Tag: #Ilderim

Vema III: Sailing Under the Flag of Norway for 88 Years & Counting!

Posted on by WindlassCreative
13th July 2019. Parade of Sail, 12m World Championship, Newport, RI, USA.
Vema III (N-11) proudly shows her colors in the 2019 12mR Worlds Parade ~ Photo: Ian Roman

Designed and built by renowned Norwegian naval architect Johan Anker, Vema III (N-11) was among the last of 20 Twelves envisioned at his drafting table. During her 1933 launch season she campaigned successfully at the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club’s 50th Anniversary Jubilee as well as at Cowes Week. Impressively, N-11 has been actively sailing for 88 years and has the notable distinction of being the only 12mR to sail under the Norwegian flag throughout her entire lifetime.

Commissioned by Norwegian-American shipbuilder Georg Unger Vetlesen, Vema III was the “little boat” to his 300-ton schooner Vema II. During World War II, N-11 was Nazi war-prey in occupied Norway. After he war she raced well into the 1950’s with the lively Oslo Fjord fleet consisting primarily of Blue Marlin, Santa, Figaro VI, and Norsaga (now Trivia).

11th July 2019. Day Three of the 12m World Championship, Newport, RI, USA.
A beautiful bird’s eye view of Vema III running down to the leeward mark. ~ Photo: Ian Roman

After the decline of 12mR sailing in the late 50’s, Vema III remained in Norway as the only active boat in her Class. By 1979, new owners Tor Jøgen Dahl and Lars Christian Dahl noticed the corrosion of key structural elements in need of prompt attention and started her preservation. In 1999 TJ Dahl with new owner Einar Nagel Erichsen undertook a more extensive restoration.

Since 2006, Vema III has been owned by a group of 10 sailors who share a keen interest in 12mR sailing and her notable Norwegian designer, Johan Anker. Together, N-11’s team strive to keep their “pride & joy” in perfect condition and consider her to be one of the best-preserved 12mR yachts in the world. Syndicate lead, Johan Troye said, “We look very much forward to racing in the waters of Helsinki and being part of the most spectacular fleet of 12mRs in the world.”

2019 12 Metre World Championship
Vema III (N-11) racing in the 2019 12 Metre Worlds at Newport, RI ~ Photo: SallyAnne Santos

To this day, Vema III continues as a seasoned racer and was one of four boats shipped from Europe to the 2019 Worlds at Newport, RI (USA). In Helsinki this summer, Vema III will meet her “baby sister” Nini Anker (N-12) in their first Worlds-encounter. (Now named for Johan’s famed wife Nini, Anker’s last design #434 was built and launched in 2013 at the Robbe Berking boatyard, and originally named Siesta (DEN-14).)

Vanity V: HSS Commodore Mikael Stelander and 8mR Crew Jump on the 12mR Bandwagon

Posted on by WindlassCreative
Vannity 1
Vanity V (K-5) and Flica II (K-14) racing at the European Championship, Marstrand 2019 ~ Photo: Kim Weckström

In addition to the largest-ever gathering of 12mRs in the Nordics, another historic first will be seen at the 2021 Worlds at Helsinki where three competitors will sail under the Finnish flag. And when Vanity V (K-5) skippered by HSS (Helsinki Sailing Society) Commodore Mikael Stelander joins Wings (K-15) and Blue Marlin (FIN-1) on the race course, a classic showdown between local yacht clubs HSS and NJK will be set in motion.

Racing together since 2010, Commodore Stelander’s 8mR Ilderim* team are hopeful that their mR sailing skills will translate successfully when they race Vanity V (K-5) at the 12mR Worlds.

Ilderim
The Tore Holm 1936 8mR Ilderim (FiN-16), first owned by Marcus Wallenberg Jr., racing at the Helsinki Champagne Regatta 2018 – The extended Ilderim team will be sailing Vanity V during the 12 Metre Worlds in Helsinki 2021 ~ Photo: Toumas Koljonen

Stelander and team are excited to race K-5 at the Worlds and to meet new friends in the 12mR community of sailors. “We had an immediate connection with Vanity V as she is of the same vintage as Ilderim,” said Stelander. “Since we are newcomers to 12mR sailing, we don’t expect to be as competitive as in our 8mR fleet— but we will enjoy every good tack, nailing the layline and any opportunity to pass a fellow 12mR competitor,” he added.

Vanity V (K-5) ~ Photo: Kim Weckström

Vanity V (K-5) was one of the last designs by William Fife III, who was 79 years old when she was launched in 1936. Her first owner, J.R. “Fiddler” Pane was both an accomplished violinist and a successful helmsman who had enjoyed previous success with Vanity (K-1) (1923). A true yachtsman, Pane lived onboard, raced and cruised his boats extensively. By 1938, Vanity V was the only Fife design still active in the Class. Although struggling with poor health, Pane managed to put up a good fight in light and medium winds. Of ten starts he took 1 first, 1 second and 3 thirds, but ultimately it was Trivia (K-10) who prevailed that season.

Following a long racing career in the UK and the Med, Vanity V was completely rebuilt by Guy Ribadeau Dumas while owned by Robert Daral and Jean-Poul Guillet. She finished 6th in the Classic division of the 2001 America’s Cup Jubilee at Cowes, England; 5th in the Vintage division of the 2008 12mR Worlds at Flensburg, Germany and won the 12mR America’s Cup Regatta at Valencia, Spain in 2007.

Vanity V (K-5) Crew, 2021 12mR World Championship:

Mikael Stelander (Syndicate lead)
Jusku Mikkonen
Staffan Tallqvist
Tuomo Meretniemi
Pekka Raatikainen
John Björkbom
Juha Tolsa
Jukka Halminen
Jussi Sorsimo
Kari Loukola
Masa Anttila
Mikko Uusitalo
Panu Toppinen
Tommi Uksila
Jens Zachariassen

*Ilderim (FIN-16), is a famous Tore Holm design that debuted at the 1936 Olympic Games in Kiel. Although she was slated for a podium position, she was disqualified on controversial grounds by the German hosts. Since that time, her owners and crews have enjoyed many successful racing seasons.