John M. MacAulay - Fernhaven, - Flodabay, - Isle of Harris. - HS3 3HA. Tel:01859 530340

Builder of the Hebridean`Birlinn` model

`COASTAL AND ISLAND BOATS`
continued..........

building materials, and the skills of the experienced craftsman.

Probably the easiest to identify by the lay person are the Shetland boats: the four'ern and the six'ern, their pedigree immediately betrayed, as are also the Stroma and Ness yole. from their likeness to the faering and sexaering of Norway. Any modification to suit local conditions must have been minimal and the fact that they are stiil popular enough to be replicated in modern materials is testimony to their special qualities.

I had the good fortune to be able to work for some years with the late Tom Edwardson who belonged to the Shetland Isle of Unst. Tom was a craftsman of the old school and would build what he proudly termed 'da Shetland model' entirely by eye, without the use of moulds or templates of any kind. His boats were works of art and highly regarded by his contemporaries. He was also a master at sailing them, and was a frequent competitor at regattas in his time.

On the Hebridean Isle of Lewis a substantially different style of boat evolved in the Ness district. Situated on the exposed northern tip of the island, any boat had to negotiate the wide expanse of the North Minch and the Atlantic. With a fishing area that included the remote outposts of North Rona and Sulasgeir, the boats, the Sgoth Niseach. which varied in size from twenty-five feet to around thirty-feet in length, were heavily built in comparison with the Shetland boats. Like all traditional island boats they were clinker-built of larch strakes on grown-oak frames. They were quite full in the beam and relatively high-sided, and were excellent load-carriers, often tested to the limit when returning from the fishing grounds loaded with fish, wet nets, and the normal complement of six.....

Books by John MacAulay:
Birlinn, Longships of the Hebrides
(White Horse Press)

Seal-folk and Ocean Paddlers
( White Horse Press)

click on icon to view line
drawing of 19ft sailing boat

Glossary of Terms used
in this article