Boat Name: Blodoks, ex. Vita Nuova, ex. Freudian Sloop, ex. Big Apple, ex. N 75 Rox

Sail: US 88

Year Built: 1945

Designer: Erling Kristofferson

Builder: Otto Larsen/Einar Iverson

Owner: Dana Olsen

History: The boat was designed in 1937 or 38, by Erling L. Kristofersen and construction began in 1938. Einar Iverson and Erling were always talking with each other about boat designs and were good friends. Work progressed with 4 men on the job and as the war got closer to Norway Einar decided to hide the boat in the woods in 1942-43 from the German military, who were then occupying Norway. Otto Larsen was an old boat builder from the area and Einar hired him to be the foreman for his new boat building business. When the War ended they pulled it out of the woods, finished it and launched it in 1945. The race in 1947 where it is photographed with N77 Else Marie  is the first race with other 6mr's. The reason there are no plans found for the boat, N75, is that there was a fire in 1953 at Einars office in Sarpsborg and all his files were destroyed . Bjorn was sure that the original ballast keel was iron, because there was no lead available, so I don't know when it got a lead ballast keel. The name "Rox" is an old Norsk word for putting wood together. After Rox was launched the boatyard  built other Kristofersen designs such as 106 "Knarrs", and around 35 " Kutters" and had 40 men working under Otto Larsen. They also built a 40sq metre and a "Hanko Cruiser", a 36' ft. sloop.

 

Moved from San Diego to Port Townsend in May 2006. Extensive restoration planned. The Olsen family is well underway with the restoration of this Norwegian built classic. Here is a gallery of photos of the initial phases of the project.

 

 

At the dock in San Diego, circa 2000.

Photos below show N 75 Rox on Oslo Fjord post-WWII, all courtesy of the Norwegian Sjofartsmuseum.

The race in 1947 where it is photographed with N77 Else Marie  is the first race with other 6mr's.