Specifications and owners
Flirt IV was commissioned by the yachtsman Alf Rasmussen for the Europe Week 1914, the 100 years anniversary of the Norwegian constitution.
Designed and built by the internationally renowned engineer and yachtsman Johan Anker in Vollen outside Oslo.
Alf Rasmussen raced Flirt IV for about four years we believe, and she was considered a very fast yacht. She came in second in the 9m class during the Europe Week in 1914, and won a lot of prices under Alf Rasmussen’s ownership.
Designer: Johan Anker
Builder: Anker & Jensen
Year: 1912
Length overall: 14,38 m
Length waterline: 9,10 m
Beam: 2,56 m
Draft: 2.10 m
Rig: Bermudan sloop
Displacement: 11 tones
Construction: Mahogany/Siberian larches/lead keel
Rig: Sitka Spruce. 19,50 m
Sail area: 105 m2
1912
Flirt IV was commissioned by the yachts man Alf Rasmussen for the Europe Week 1914, the 100 years anniversary of the Norwegian constitution.
1916
Owned by Willy C. Gilbert in Bergen on the west coast of Norway
1919
She was sold to Axel C. Eitzen and brought back to Kristiania. He renamed her Lo III.
1924
Owned in UK by one Robert Warner.
1929
Bought by world renowned yachtsman John Illingworth (for £400!) who sailed her extensively.
1931
Sold by Illingworth to Scotland (probably to the Strang family) and renamed Torridon. Samuel F. Strang was the registered owner by 1948.
1953
Ronald Scott and Alan Ure purchased her from Strang. Registered owners in 1957 were Ronald Scott and Alastair Barbour.
1959
Ronald Scott sells to Dr. McAdam of Dumfries who takes her to Kipford where she was left unattended and sank. She was scrapped by the insurers following this sinking.
1964
Ronald Scott bought her from the insurers and successfully recovered her from the river Urr at Palnackie. Unfortunately, after she was lifted clear of the water the main wire on the crane hoist started to separate and she had to be set down on her side on the ground. More damage was caused in this incident than hitherto. Ronald Scott returned her to his yard in the centre of Glasgow.
1964
Ronald Scott sells to R. G. Bogan and brother who took her to a yard near Bothwell where they worked on her extensively for a number of years. Following many hundreds of hours of restoration work the brothers launched her on the Clyde and moored her at Rhu but tragically both were lost in a dinghy accident when returning to Torridon following celebrating their successful endeavors ashore.
Various Scottish owners until sold by A. M. Hamilton and Allan to Norway in 1994.
Owned by Gustav Martinsen since 1995 and now sailing completely refitted under her original name Flirt IV close to where she was built in southern Norway.