We are very pleased to have completed the first sea launch of the Myklebust ship since 2019. The beast was returned to her rightful home on the fjord after some difficult years stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This significantly impacted our operations; however, we are now confident in our future.
Lots of planning
The launch was not a small operation, it required careful planning with hundreds of volunteers involved. Planning began an entire year before the launch date.
We quickly realized that we would need a big team to launch the ship. Thus, we established the Myklebust rowing team. The team was divided into several subgroups with unique responsibilities.
The launch and recovery team where in charge of launching the ship. Including manoeuvring her out of the building. During the original launch the ship was lifted by crane from the construction tent onto the fjord. Launching her from the slipway of the building had never been done before.
The team created all the procedures necessary and made amendments to the wagon. This included creating a hydraulic steering system, so that the ship could pass through the gate and slipway.
The team did a fantastic job, and we now have solid experience for the next launch. Recovery was also very smooth, and we have identified areas for improvement to ensure an even smother operation in 2025.
Lots of fabrics
The sewing and fabrics team oversaw creating the Viking costumes for the entire crew. In close cooperation with the Folk High School Viking life teacher, whom has significant experience from reenactment activities. The team created over 70 tunics and headwear and are ready to continue to improve the costumes for the 2025 launch.
A strong team
The “hird” was established as the team responsible for the maritime operations. All members of this team have vast experiences from life at sea. Including sailors, fishermen, offshore workers, captains and the Norwegian coast guard. We are very grateful for the immense effort laid down to ensure safe operations during the launch.
In total almost 200 volunteers signed up for duty. The Myklebust rowing team is now an integral part of the Sagastad family, and we look forward to continuing to build a vibrant community.
The launch process
The night before the launch, on April 23rd the final preparations where completed. After receiving over 1500 visitors from the cruise ship AIDAnova we closed the centre, and the launch team removed all exhibits surrounding the ship and stripped her down to accommodate the plymming process. Bilge pumps were installed to regulate the amount of water that would enter the ship as well as all other equipment needed onboard.
The launch itself was conducted on the 24th of April. 07:00 in the morning the launch team marched into the building and began the process.
Over the next few hours, the ship was carefully manoeuvred on its wagon out of the main gates. Close to 11:30 the wagon was fully submerged, and the ship gracefully floated to the surface.
The two tow boats then maneuvered the ship to the docks where she would complete the plymming process. Plymming is a process where the wood soaks in the water, absorbing the water and expanding the boards. This process takes several days, once complete the boards are tight and the ship is deemed seaworthy.
Sagastad goes viral
We experienced great interest on social media during both the launch process and plymming. On Instagram we posted a reel that reached over 5.8 million views, in addition to a further 1.5 million views on Facebook. It was also reposted by several other accounts, including Visit Norway reaching well over 10 million views in total.
In addition, our two best performing reels in regards to plymming reached 5.4 and 3.9 million views on Instagram. We are very pleased that the interest in the Myklebust ship has expanded greatly, and we are looking forward to sharing exciting news as we move forward with next year’s launch.
Plymming and stability test
The plymming process continued during the 24th and 25th of April. On the 26th we performed the last required step to get the ship certified: The stability test.
The ship passed this test with support from SUSTENI and 90+ members of the rowing crew, and thus the final formality was completed. Prior to this a mountain of paperwork was completed, the ship was 3D scanned and registered as required by law. The Myklebusts callsign is: LGOJ.
Once all the formalities where completed, we were ready to begin our voyages throughout the weekend.
A viking wedding
The voyages where a great success at everyone in the rowing team got a chance to man the ores. During Saturday we completed a total of 3 voyages, all lasting around 2 hours each. The second voyage turned out to be rather special. During this voyage Espen and Marie Hatleskog were wed on the fjord.
The marriage began with fjord horses from the Norwegian Fjordhorse Center, the bride and groom both mounted the majestic creatures, and the procession was led by His Excellency Abid Raja, the former Minister of Culture and Vice-President of the Norwegian Parliament.
In the context of the wedding his was titled “Lovseiemann” (Lawspeaker).
Espen is also known as @pilotviking on Instagram where he has over 1.3 million followers.
We are incredibly happy that we had the opportunity to host such an event and wish the couple eternal happiness!
Death diving world champion
After the wedding we surprised the audience with a stunt by Ken Stornes, the world record holder for Death Diving. Ken climbed onto the head of the Myklebust ship and performed a death dive into the fjord.
Recovery and the future
On Sunday there was one final voyage before the ship was configured for recovery. The recovery process started around 12:00 and the whole process went very smoothly. Parking a 20 tonn viking ship in the building, in the exact same previous position was challenging, however we eventually figured it out.
Sagastad would like to thank the entire team for their dedication to the project, and for making this all possible. We are very grateful to everyone that has contributed.
We have grown this project into a new era, one with lots of exciting new opportunities, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds.
The 2025 launch dates: April 23rd – April 30th. Stay tuned for updates.
