Westermoen Hydrofoil
Encyclopedia
Westermoen Hydrofoil was a shipyard
located in Mandal, Norway
, who has specialized in high speed craft, and pioneered many designs.
The yard was established in 1961 by Toralf Westermoen
, who had also started Westermoen Båtbyggeri og Mek Verksted
. The yard begun producing hydrofoil
craft under license from Italian
Supramar.
The first boat, Westfoil, with a top speed of 38 knots, was finished in 1962 and was delivered to the Bahamas. After that, a number of small and large (models PT20 and PT50) hydrofoils were built for passenger traffic in western Norway
, in the Oslofjord
, Øresund, Bahamas and in Greece
.
Towards the end of the 1960 they built the worlds then largest hydrofoil, the "Expressen", that could carry 250 passengers. The boat did not achieve the intended design speed of 38 knots, and the contract was annulled. This was the beginning of the end of the hydrofoil epoch in Mandal.
After this, development of a new class of high speed wessel, the catamaran
, begun. The Westamaran
type, introduced in 1973, was very successful, and begun a new era of high speed craft in Norway and elsewhere.
Towards the end of the 1980s the yard changed name to Westamarin. Westamarin closed in the end of the 1990s.
One of the final ships produced was a single High-speed Sea Service HSS 900 catamaran for Stena Line
in 1997. The shipyard went bankrupt shortly afterwards, leading to Stena Line
being unable to claim compensation for corrosion later found to the aluminium
alloy hull on the vessel (Stena Carisma).
W86:
W95:
W88:
W100:
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
located in Mandal, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, who has specialized in high speed craft, and pioneered many designs.
The yard was established in 1961 by Toralf Westermoen
Toralf Westermoen
Toralf Westermoen was a pioneer for the development of high speed craft in Norway. Westermoen was involved in the companies Båtservice Verft, Westermoen Båtbyggeri og Mek...
, who had also started Westermoen Båtbyggeri og Mek Verksted
Westermoen Båtbyggeri og Mek Verksted
A/S Westermoen Båtbyggeri og Mek Verksted was a shipyard located in Mandal, Norway, who specialized in high speed craft. Under the leadership of Toralf Westermoen in the 1950s, the yard has produced a long range of high speed boat types, such as:...
. The yard begun producing hydrofoil
Hydrofoil
A hydrofoil is a foil which operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to airfoils.Hydrofoils can be artificial, such as the rudder or keel on a boat, the diving planes on a submarine, a surfboard fin, or occur naturally, as with fish fins, the flippers of aquatic mammals, the...
craft under license from Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Supramar.
The first boat, Westfoil, with a top speed of 38 knots, was finished in 1962 and was delivered to the Bahamas. After that, a number of small and large (models PT20 and PT50) hydrofoils were built for passenger traffic in western Norway
Vestlandet
Western Norway is the region along the Atlantic coast of southern Norway. It consists of the counties Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, and Møre og Romsdal and the region has a population of approximately 1.3 million people. The largest city is Bergen, second largest is Stavanger...
, in the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
, Øresund, Bahamas and in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Towards the end of the 1960 they built the worlds then largest hydrofoil, the "Expressen", that could carry 250 passengers. The boat did not achieve the intended design speed of 38 knots, and the contract was annulled. This was the beginning of the end of the hydrofoil epoch in Mandal.
After this, development of a new class of high speed wessel, the catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
, begun. The Westamaran
Westamaran
The Westamaran is a pioneer type of passenger transport high speed catamarans developed by Westermoen Hydrofoil in 1973. The craft was highly successful, and introduced a new era of passenger transport along the Norwegian coast and elsewhere....
type, introduced in 1973, was very successful, and begun a new era of high speed craft in Norway and elsewhere.
Towards the end of the 1980s the yard changed name to Westamarin. Westamarin closed in the end of the 1990s.
One of the final ships produced was a single High-speed Sea Service HSS 900 catamaran for Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
in 1997. The shipyard went bankrupt shortly afterwards, leading to Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
being unable to claim compensation for corrosion later found to the aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
alloy hull on the vessel (Stena Carisma).
Productions
SS:- 1969 Nefelin 3
- 1973 Juvikingen
- 1973 Solundir
- 1983 Vøringen
W86:
- 1971 Fjordglytt
- 1971 Kosterfjord, bnr 21
- 1972 Fjordtroll, bnr 24
- 1972 Mayflower
- 1972 Karmsund
- 1973 Kongsbussen, bnr 27
- 1973 Hertugbussen, bnr 28
- 1973 Tedno, bnr 29
- 1973 Koegelwieck, bnr 32
- 1973 Olavsbussen
- 1973 Haugesund, bnr 35
- 1975 Storesund, bnr 41
- 1975 Fjordkongen, bnr 42
- 1975 Brynilen, bnr 44
- 1975 Øygar, bnr 45
- 1976 Fjorddronningen, bnr 46
- 1976 Highland Seabird, bnr 47
- 1976 Fjorddrott, bnr 48
- 1977 Fjordprinsessen, bnr 49, Avdeling Alta
- 1977 Steigtind, bnr 50, Avdeling Alta
- 1978 Mediteran, bnr 54
- 1978 Hornøy 3, bnr 66 Avdeling Alta
- 1978 Marina 1, bnr 67 Avdeling Alta
W95:
- 1974 Vingtor, bnr 36
- 1974 Sleipner, bnr37
- 1975 Sunnhordaland, bnr 38
- 1975 Martini Bianco, bnr 40
- 1975 Westjet, bnr 43
- 1977 Draupner, bnr 51
- 1977 Tunen, bnr 52
- 1977 Tranen, bnr 53
- 1977 Pegasus
- 1979 Tumleren
- 1981 Alisur Amarillo, bnr 79
- 1981 Tromsprinsen, bnr 80
- 1981 Celestina, bnr 81, Avdeling Alta
- 1982 Venture 83, bnr 83
- 1982 Venture 84, bnr 84
W88:
- 1981 Haugesund, bnr 78, Avdeling Alta
- 1981 Midthordaland, bnr 82
- 1985 Skogøy
- 1986 Fjordsol
W100:
- 1980 Gimle Belle, bnr 75
- 1981 Gimle Bird, bnr 76
- 1981 gimle Bay, bnr 77