John
M. MacAulay - Flodabay, - Isle of Harris. - HS3
3HA.
Tel:01859 530340
Builder
of the Hebridean`Birlinn` model
`COASTAL
AND ISLAND BOATS`
The
following is an article written by John MacAulay
a
bygone era. and they carry the identity, at least in name,
if not truly in character, of the original.
There
is a real problem in the lack of an organised training facility
in Scotland for people wishing to learn traditional boat-building
skills, either as a career or a personal interest.
lt
would be natural to assume that boat-building always took place
where there was an adequate supply of suitable timber. This
was true in many instances, and still is in specific regions
throughout the world wherever a sustainable supply of material
exists. One good example is Norway, in particular the Hardanger
Fjord area, regarded as the foundation of Norway's extensive
boat-building industry However, there have been say.other boat-building
areas where absolutely no timber grew. The islands of Shetland,
Orkney and the Outer Hebrides, always completely dependent
on communication by sea do not support the means to fabricate
any kind of boat apart from the primitive hide-covered curragh
or coracle. Yet the finest boats have been built in these islands,
at string. Yet the finest boats have been built in these islands,
at least since the Norse occupation. Some boats were imported
from Norway built in 'knock-down' form, dismantled for transportation,
and reassembled on arrival. It may be assumed that with these
models boat building skills first developed in the islands.
Sawn
timber was later transported from Norway and the Baltic region.
if we consider the current situation in Scotland, we find that
there are very few places where the right materials exist on
the doorstep. We no longer have the specialist sawmills that
supplied the boatyards around the coast.....
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