl of Denmark, a naval officer, agreed to be elected to the vacant throne of Norway in 1905, he was promised a royal yacht. Due to Norway´s difficult economic situation after the dissolution of the union with Sweden, it never materialized. By 1913, as King Haakon, he had decided to build a yacht at his own expense if the country would undertake to man and maintain it. Two world wars intervened. Afterwards a nation-wide appeal was made for funds to purchase a yacht for the respected and ageing king who had become a truly national symbol. In July 1947 the British motor yacht PHILANTE, built in 1937 for Sir Thomas Sopwith and used for Atlantic duty as a convoy escort vessel during World War II, was bought by Norway in time for a model to be made for the king's 75th birthday. After refitting was finished in 1948, King Haakon was finally able to take over his royal yacht, which was renamed NORGE.
With NORGE King Haakon was able to visit isolated communities along the whole length of the Norwegian coast, as well as many places abroad on official visits - not only neighbouring countries but also for example England, The Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany.
King Olav took over NORGE after his father in 1957 and a 10-year plan was adopted to upgrade the hull and technical equipment. The King followed the traditions introduced by King Haakon, using NORGE on both official and private occasions. In 1985 during welding operations on board when NORGE was docked for repair, a fire broke out with disastrous consequences, though fortunately the hull and engines survived. King Olav decided the ship was to be rebuilt, and a year later he was once more able to take over NORGE, with a higher standard of safety and better technical equipment than before the fire.
When King Olav died in 1991, NORGE was taken over by King Harald. There are now only two royal yachts in the world: NORGE and the Danish DANNEBROG.
Manning:
The royal yacht NORGE is owned by HM The King. A Royal Decree of 1947 provides that the ship shall be manned, operated and maintained by the Defence Forces. NORGE has a gross tonnage of 1628 and a maximum cruising speed of 16 knots, and is 264 ft long. In summer the complement of officers and crew is 54. The season begins when the King embarks in mid-June and ends when he disembarks in late September. In winter the complement is reduced to about 20, mainly for watch duty and maintenance. In February the new recruits begin theoretical and practical training for the coming season.
NORGE today:
The sailing schedule for the Royal Yacht varies from year to year. Some of the ship's activities are connected with HM The King's participation in regattas, for example in recent years in Polish, Spanish and British waters. When the King is competing in major international yacht races, he uses NORGE as a base. The King and Queen also make use of the Royal Yacht for official events in Norway and abroad: for example for the Southern Norway Royal Tour after the Consecration Service in 1991 and for the Northern Norway Royal Tour in 1992. When Their Majesties celebrated their 60th birthdays in the summer of 1997, royalty from the whole of Europe joined in a coastal cruise on board NORGE, the Danish royal yacht DANNEBROG and the naval ship, HNoMS HORTEN. The comprehensive upkeep of NORGE is carried out in the winter months by the ship's deck and engine crew. The ship is subject to Veritas control. The ship's officers and crew will be responsible for executing the plans and projects to renovate the ship's galleys and refrigerated storage rooms before summer 2000.
The Royal Yacht NORGE
Starboard (right) view
Port (left) view
The Royal Yacht NORGE was the Norwegian people's gift to King Haakon VII in 1947. NORGE is owned by the King but maintained and manned by the Royal Norwegian Navy. The Royal Standard is flown when the King is on board.
History:
When Prince Carl of Denmark, a naval officer, agreed to be elected to the vacant throne of Norway in 1905, he was promised a royal yacht. Due to Norway´s difficult economic situation after the dissolution of the union with Sweden, it never materialized. By 1913, as King Haakon, he had decided to build a yacht at his own expense if the country would undertake to man and maintain it. Two world wars intervened. Afterwards a nation-wide appeal was made for funds to purchase a yacht for the respected and ageing king who had become a truly national symbol. In July 1947 the British motor yacht PHILANTE, built in 1937 for Sir Thomas Sopwith and used for Atlantic duty as a convoy escort vessel during World War II, was bought by Norway in time for a model to be made for the king's 75th birthday. After refitting was finished in 1948, King Haakon was finally able to take over his royal yacht, which was renamed NORGE.
With NORGE King Haakon was able to visit isolated communities along the whole length of the Norwegian coast, as well as many places abroad on official visits - not only neighbouring countries but also for example England, The Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany.
King Olav took over NORGE after his father in 1957 and a 10-year plan was adopted to upgrade the hull and technical equipment. The King followed the traditions introduced by King Haakon, using NORGE on both official and private occasions. In 1985 during welding operations on board when NORGE was docked for repair, a fire broke out with disastrous consequences, though fortunately the hull and engines survived. King Olav decided the ship was to be rebuilt, and a year later he was once more able to take over NORGE, with a higher standard of safety and better technical equipment than before the fire.
When King Olav died in 1991, NORGE was taken over by King Harald. There are now only two royal yachts in the world: NORGE and the Danish DANNEBROG.
Manning:
The royal yacht NORGE is owned by HM The King. A Royal Decree of 1947 provides that the ship shall be manned, operated and maintained by the Defence Forces. NORGE has a gross tonnage of 1628 and a maximum cruising speed of 16 knots, and is 264 ft long. In summer the complement of officers and crew is 54. The season begins when the King embarks in mid-June and ends when he disembarks in late September. In winter the complement is reduced to about 20, mainly for watch duty and maintenance. In February the new recruits begin theoretical and practical training for the coming season.
NORGE today:
The sailing schedule for the Royal Yacht varies from year to year. Some of the ship's activities are connected with HM The King's participation in regattas, for example in recent years in Polish, Spanish and British waters. When the King is competing in major international yacht races, he uses NORGE as a base. The King and Queen also make use of the Royal Yacht for official events in Norway and abroad: for example for the Southern Norway Royal Tour after the Consecration Service in 1991 and for the Northern Norway Royal Tour in 1992. When Their Majesties celebrated their 60th birthdays in the summer of 1997, royalty from the whole of Europe joined in a coastal cruise on board NORGE, the Danish royal yacht DANNEBROG and the naval ship, HNoMS HORTEN. The comprehensive upkeep of NORGE is carried out in the winter months by the ship's deck and engine crew. The ship is subject to Veritas control. The ship's officers and crew will be responsible for executing the plans and projects to renovate the ship's galleys and refrigerated storage rooms before summer 2000.
