The Boats

The heritage of the Moray Firth is closely tied the fishing industry and in the past few years a collection of the traditional fishing boats including fifies, scaffies, zulus and yoles has been restored. Although these boats are remembered by the older generations, they are not very well known among the younger and more recent inhabitants of the Moray Firth area.

Boats taking part in the Flotilla include:

SWAN:  When launched from Hay & Co.'s yard in Lerwick in 1900, the Fifie SWAN was the largest fishing boat in Shetland at the time.

ISABELLA FORTUNA:  Originally named ISABELLA, she was built by James Weir for the Arbroath fisherman John Smith, and when launched in 1890 was the largest yawl in the harbour.

The REAPER is the last authentic example of a sailing herring drifter of the Fifie type, launched at Sandhaven in 1902.

WHITE WING is a Fifie Bauldie launched in Gardenstown in 1916.

LIBERTY was built in Fraserburgh in 1935.

OBAIR – NA – GHAOL:  Replica of ‘Gratitude’ a skaffie which was built at Portknockie in 1896.

CLAN GORDON is a Loch Fyne skiff, built as a sailing fishing vessel about 1911 in Argyll-shire, Scotland.

BLACK GOLD was built by Alisdair Scott at Portsoy over the winter of 99 and spring of 2000.

Misty Morn (Cornish Shrimper):  Roger Tushingham will sail from Whitby,down the east coast of England, along the south and up the west coast of England and Scotland to join the Flotilla at Wick.

An Sulaire:  A sgoth niseach (Ness Boat) which was used in the 19th early 20th Centuries. None of the originals survive but this replica was built by John Murdo MacLeod and launched at Stornoway in December 1994.

Johanna:  The most beautiful and best of the English smacks were built in the 1880s. Many of them were sold a few years later to the Faroe Islands. Among them the smack Johanna TG 326.  Johanna is built in Rye, Sussex in the South of England in 1884 at the famous shipyard owned by James Collins Hoad, a shipyard well known for its beautiful ships

Solan: A traditional long keel cruiser, launched in 1973 at Broughty Ferry on the Tay. Built to an FBR Brown design - Brown was the founder of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and was renowned for his designs of very pleasing, sea worthy cruising yachts.
Splined carvel Mahogany on Oak construction.

Based at Scrabster.

 
The Paragon II, is of scaffie shape, built by Millers of St Monans in 1935.

If you would like fuller information on the boats taking part call Sinclair Young on 01349 877858 or email