The establishment of the new Restauration Friends Association and its ability to operate the vessel Restauration to preserve and share emigrant history and coastal culture is due to the remarkable contributions and efforts of many individuals and companies over the years.
Establishment and Leadership
In 2007, the foundation’s documents were signed at the Cleng Peerson House on Finnøy (now part of Stavanger municipality), in Ryfylke. At that time, Jorunn Strand Vestbø, then mayor of Finnøy, served as the first leader. From 2010 to 2016, Egil Nylund took over the leadership, followed by Vidar Johannes Aarhus from Tysvær in 2016.
Contributors to Building Restauration
The project began with a generous donation of NOK 500,000 in seed funding from Solstad Shipping on Karmøy. Many private individuals also contributed. A detailed list of contributors as of February 2009 is available here (parts of former website still visible): https://web.archive.org/web/20090217202425/https://restauration.no/finansiering.php
(or as a pdf document here, which also contains an additional list).
SR-Bank Gavefondet and SR-Bank Finnøy provided a crucial contribution of NOK 3,025,000, enabling the construction of the Restauration replica. The build started in 2007 at Ryfylke Trebåtbyggjeri on Finnøy, culminating in its launch on April 15, 2010.
Operating Model and New Ownership
The project was marked by widespread enthusiasm and extensive volunteer involvement, supported by a large membership base (members in 2010, No 3, newsletter, Vol. 3 (last page).)
Despite this, increasing maintenance costs and annual certification expenses of NOK 40,000–60,000 eventually created financial challenges.
In 2013, the vessel was sold to shipowner Yuhong Jin Hermansen in Stavanger, with the foundation retaining usage rights for ten years. Ryfylke Livsgnist continued to promote tours and other activities aboard the vessel.
Guests enjoyed immersive journeys enriched by knowledgeable storytellers, and the foundation curated a selection of gift items for sale to visitors.
Dissolution of “The Emigrant Ship Foundation Restauration”
Over time, challenges such as securing adequate crew and negative financial results became too burdensome.
In 2018, the board of the foundation declared: we can no longer take responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the Restauration replica. As a result, ownership was transferred to the owner.
In 2019, the foundation declared bankruptcy and was dissolved.
The owner Yuhong Jin Hermansen subsequently listed Restauration for sale.
New Ownership and the New Restauration Friends Association
Not until fall 2020, the vessel was sold to Cato Østerhus, one of the brothers behind the company Øster Hus. Cato Østerhus, a Stavanger resident, is the principal owner of Utstein Kloster Hotel, which now houses the Emigration Room. The new homeport for Restauration is the dock next to the hotel on Mosterøy. Together, the Emigration Room and the Restauration vessel now form an Emigration Center.
In March 2021, the voluntary organization Restauration Friends Association was officially established. This dedicated group has launched a fresh and exciting chapter for Restauration.
Please read the more detailed version of the story above (which is the source) in the Stavanger City Historical Association’s (Byhistorisk Forening Stavanger) magazine. Issue 1, 2021, pages 112–121) here: https://byhistoriskforening.org/aarstall_stavangeren/2021/ (click on the text “Stavangeren nr. 1 2021“).
More information about the new Restauration Friends Association is available here.