Irina was ordered by the Bergen Yacht Club (Bergen Seilforening) as
the prize for their Boat-lottery in 1926. Lottery boats were not ‘low cost’
models, and this boat was to be no exception. It was specified with prime
materials and a larger cabin than usual. The boat was constructed in mahogany
on an oak frame and was given a larger cabin than usual. As an extra visual
clue that this was not just any 22 Square Meter, the top 2 planks in the
hull were also oak giving the hull a startling ‘white stripe’ in the otherwise
wine-red exterior the hull and cabin presented.
The boat-lottery was won by Georg von Erpecom Sr., a well known name
in Bergen and in Norwegian sailing, and a man of ‘some means’ (he also
raced and owned larger yachts.... 12 meters and such.) Irina was the name
he gave all his boats and this one became "Irina V".
Mr. von Erpecom raced Irina V actively the next couple of seasons before
moving on to another Irina. The boat did well from its first season. She
regularly placed among the best boats against other prominent competitors
- such as Crown Prince Olav in his 22 Square Meter
"Teddy". In the Yearbook for the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (KNS) "Irina
V" was mentioned as the only boat from Bergen Yacht Club to do well in
the Bergen Cup series that year by avenging a prior loss to Crown Prince
Olav.
Irina stayed in the Bergen area until present day. As far as I know,
she was owned by a single owner until approx. 1980 after being sold by
Mr. von Erpecom. By that time she was starting to look her age.
Irina was then sold to a marine artist in Bergen with visions of bringing
her back to top notch condition. He sold her to me in 1986. She was then
still sound, but her time was running out. Among other things she had been
left in the water year-round, and had ground a hole in her bow against
a cement dock in a winter storm.
I have replaced and repaired the damaged areas and have refurbished the exterior of the hull. In the spring of 1999 the interior will be brought back to ‘spit & polish’ condition. Most of the fittings have also been replaced after I learned by experience that the old nickel-plated turnbuckles only appear untarnished by age. The passing years had made the interior bronze brittle without any outward signs of weakness. That knowledge cost me the original mast when the starboard jackstay turnbuckle failed under sail outside of Storeboe in Austevoll. I was unable to find a replacement of equal length (13 meters) and diameter. Irina now has a slightly shorter mast than original and is equipped with Knarr sails. The original sails are carefully stowed for future reference.
In
one of those strange twists of fate, while researching Irina to trace her
history I was referred to the ‘Grand old man of Knarr sailing’ in Bergen.
He was temporarily in need of crew and I jumped at the opportunity. After
3 or 4 races and having learned much about sailing history and racing tactics,
I was staggered by the gift of a set of sails - used but in very good shape.
Shortly afterward, the Maritime Museum in Olso sent me the information
they had in their archives.... showing that I was sailing with the grandson
of the original owner, Mr. Georg von Erpecom - now Senior himself !
I had started the search in hopes of finding the original name of my
‘new’ boat and ended by finding her ‘original family’. They had kept up
the tradition of naming their boats "Irina" but agreed straight-away to
allow this "Irina" to take back her proper name.
It is the sort of coincidence that just doesn’t happen in real life. Old meets new and the saga continues....
