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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
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.....
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