Norda

Norda is a wooden sailing vessel that was commissioned in 1928, originally used as a research vessel in Poland. It served as research vessel, fishing vessel and is now a yacht.

History

Research vessel

The vessel was commissioned in 1928 by MIR (Polish Fishing Institute). It was built in 1928 to order of in the Andersen Shipyard in Frederikssunde, Denmark. It was christened Ewa, inspired by the names of daughters of both Professor Michał Siedlecki and Dr Franciszek Lubecki, two distinguished scientists and maritime researches pioneers.

MIR owned another vessel that was almost the same: a few months earlier they acquired another cutter Starnia, which was also used for finding new fishing grounds and fisherman’s training. Both vessels played an important role in the development of the sea fishery industry in Poland.

The classical hull of the cutter, with straight bow and spoon shaped stern, was built form oak. The boat was built as a sailing vessel with an auxiliary motor. The propulsion system was composed of two-cylinder motor Tuxham of 64-76 hp and ketch rigged gaff sails. The GRT was 29 ton and the NRT was 10 ton. The total area of the four sails was 160 m2. Under the deck was space for crew of five people, four scientists and laboratory. When already in use as research vessel, a wheel house was built on the aft deck.