The history of the "SS Spener"

The "Spener" was built as a pilot cutter by Jens Nils Eriksen Narviken in Risör, known for his good pilot boat designs, in the year 1897. 

First owner was Edvard Edvardson from Kleven in Mandal in the period 1897-1926.

Before 1923 there were 5 similar pilot boats in Kleven near Mandal on the south coast of Norway, each pilot had his own boat. In 1923 this was reorganized so that only two boats remained and were used by all the pilots at Kleven. ‘LS4 Stormfuglen’ and ‘Spener’ were decommissioned and a couple of years later sold. In a letter a ‘Pilot Inspector’ states that ‘Stormfuglen’ was sold to pilot John Kvadsheim (between Stavanger and Eigersund) and ‘Spener’ was sold in 1926 to Tananger, a pilot station close to Stavanger.

From Tananger there is information about a captain who bought a pilot cutter from Risør in 1926 and sold it again 1929. In whose possession the ship was from 1930-1933 is not documented.

Starting in 1933, the boat was on Bømlo (1933-1952): Speners owner on Bømlo was Angel Endresen Holme, residing in Holme, west of Bømlo. He bought the boat in 1933 from the south, where it was used as a pilot boat. It had no engine and no steeringhouse. He used it for shrimp trawling; the hull was painted gray at that time. It was conducted in the fishing registry with the number H 67 BO. Holme mounted a 15 hp semi-diesel Neptune. In 1937 Engel died of tuberculosis at the sanatorium in Jondal, but probably he sold the boat before around 1936 until 1937.

Owner of 1936/1937 was the trio Johan Knutsen, Anfinnsdatter Vestvikvågen and Ole Thomsen Varland. The "Spener" was at this time on Kalavåg.
In 1943, a new engine, a Scania with 20 hp, was installed. This engine had previously been in Nesøy. "Spener" was used in the herring fishery and probably shut down in 1952.

In the years 1978-1980 the "Spener" was restored in the shipyard of H.Gregersen, Risør, at that time owned by Fredrik S. Michelete, Bærum. A new skin, a new deck, a new cabin and a new rigging system (Draft July Jeppe Nielsen, 1977 http://home.online.no/~jeppejul/Jeppe_Jul_Nielsen_Konstruksjoner.html) have been installed and most vertical frames below deck have been replaced. Thereby additional new frames were drawn alongside the old ones. A Mercedes engine OM 352 with 6.0 liter Cylinder capcity and 130 HP power was installed.

The boat is very solidly built exclusively in the traditional manner. New sails were made according to plans by Jeppe Nielsen in July in 1996.

All ropes were replaced by new ones in 2013, tarred Manila hemp ropes. In addition, both masts have been taken down and refurbished.

See also "Spener" on Kiwi promo from summer 2013 here:
http://kiwi.no/Om-KIWI/Reklamefilmer/Tina-pa-seilbat---bakomfilm/