The
Norwegian steam
from Tysnes
What’s the story?
For half a century Norwegian sailors – not least from Tysnes – manned U.S. yachts in prestigious regattas, such as America’s Cup. Our mission is to provide you with the who, what, when, where and whys.
The sailors
Some 250 men from Tysnes were steadily employed in the American yacht fleet during the 1930s, most of whom from the northern parts of the Tysnes isles, from Malkenes in the east, to Våge in the west. More
Why “jått”?
The Word jaatt (spelled “jått”) is the local Tysnes word for “yacht”, pronounced like its English equivalent (in the rest of the country, however, the word is spelled as in English). More
The background
A great number of Tysnes locals made investments in freighters during the 1800s. Sloops and hermaphrodite brigs/schooners were a common sight in the area. More
The permanent exhibition
The yacht sailor exhibition in Tinghuset, located in Uggdal, offers a large amount of objects, displays and information pertaining to America’s Cup and The Norwegian Steam. More
America’s Cup
No Norwegian vessel ever partook in America’s Cup, but many an American boat counted a majority of Norwegians among its crew, rendering Norwegian sailors an important factor in this particular regatta. More
Multimedia
We have gathered a small collection of photographs, video clips and soundbites for your enjoyment and perusal. Please feel free to browse our online archive here.
Norwegians in American yachting
The crew of J-boat “Yankee” on arrival in Gosport, England in 1935, most of whom from Tysnes. “Yankee” partook in numerous English regattas, as well as in France.
The Norwegian Steam
Throughout the 1870s and 1880s a good many Scandinavians, especially Norwegians, were hired as captains, mates and crew on American vessels. In a show of good seamanship they were given the opportunity to play a vital role in the battle for America’s Cup between 1893 and 1937, in other words, for the better part of some 50 odd years. In fact there are traces of Norwegian America’s Cup involvement up until 1974. For further details, please click here.
Norwegian Steam video
Please enjoy this video, recounting the story of Tysnes and the Norwegian Steam. Please note that the permanent exhibition mentioned in the video has since moved to a new address. See this page for further information.
“An impressive collection – undoubtedly the result of hard work. Interesting and educational to see the details of The Norwegian Steam adventure. The collection is an inspiration for the NSF Norsteam project.”
Peter L. Larsen
President, Norwegian Sailing Federation
(on the permanent Tysnes yacht sailor exhibition, August 2010)
Jåttlaget news
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We rely on help keeping the Tysnes yacht sailor heritage alive. Any financial support – however small – is much appreciated!
Bank account: 3525.22.46175
IBAN: NO0635252246175
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