Monday, June 17, 2013     News feed

You are here: Home / Front feature / Bigger boats reflect growing wealth

Bigger boats reflect growing wealth

August 25, 2011  

PICTURE SERIES: The end of summer in Norway also heralds the end of the season for the country’s large fleet of leisure boats. Some  boat owners complain that they don’t have time to enjoy their ever-costlier floating luxury as much as they would have liked, but on pleasant evenings this summer, the fjord was nevertheless full. Hover your mouse over the photo to see a caption and use the top right arrows to navigate the picture series.

  1. The sport of leisurely cruising along the coast in a private boat has long traditions in Norway. More than half-a-million pleasure craft ply Norway\'s waters in the summer season, particularly along the southern coast.
  2. The growing fleet of ever-bigger boats gives an indication of Norway\'s growing wealth. Small 16-foot wooden boats gave way long ago to large, luxurious vessels like these on a bay near Arendal, Aust-Agder. They may well have flush toilets, a shower and state of the art electronic equipment on board, amenities unheard of just a generation ago.
  3. The classic wooden boat known as <i>sjekte</i> in the south and <i>snekke</i> around the Oslo Fjord started appearing in the early 1900s, and had its golden age during the three decades after 1945. They were mostly made at the whim of the boatbuilder, with no drawings, which is why it is hard to find two boats that are identical. In 1960 there were 35,000 of these \"people\'s boats,\" which had basic single-cylinder inboard motors.
  4. Plastic and fibreglass started taking over much of the leisure boat market in the 1960s, as those materials drastically reduced the substantial maintenance work needed for wooden boats. The sleek classic designs remained popular, though, and boats like this one are still plentiful along the southern coasts.
  5. Many owners still take great pride in keeping their wooden boats in good shape, decade after decade. This old beauty caught the photographer\'s attention in the coastal village of Helgeroa, Vestfold. Boats this large are sometimes referred to as <i>hyttesnekke</i> or cabin cruiser, with enough space to spend the night comfortably on board.
  6. This family cruiser near Lyngør on the south coast is another example of how new materials and classic designs are combined even in bigger, more spacious boats.
  7. Another variety of the <i>sjekte</i> is this hull-only design with no windscreen or top. Many boaters on the south coast cruise without taking their fenders on board, a practice which is frowned upon in some other parts of the country.
  8. Midsummer Eve on June 23 is one of the big nights for Norway\'s boat owners to go out and enjoy one of the longest, brightest evenings of the year. This photo was taken near Nesøya in the inner Oslo Fjord.
  9. Crusing the bay near the city of Arendal on the southern coast, with dozens of sailboats gahtering for a regatta (competition) in the background.
  10. A so-called \"island Jeep\" near Lyngør, Aust-Agder. Fatal boating accidents occur every year, and many of the victims do not wear safety vests. This family seems to put safety first, though.
  11. Many leisure boats these days are much larger than professional fishing boats. These two were spotted in the scenic village of Nevlunghavn, Vestfold.
  12. Boating on Norway\'s many smaller lakes usually means smaller boats, often using manpower only. This 14-foot wooden rowboat is known as a <i>pram</i>.

All photos: Views and News 2011
Text source: Wikipedia




Filed under Front feature, Picture stories · Tagged with: