40' Klevset Nygaardsvold Cutter (1937) - M/K HERMES

M/K Hermes was built at J.M. Klevset boat yard, Skålvikfjorden in Nordmøre (Norway), in 1937 for Member of Parliament Paul Dahlø from Sør-Frøya. Hermes is a so-called Nygaardsvold cutter, also known as a state boat (statsbåt). The name refers to the aid program launched by the Labor Party in the 1930s to improve conditions for coastal fishermen. In the 1930s, the fishing industry was in very poor economic shape, and many fishermen still clung to their open boats. The Nygaardsvold cutters helped to increase safety and improve working conditions for fishermen. The hull of the Hermes has remained unchanged since it was built in 1938, and the Director General of Cultural Heritage has chosen to prioritize the Hermes as a representative of this important era in Norwegian fishing history.

The cutter was owned by Dahlø until 1949 and was mainly used for winter herring fishing off Haugesund. In 1949, the vessel was sold to E. Danielsen, who used it in the Lofoten (cod) fishery. In 1953, “Hermes” was purchased by Magne Auren in Frosta, who used it for shrimp fishing, but also for timber hauling and transporting vegetables and potatoes to Trondheim. In 1969, Alf Østerås, Levanger, bought the cutter and used it for shrimp fishing. It was also used in oil spill response and participated as an auxiliary boat in seismographic measurements in the inner part of Trondheimsfjorden.

When new, the Hermes was equipped with a 20 hp Union (semi-diesel) engine. Since then, the engine has been replaced several times. Today, a 120 hp Ford diesel engine is installed. The vessel has been rebuilt several times. In 1987, the vessel was condemned and taken over by the Staværingen Museum Association. Since 2007, the boat has been owned by the M/K Hermes Boat Association. Hermes has been restored at the Bremsnes boat yard and returned to Fosenkaia in 2020, where it is now being prepared for operation.