Sailing for science – with support from ROCA Industry

 

When S/Y Hrimfare was built in 1991, it was one of ten identical boats that participated in the BT Global Challenge Race – what was called “the world’s toughest race”. With a crew consisting of a professional skipper and 13 amateurs, they sailed around the world, eastward against winds and currents.

“It was an unforgettable experience that left a mark on everyone who participated. That ordinary people had the opportunity to experience something so advanced was completely unique,” ​​says sailor Björn Bertoft, who is today one of the crew members on Hrimfare.

More about the boat's racing history can be read on the website hrimfare.com.

 

 

 

Today, Hrimfare has been rebuilt into something completely different - a modern research vessel. After eight years on land, the sailboat has been "upcycled" and has become the mother ship for Sailing4Science - which began as an initiative between students and researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim (NTNU) and the University of Gothenburg (GU). The idea was to combine research with more sustainable solutions and to be able to use sailboats in more places and to reduce the costs of the expeditions.

"We want to offer researchers a safe platform where they can collect data and carry out measurements without the ship itself polluting the environment", says Björn.

The boat is equipped for long expeditions and is powered when necessary with HVO fuel, a renewable alternative to diesel.

 

 

 

The expedition is coordinated by NTNU together with 19 partners around Europe. On board are three sailors and up to seven researchers (doctoral students, master's students and professors). They are part of the crew that solves all issues related to life on board, like sailing, docking, cooking, cleaning, carrying out research tasks and everything else required to be able to carry out the expedition.

 

The expedition currently underway (August 2026) is part of the EU-funded project DiverSea, where researchers are investigating the biodiversity of Europe's coastal waters. A growing problem is that the water is becoming darker due to more particles and pollution, which affects the life cycle in the oceans.

"Part of our job is to provide data to NTNU's mini-satellite that photographs the water surface from space. When the satellite takes pictures, we are on site with Hrimfare and collect water samples, so that the computers learn to understand what they are actually seeing", Björn says enthusiastically.

 

In addition, Hrimfare and Sailing4Science carry out a number of educational missions: In every port the boat docks in, the crew sets up an information tent and welcomes visitors of all ages who want to know more about the marine environment and its development.

 

 

 

The crew consists of both sailors and researchers who share all the tasks – from sailing and cooking to analyzing samples.

"It is educational and sometimes character-building to live so close to each other for a long time. Of course, small incidents happen: a mobile phone overboard, a pump that malfunctions, or strong winds. But that is also what makes life at sea so exciting", says Björn.

Björn says that sailing is always more or less unpredictable, in small and big ways. The everyday “struggle” that the crew always strives for is “when will we arrive and to what place”. It is true that it is possible to plan and calculate everything in theory with all possible methods and instruments on board, but the weather and wind always play a role.

 

 

Before returning to the seas, S/Y Hrimfare was carefully renovated – and ROCA Industry played an important role.

"The old fittings had been worn down by salt, heat and cold during decades at sea. Choosing new fittings and hinges from ROCA was an obvious choice. They have exactly what we needed, in the right dimensions", says Björn.

Products used in Hrimfare's renovation include: