The boat builder

Wherever fish abound and fishing is important, there will be skilful boatmen. And anyone who is good at building and repairing boats will enjoy great respect. The 1860s saw the beginning of Ålesund’s deep-sea fishing adventure. The fishing fleet had previously consisted of traditional open boats but was now replaced by larger ocean-going vessels. Local boat building skills have been evolving ever since. Our many shipyards have launched all types of craft: trawlers, research vessels, cruise ships, ferries – and of course, this very one! A few years ago, the Norwegian Maritime Competence Centre was set up at Nørvasundet in Ålesund. This maritime cluster forms part of Ålesund Campus, and brings together researchers, business interests and capital. The aim is to provide one of Norway’s most important focal points for the development of maritime expertise. The big building is home to an array of simulators designed to provide training facilities for people and ships involved with large-scale, complicated operations. While the simulators are buzzing in the Competence Centre, the Borgund knarr bobs calmly at her mooring on the opposite side of the sound. This is a replica of a Viking merchant ship, more than a thousand years old. This type of vessel dates from the Early Medieval period – when Borgund was the regional hub for trade and fishing. The knarr belongs to Sunnmøre Museum, which occupies the site of the old market town. The open-air museum has a number of old boats on display and serves as a centre of excellence for Sunnmøre’s maritime history.