Lars built his first boat in 1903 at the age of 16 and it soon became apparent that boats would his forte.
He designed and built boats for the local market, travelled to America for further experience, and returned to Norway, where he took advantage of a boatbuilding boom caused by the First World War.
A post-war slump saw Halvorsen family eventually relocate to Cape Town, South Africa, however Lars was uncertain of the family opportunities in South Africa and, following the highly regarded advice of a business associate, he investigated Sydney in late 1924.