These are the rules, or better said, guidelines, we follow when we restore a protected wooden boat. The government department that issues grants (Riksantikvaren) to boatowners expects us to follow these rules as closely as possible, and if we want to deviate from the original (either as it is now or as it was on a well-documented date in the past), we have to ask for permission and explain why.

A proposal for antiquarian policies regarding vessels with protected states.

• Vessel use and maintenance should have the primary objective of protecting its Cultural Heritage. So that the cultural-historical value is preserved.
• Restoration should be carried out in accordance with principles that clearly protect the vessel’s original qualities from a thoroughly documented era in its history. The basis for all restoration work on boats with protected status should be a detailed restoration plan for the boat, built on well-documented historical research.
• The work will be true to its origin. This means that the vessel will appear as just that
  vessel or the vessel type that is defined in a specific period in its history. Motor and other technical
  installations should only be changed so that they interfere in the least possible way with the vessel’s historical origins.
• The work will be true to its material. This means that all restoration work is a copy of the existing solutions, using materials of the same type or equivalent: oak replaced by oak, brass screws replaced by brass screws, etc.
• The work will be true to its craftsmanship. This means that, as far as possible, all the details in the hull, interior, and rig are made to the specifications of the time. Replaced parts shall be exact copies of the old and with the same dimensions.
• The restored vessel shall be reasonably the same. The work will be done with traditional, woodworking methods and to the greatest possible extent with historically accurate materials. Work techniques should harmonize with the period the vessel represents. This means that an originally hand-planed surface shall not be planed with power tools. Natural oil paint should not be painted over with chemical paint or other materials.
• There shall be established a protection and maintenance plan for the vessel, with the intentions and requirements specified in these plans. The contents of the plan shall be approved by the “Riksantikvaren ” or a “fartøyvernsenter”.