Vema III 12 N 11

Norwegian Elegance by Johan Anker

Designed and built by the renowned Norwegian naval architect Johan Anker, Vema III (N-11) was among the last of the twenty 12 Metres conceived at his drafting table. Launched in 1933 by the Anker & Jensen yard at Vollen, Norway, she quickly proved her pedigree — racing successfully in her debut season at the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club’s 50th Anniversary Jubilee and at Cowes Week.
Beautifully proportioned, with Anker’s signature sweeping sheer and finely balanced hull, Vema III embodies the harmony of speed and grace that defined Scandinavian yacht design in the early 20th century.

Commission and Early Career

Vema III was commissioned by Georg Unger Vetlesen, the Norwegian-American shipbuilder and philanthropist. She was considered the “little boat” to his 300-ton schooner Vema II, and together the two vessels reflected Vetlesen’s passion for both performance and craftsmanship. During the Second World War, N-11 was seized as Nazi war-prey during the occupation of Norway but survived the conflict intact.
Following the war, she returned to active competition, racing vigorously through the 1950s as part of the Oslo Fjord 12 Metre fleet, alongside yachts such as Blue Marlin, Santa, Figaro VI, and Norsaga (now Trivia).

Preservation and Restoration

As 12 Metre racing declined in the late 1950s, Vema III remained in Norway as the only active 12 Metre in her class, quietly maintained by devoted owners. By 1979, structural corrosion threatened her longevity, prompting new owners Tor Jøgen Dahl and Lars Christian Dahl to begin preservation efforts. In 1999, T. J. Dahl joined forces with Einar Nagel Erichsen to undertake a more extensive restoration, ensuring her continued seaworthiness while preserving her original Anker lines and craftsmanship.
Her hull of Oregon pine on steel frames and ash ribs was carefully renewed, and her classic Bermudan rig — totaling approximately 183 m² of sail area — was refined to maintain both authenticity and performance.

A Living Legacy

Since 2006, Vema III has been owned by a syndicate of ten Norwegian sailors who share a passion for 12 Metre heritage and for Anker’s timeless designs. Together, they care for N-11 as their collective “pride and joy”, keeping her in impeccable racing trim and maintaining her reputation as one of the best-preserved 12 Metre yachts in the world.
Impressively, she has sailed continuously for more than 90 years and holds the rare distinction of being the only 12 Metre to have remained under the Norwegian flag throughout her entire lifetime.

Racing Today

True to her racing spirit, Vema III continues to compete at the highest level of classic 12 Metre sailing. She was one of only four European boats shipped to the 2019 12 Metre World Championships in Newport, RI (USA), representing Norway with distinction. In Helsinki, she is set to meet her “baby sister” Nini Anker (N-12) — design #434, Anker’s final creation — in their first Worlds encounter.
With her enduring beauty, competitive record, and unbroken lineage, Vema III stands as a proud ambassador of both Norwegian craftsmanship and the living legacy of the International 12 Metre Class.