Peter Norden Sølling

Commodore Peter Norden Sølling (13 September 1758 – 7 February 1827) was a Norwegian naval officer and sea captain. He designed and personally led the construction of a type of pilot boats, "Sølling's pilot boats", which gained widespread popularity along the coasts of Norway. He is also remembered for founding Bombebøssen a charity for old seamen in Copenhagen. One of its former buildings. situated at Overgaden Oven Vandet 48 in Christianshavn, features a memorial with a portrait relief of Sølling by Otto Evens.

Early life Sølling was born on 13 September 1758 in Kristiansand, the son of captain lieutenant Peter Norden Sølling (1718 in Copenhagen – 66) and Anna Cathrine Hortulan (1731 in Nykøbing Sjælland – 85). He was only one year old when his father was sacked as enrollment officer in Kristiansand and the parents moved back to Denmark. In 1764, his mother left the father, settling in Nyborg with the children.

Career Naval career and DAC service Sølling was just 11 years old when he became a cadet in 1771. He was promoted to junior lieutenant in 1876, senior lieutenant in 1783, captain lieutenant in 1789, captain in 1796, commander captain (kommandørkaptajn) in 1804 and finally commodore in 1812. In 1774–76, he was in India and China with a DAC Chinaman. In 1777, he returned to China as helmsman of another DAC Chinaman. In 178183, he was in China with the Chinaman Prins Frederik. In 1784 he was in Tranquebar with the frigate Prinsesse Louise Augusta.

On 5 September 1790, he left Copenhagen as captain of the Chinaman Kastellet Dansborg. Sølling sailed from Copenhagen as captain of Arveprinsen af Augustenborg, on 30 May 1793, bound for the Bengal and Tranquebar. He returned to Copenhagen in 1795 and that was his last long voyage.

Years in Norway

In 1796, Sølling was sent to France by De Coninck & Co. to buy a frigate, Henriette. which he was supposed later to captain on a voyage to Canton. In the British Channel Henriette was so badly damaged in an incident that he had to call into the River Thames for repairs. While in England, due to illness, he ended up having to stay in the country to recuperate, while someone else took Henriette to Canton. It was a great disappointment, but resulted in an unexpected outcome. Sølling noticed some very navigable "deck boats" on the Thames, which he found would be very well suited for pilot service along the coasts of Norway, where pilots had so far only used open boats. He bought one of the boats, took it back home with him and put a lot of effort into improving it and adapting it to Norwegian conditions. With assistance from Crown Prince Frederick (VI) and chief pilot Poul Vendelbo Løvenørn he obtained funding for the construction of three boats. By this time, he had introduced so many changes, that the design was essentially his own.