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VARG

An Epic Tale of Survival, Restoration and Legacy.

In 1922, Norwegian yacht designer Johan Anker had an idea.

He envisioned a sleek, elegant racing yacht that would dominate the prestigious 8-Meter class. Anker put pencil to paper and the lines of the Varg began to take shape.

Two years later in 1924, Anker's vision became reality as the his first of 3 Varg’s slid down the ways at Anker & Jensen's yard near Oslo.

Her owner, wine merchant Alfred Larsen, had ambitious plans to campaign the Varg in international competition. Larsen's faith in Anker's design was soon validated as Varg racked up victories in Norway and England.

Carlstrom, a photographer and classic yacht enthusiast, had long admired the 8-Meter designs of William Fife and Johan Anker. When he discovered Norn's plight, he resolved to rescue her and restore her to her former glory, no matter the cost.

It was an audacious idea, but Carlstrom was determined.

Over the next six years, a team of shipwrights labored to meticulously rebuild Varg to her original 1924 configuration, using Anker's original plans. Carlstrom spared no expense in sourcing the finest timber and materials.

In 2014, the reborn Varg was relaunched, her eggshell white topsides and varnished mahogany details glistening like new.

But ideas, and fortunes, can be fleeting. By the early 1930s, Varg had been sold to an English lord and found her way to the other side of the world in Australia.

Rechristened Norn, she continued her winning ways in the hands of the Albert family, claiming the coveted Sayonara Cup.

As the decades passed, Norn changed owners and her condition gradually deteriorated. By the early 2000s, the once resplendent racer was a dilapidated wreck, barely afloat in a Sydney suburb.

Many would have viewed her as beyond saving, but not Kraig Carlstrom.

In 2021, another idea brought her to Sweden and into the hands of Claes Hultling and his son Emil.

For us, owning Varg is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, also recapturing many of the beautiful moments Claes experienced with his 8mR Varg in the early 80’s.

Nearly a century after Johan Anker first put pen to paper, his timeless vision lives on, connecting generations through a shared appreciation for the artistry and romance of classic yachts.

Varg's story is a testament to the enduring power of an idea to inspire, even long after its original creator has passed. As long as there are those like Carlstrom and the Hultlings ready to carry the torch, Anker's idea will never die.

Swedish Yacht registry: https://sailyachtsociety.se/varg/

International Eight Meter Society:
https://www.8mr.org/yacht/varg

Current owners:
Claes Hultling b.1953 and Emil Hultling b.1992,
two generations sharing a love for sailing