Wick fishing boats

[coreyjay]

Hi all

Just wondering whether anyone has a picture of Good Hope that they could email me, my father has fond memories of this boat from his childhood and would love to give him a photo of it for his birthday next week if at all possible?

Kind regards

[Venture]

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/

This site is up and running again. You have to register to search for any particular boat. Good luck in finding what you are looking for.:)

[Venture]

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/

For all those who are interested, the site is up and running again.:)

[Tighsonas4]

Aye he was telling me he will have it back up soon but he was gettin pestered with porn pop ups & decided to take it down. A really excellent site, especially some of the pics of old Norrie with the 1st Boy Andrew & the old cine film of the Danish seiner.

When it comes back on Im sure Peter will let us ken
yes amy spoke to him soms time ago and its just as you say but says theres a lot of work in setting it up again but he is working at it regards tony

[peter macdonald]

Katrina Its about a third of the way through its re write >Progress has been slower than 1st thought :-(((( Its getting there though
PM

[Bazeye]

Aye he was telling me he will have it back up soon but he was gettin pestered with porn pop ups

A brucie bonus.

[bonami]

Yes Corejay there is a few pictures on the above mentioned site . One not very pretty of the Good Hope lying derelict and scrapped at Fleetwood her last home port for fishing.

[Even Chance]

Tigh it is up and working now.

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/

Thats not Donalds site. The Ships Nostalgia site has always been up and running.

The site that was and still is down is "wkboats.co.uk"

I'd love to see it up and running again.
Im looking for pics / info of the "Royal Burgh". Any help?

No luck on Trawler photos, Trawler Pictures or Ships Nostalgia sites.

[Amy-Winehouse]

Thats not Donalds site. The Ships Nostalgia site has always been up and running.

The site that was and still is down is "wkboats.co.uk"

I'd love to see it up and running again.
Im looking for pics / info of the "Royal Burgh". Any help?

No luck on Trawler photos, Trawler Pictures or Ships Nostalgia sites.

It was in Peter McDonalds collection on Shipsnostalgia but Peter left & so did all the pictures.

[Even Chance]

Thanks.
Hopefully Peter can help me out then.
I thought I'd seen a pic of her, but couldnt find it when I searched.

[peter macdonald]

Even Chance
From a modelling point of view this is about as good a pic as I have
http://www.trawlerphotos.co.uk/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5631
She was WK561 when built then sold to Macduff renamed Deveronside as in the pic She then came to Lybster as WK176 for Donald Calder Last heard of in Ullapool reg
Hope this helps
She had a backward rake to her mizzen mast
All the best
PM

ps I didnt leave Ship Nostalgia ..I was booted off by the site owner as I was not able to provide copyright proof for pictures my late uncle had taken in the 1940s..and I wasnt going to tell lies about them

[Even Chance]

Excellent info Peter!
I didnt realise she was in WK reg twice. Now theres a choice- what to build.....

Thanks for the info/photo. Theres a link to the wifes family in some way. I now need to dig a wee bit deeper to find out. Classic Alexanders lines on her. Nice.

[Even Chance]

Post number 12 is wrong-

Seagull was owned/skippered by Donald Sutherland

[trinkie]

I came across this in a Caithness Courier dated 1946 - thought it worth putting on here for you all to read -

The Smiling Morn. submitted by Caithness Violinist.

It will be of interest to the people of the royal and ancient Burgh of Wick to know that the Smiling Morn,
a Wick seine-net boat taken over by the Admiralty during the last war, had the unique distinction of bringing
the War Cabinet of that time, including His Majesty the King, to the naval base at Scapa Flow.
Sir Archibald Sinclair, then Air Minister, was the only exception as he arrived by plane.
It is also worthy of note that the skipper and crew were all Caithnessians.
Congratulations to the skipper and crew then on the Smiling Morn. They deserve that.

[Stack Rock]

Very interested to read this. My wifes grandad Tom Gunn was the owner and skipper of the Smiling Morn. He was originally from Keiss and moved into Wick. His daughter Christine was the last herring queen and I recall photos of the boat taking her to the wharf to be crowned. He repaired nets for the Boy Andrew after he retired. I don't remember anyone mentioning the above however.

[trinkie]

Hi Star Rock, very often such things were not mentioned in the family especially during the War , so I'll be interested to hear what you find out. I hope
someone will get in touch with you.
I must correct myself here - It was a kind friend who sent me the article which was found in the newspaper. The Caithness Violinst who wrote it was the Late
Robert MacKay of Halkirk - a much respected man in the north.

[jock leith]

http://www.boatshop24.co.uk/V0hZQjAxLTI0OTczMX5XSFlCMDE=-TRAWLER_Motor_MFV.html This is a link i received from my brother for the sale of the Gleaners,it was sent to my brother by his mate Robbie who's Grandad (Numb) owned the boat,It is selling for 99,550 pounds not a bad price for an old boat,hope this of interest to some of you
regards Jock

[john w]

Also saw recently the "Maid of Honour WK 30" renamed "Incentive 111" still fishing and up for sale in England.
regards john

[bonami]

Interesting right enough Jock. Shes changed a lot since Numbs days no heads then just old 5 gallon tin down the fish hold {no much food hygine} Wonder if thats the same engine I seem to think she had a 4cylinder 75hp gardiner back then. Thats a lot of money for a old boat wonder what she cost back in 1934 maybe a two or three thousand. I seem to remember that Malcom Stevens Maldon was around £ 20'000 new ready for the sea gear and all around 1960. Think this was his own story. Still nice to see the old girl is still around likely she will be for a while yet if shes heritage registered.

[scottishlass]

Also saw recently the "Maid of Honour WK 30" renamed "Incentive 111" still fishing and up for sale in England.
regards john

Hi John and welcome.

Do you know whereabouts she was/is advertised, please?
Kind regards.
scottishlass

[john w]

Not sure of site off hand but I found it by accident when i "googled" the boat name.

[Tricia morgan]

<span style="color:#800080;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span></span>
Alvera Elaine (became Strathdonan) Skipper Alec Mackenzie then Andy Sutherland<br>
Moray Lass Skipper Donald Harper <br>
Bluebell Skipper George More <br>
Boy Peter Skipper John Sinclair then James Sutherland<br>
Girl Linda Skipper Donald Stewart<br>
Girl Mina Skipper Donald Stewart<br>
Girl Angela Skipper James Plowman<br>
Avalon Skipper Donald MacKay <br>
Avalon 11 Skipper Donald MacKay then Raymond Ross<br>
Avalon 111 Skipper Raymond Ross<br>
Enterprise Skipper Malcolm Steven then George Swanson then Pat Nichol<br>
Golden Spinney Skipper John McKenzie then David John Mckenzie <br>
Ocean Swell Skipper William Bain<br>
Starlight Skipper George Sinclair<br>
Convallaria Skipper George Sinclair<br>
Good Hope Skipper George Donn<br>
Quo Vadis Skipper George Donn<br>
Seagull Skipper Thomson Sutherland <br>
Ivy Skipper John MacLeod then jack Ross<br>
Mhari Bhan Skipper John macLeod<br>
Sceptre Skipper John Bisset<br>
Silver Chord Skipper Ian Ritchie<br>
Rosemary Skipper Hugh Calder <br>
Maid of Honour Skipper Jack Carter<br>
Lea Rig Skipper Hugh Carter then Jimmy Carter<br>
Valhalla Skipper Hugh Carter<br>
Quiet Waters Skipper Donald Shearer<br>
Ebeneezer Skipper Ernie Miller then James Sutherland<br>
Olive Leaf Skipper James Sutherland<br>
Girl Ann Skipper Peter Rosie<br>
Maid of Honour Skipper Hugh Carter<br>
Sapphire Skipper Jimmy Carter<br>
Alban Skipper Alex Cowie then Derek MacKillop<br>
Stroma Isle Skipper David Dunnet<br>
Tern Skipper George MacCaughy<br>
Loch Inchard Skipper Desmond McLeod<br>
Star of Peace Skipper John Bremner<br>
Halcyon Skipper Earnie Miller<br>
Harbinger Skipper Donald Miller<br>
Maldon Skipper Malcolm Steven<br>
Pilot Star Skipper Alister Budge<br>
Maldon Skipper Gordon Steven<br>
Superb Skipper Alister Budge<br>
White Heather Skipper William Miller<br>
Golden Eagle Skipper Robert Swanson<br>
El Alamein Skipper William Smith<br>
Alert Skipper Robert More<br>
Andrias Skipper Jack Ross <br>
Rosebank Skipper George Thain <br>
Rival Skipper Bill Wiseman<br>
Stack Rock Skipper Bill Wiseman<br>
Smiling Morn Skipper tom Gunn<br>
Leticia Skipper Sandy Miller<br>
Rose in June Skipper Tom Budge<br>
Faithfull Skipper George More <br>
Laurel Skipper Jack Farquhar <br>
Brighter Morn Skipper Jimmy Gunn<br>
Firecrest Skipper Jack Ross then Sandy Gunn<br>
Royal Burgh Skipper Bill Shearer<br>
Steadfast Skipper Donald Sutherland<br>
Ben Loyal Skipper Jimmy Carter<br>
Fram Skipper Ronnie Sutherland<br>
Heather Anne Skipper Alec Mackenzie <br>
Leandris Skipper Jack Ross<br>
Astra Skipper Ronnie Sutherland <br>
Glen Loth Skipper Andy Sutherland<br>
Earna Skipper Harold Thurop<br>
Pentland Swell Skipper Iver MacKay<br>
Chance Skipper John Sinclair then Donald McKay<br>
Chance Skipper Donald McKay then George More<br>
Gleaners Skipper Roderick Bremner then Robert Swanson<br>
Gleaners 11 Skipper Roderick Bremner then Jim Bremner<br>
Ardent Skipper John Malcolm<br>
Spindrift Skipper Archibald Miller<br>
Kittiwake Skipper John Bremner then Norman Bremner <br>
Crusader Skipper Donald MacKay<br>
Ajax Skipper Alister Budge then Donald Plowman<br>
Spray Skipper John Rosie<br>
Atalanta Skipper Alister budge<br>
Westward Skipper Begg<br>
I just cant mind who had the Economy or the Snowdrop

[Tricia morgan]

My dad George Rosie,He also owned the Golden spinny not sure of the year as it was before I was born in 1965 but I remember the name & being talked about over the years, he was also on the Alban Derek MacKillop & Robbie Taylor Dad left the sea in 1969 but not s ure what happened to the boat, I would love to find out more and if anyone out there has a photo I would love to see it please.

[Tricia morgan]

My dad George Rosie,He also owned the Golden spinny not sure of the year as it was before I was born in 1965 but I remember the name & being talked about over the years, he was also on the Alban Derek MacKillop & Robbie Taylor Dad left the sea in 1969 but not s ure what happened to the boat, I would love to find out more and if anyone out there has a photo I would love to see it please.

[Torvaig]

My dad George Rosie,He also owned the Golden spinny not sure of the year as it was before I was born in 1965 but I remember the name & being talked about over the years, he was also on the Alban Derek MacKillop & Robbie Taylor Dad left the sea in 1969 but not s ure what happened to the boat, I would love to find out more and if anyone out there has a photo I would love to see it please.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=golden spinny &source=web&cd=8&ved=0CFYQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scran.ac.uk%2F000-000-055-203&ei=qvtuT_nLCuWv0QX4n4GNAg&usg=AFQjCNE82izkZ8mk-F125ZVyxcOC1LyL8Q&sig2=olfMndms7EXTzlQcxdkzQg

[Mosser]

Tricia, the skipper of the Rival2 was Alistair Henderson, Bill Wiseman was his partner in the boat and later on the Jeannie McKay renamed Stack Rock

[peedie man]

Bill wiseman was the skipper but alistair had the ticket

[hambo]

Rosemary, Integrity, Restless Wave, Morvena, Transcend all worked out of Wick

[stclair15]

I've just found this thread and have spent ages reading all the posts. Peter Macdonald's knowledge is amazing! And reading names of fishermen and boats has brought my childhood back with a vengeance. My Dad was Willie Smith, skipper of the El Alamein WK235 and my Grampa was Donald Smith who handline fished from the Fruitful WK111. I will have to search through my old photos, if I can find them. I have a photo of the Alamein, taken by John Adams I think. Anyway, It's certainly a professional photo. She's moored in the harbour and I think she'd just been painted egg-shell blue so she was looking beautiful.

I was last home a couple of years ago and saw the marina for the first time...changed days. When I was a child the boats lay berthed three or four deep and I remember clambering over them to get on board the Alamein.

[stclair15]

Made a mistake on my post...the Fruitful was WK511, not WK111.

[allan besant]

Hello Im new to this site and still finding my way around, but I have a query about the WK REGISTERED fishing boat ALERT WK 119. Can anyone tell me if she sold to a David Irvine of Kirkwall Orkney sometime in the late fifties I thank you all Allan

[bonami]

Aye Allan all the Mannies who new all the boats and there history seems to missing from this thread. I am sure I have seen something about the Alert and Davie Irivine on the Orkney Library Archive site but I cant find it now. Peter Macdonald would know the answer to your question you will find him a lot on this thread. I remember as a boy Davie Irvine and Willie Groat coming round the north isles with the Otter Bank in the early 60s. Heard recently that Davies wife belonged to Papay. Hope you find a answer to your question.

[Moira]

Hello Im new to this site and still finding my way around, but I have a query about the WK REGISTERED fishing boat ALERT WK 119. Can anyone tell me if she sold to a David Irvine of Kirkwall Orkney sometime in the late fifties I thank you all Allan

I can't answer your question but am bumping this thread to the top again in the hope that someone else can.

All best. :)

[Torvaig]

This is page 8 of the original thread although it seems to start with Allan Besant's first post.

If you go back to the first post via the list of pages which are listed in the top right hand corner of this page, you should be able to see all the posts that were made on this subject some time ago.

The "Alert" is mentioned as belonging to Robert More on page 12.....but no mention of David Irvine of Orkney.

[Dwstwrt]

Does anyone have any pictures of Neil and/or Alexander Stewart who owned the Sweetpea WK12

[Keyser_soze]

Donley Ill get Peter McDonald on the case. yer better going on Facebooks Northeast fisher folks page coz theres some absolutely briliant pic son there

[jock leith]

Was watching a programme over here in New Zealand about the fishing boats of Cornwall I saw in Newlyn harbour a boat tied up it was WK7 does anyone know the name of this boat etc

[peedie man]

are you sure it was wk7 wk 3 is down that way ben loyal

[bothyman]

are you sure it was wk7 wk 3 is down that way ben loyal

>> http://www.trawlerphotos.co.uk/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=116449&limit=all

[jock leith]

Pretty sure it was wk7 It was on the Programme with Monty Hall when he goes out on a trawler from Newlyn ,the programme was about sustainable fishing etc.

[Big Gaz]

That program will probably have been one of the 6 parts of the fishermans apprenctice that was made by Monty Halls. It was shown a couple years back on BBC2. If it was recently shown on TV down under, it may still be available to watch on catchup?

[bothyman]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41161851@N03/7024151285/

WK7 is this it ??

[bonami]

That's the Rhea wk7 the late Geordie Mores last boat. Think he had her after he decommissioned the Faithful worked a few creels when he wasn't offshore. I always thought she went to Helmsdale but maybe she moved on again.

[Bjartur75]

Danish Fishing Boats fishing from Wick :

Dear All
My name is BjartmarSigurdsson and I am from Iceland. I was reading a thread from Peter on the 15 nov 2008 on page 8.
My Grandfather found a boat on that liststranded on his shore in South Iceland in 1942. The boats name was Annie FN196. Later London registered LO 260 as AnnieII.

Besides the boat he found two membersof the crew dead but other four were never found.
I am on a mission identifying the two men buried in our cemetery at our family farm. For some reasonthey were never identified .....
The skippersname was Ole Larsen. I also have the names of the other members of crew.
I really would appreciate if someone could point me out someinformation on how to get some more info regarding that boat....or crew
All the best
Bjartmar Sigurdsson
bjartmar.sigurdsson@gmail.com

[peter macdonald]

Hi Bjartmar
I have been reading with great interest your quest for details of the Fishing boat Annie FN196. You have done a wonderful job and I congratulate you.
I can add no more other than the vessel fished from Wick Scotland in the mid 1930s and is in the Wick harbour trust records as having done so. In the vessels I have researched both Swedish and Danish who fished from Wick at that time.
I have found at least 6 who were lost in and around WW2 both by weather and war reasons. It is sad that these men are not normally remembered other than by close family. Again Bjartmar you have done a quite amazing job Thank you!!!!!

[penlea1954]

Royal Burgh (WK561) Skipper Bill Shearer (Beelie Caa) was my Granda and I have a photograph of the boat taken in 1949 which can be seen on Klickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37542644@N04/14712707067/

[bonami]

Its on this thread somewhere that Royal Burgh was built by Alexanders in Wick. She was sold to Macduff and was named Deveronside. She was then bought by Donald Calder Lybster and became WK registered again.

[penlea1954]

bonami, thanks for the info, I have seen a photograph of the Deveronside when I searched for the Royal Burgh.

[dandare]

My wife, Jo Sutherland, is the niece of Donnie Angus' wife, Esie. Her Mum and Elsie were sisters.

[Caithness Archives]

Hi Allan, just to say that the Caithness Archive Centre in the library has many of the original registers of Wick-registered fishing boats from the 1860s to the 1980s. I had a quick look but there were a lot of vessels called "ALERT" - none that I saw were WK 119, sorry.

Gordon, Caithness Archives

[Mosser]

WK 119 Alert was one of the Wick "day fleet" as they were called, a seine netter, skipper Robert More

[John Page]

Hi, I'm looking for any information on a M/V Dove WK 296 that my Grandfather was a deckhand on in 1938, the description I believe to be correct but I can find no record of it anywhere. Noticed you have a fair list and seem to know your boats can you help?

[John Page]

Alvera Elaine (became Strathdonan) Skipper Alec Mackenzie then Andy Sutherland
Moray Lass Skipper Donald Harper
Bluebell Skipper George More
Boy Peter Skipper John Sinclair then James Sutherland
Girl Linda Skipper Donald Stewart
Girl Mina Skipper Donald Stewart
Girl Angela Skipper James Plowman
Avalon Skipper Donald MacKay
Avalon 11 Skipper Donald MacKay then Raymond Ross
Avalon 111 Skipper Raymond Ross
Enterprise Skipper Malcolm Steven then George Swanson then Pat Nichol
Golden Spinney Skipper John McKenzie then David John Mckenzie
Ocean Swell Skipper William Bain
Starlight Skipper George Sinclair
Convallaria Skipper George Sinclair
Good Hope Skipper George Donn
Quo Vadis Skipper George Donn
Seagull Skipper Thomson Sutherland
Ivy Skipper John MacLeod then jack Ross
Mhari Bhan Skipper John macLeod
Sceptre Skipper John Bisset
Silver Chord Skipper Ian Ritchie
Rosemary Skipper Hugh Calder
Maid of Honour Skipper Jack Carter
Lea Rig Skipper Hugh Carter then Jimmy Carter
Valhalla Skipper Hugh Carter
Quiet Waters Skipper Donald Shearer
Ebeneezer Skipper Ernie Miller then James Sutherland
Olive Leaf Skipper James Sutherland
Girl Ann Skipper Peter Rosie
Maid of Honour Skipper Hugh Carter
Sapphire Skipper Jimmy Carter
Alban Skipper Alex Cowie then Derek MacKillop
Stroma Isle Skipper David Dunnet
Tern Skipper George MacCaughy
Loch Inchard Skipper Desmond McLeod
Star of Peace Skipper John Bremner
Halcyon Skipper Earnie Miller
Harbinger Skipper Donald Miller
Maldon Skipper Malcolm Steven
Pilot Star Skipper Alister Budge
Maldon Skipper Gordon Steven
Superb Skipper Alister Budge
White Heather Skipper William Miller
Golden Eagle Skipper Robert Swanson
El Alamein Skipper William Smith
Alert Skipper Robert More
Andrias Skipper Jack Ross
Rosebank Skipper George Thain
Rival Skipper Bill Wiseman
Stack Rock Skipper Bill Wiseman
Smiling Morn Skipper tom Gunn
Leticia Skipper Sandy Miller
Rose in June Skipper Tom Budge
Faithfull Skipper George More
Laurel Skipper Jack Farquhar
Brighter Morn Skipper Jimmy Gunn
Firecrest Skipper Jack Ross then Sandy Gunn
Royal Burgh Skipper Bill Shearer
Steadfast Skipper Donald Sutherland
Ben Loyal Skipper Jimmy Carter
Fram Skipper Ronnie Sutherland
Heather Anne Skipper Alec Mackenzie
Leandris Skipper Jack Ross
Astra Skipper Ronnie Sutherland
Glen Loth Skipper Andy Sutherland
Earna Skipper Harold Thurop
Pentland Swell Skipper Iver MacKay
Chance Skipper John Sinclair then Donald McKay
Chance Skipper Donald McKay then George More
Gleaners Skipper Roderick Bremner then Robert Swanson
Gleaners 11 Skipper Roderick Bremner then Jim Bremner
Ardent Skipper John Malcolm
Spindrift Skipper Archibald Miller
Kittiwake Skipper John Bremner then Norman Bremner
Crusader Skipper Donald MacKay
Ajax Skipper Alister Budge then Donald Plowman
Spray Skipper John Rosie
Atalanta Skipper Alister budge
Westward Skipper Begg
I just cant mind who had the Economy or the Snowdrop

Hi, I'm looking for any information on a M/V Dove WK 296 that my Grandfather was a deckhand on in 1938, the description I believe to be correct but I can find no record of it anywhere. Noticed you have a fair list and seem to know your boats can you help?

[wideopen1944]

I worked for the grocers next door to Donnie angus and we supplied the boats also my father was on the quiet waters also my cousin William reid also Norrie bremner

yours don shearer

[jock leith]

I was a message boy with Donnie Angus in 1966-68 Willie Cogill ?? was the other butcher working there,was a great boss,loved every minute of delivering the meat to the boats,there were so many in the day.Its sad to see it so empty of fishing boats when I visit.

[Hen Broon]

I'm not sure if this link has been posted before, gives some information and nice pictures of some of the boats from the towns past.
just click on the boats your interested in.

https://pihlsite.wordpress.com/2016/04/18/wick-registered-white-fishing-boats/

[The Horseman]

An incredible number of boats and pics.

[stumpy]

I'm not sure if this link has been posted before, gives some information and nice pictures of some of the boats from the towns past.
just click on the boats your interested in.

https://pihlsite.wordpress.com/2016/04/18/wick-registered-white-fishing-boats/

Thanks Hen, that's a great site, just been looking at some of the Thurso and Scrabster boats.

[wavy davy]

I'm not sure if this link has been posted before, gives some information and nice pictures of some of the boats from the towns past.
just click on the boats your interested in.

https://pihlsite.wordpress.com/2016/04/18/wick-registered-white-fishing-boats/

Thanks for that Hen, great resource.

[Michael McLaughlin]

I don't know how to work this site. Perhaps someone could point me in the right direction! I'm trying to track the history of a Stroma yole (WK431) for Orkney Historic Boat Society. She was bullt on Stroma around the end of the 19C and registered for fishing by Stroma man David Manson in 1912. The registration was closed in 1941. What happened to her after that? Any leads would be very much appreciated>

[noggin]

I asked my Dad about this and he asked another person who used to live on Stroma . They provided copy of a newspaper article that said the boat sank in 1974. `3 men were on board : skipper Sandy Gunn, Ackergill ; Robert Munro. Staxigoe and a temporary hand`. The boat was holed on rocks at the NW corner of Stroma. All were rescued, moments before it sank. The Longhope lifeboat and `Stroma Isle`raced to help. It was the `M.V. Viking`, skippered by James Simpson, Canisbay, who was line-fishing in the area, that hauled the `Tern` off the rocks.

I hope this is of some help.

[Bill Fernie]

UNIQUE STEAM DRIFTER LOTTIE 'SAILS' HOME TO WICK

WK15 model - an item by Bill Mowat - http://community.caithness.org/article.php?id=6361

[johnjake]

I asked my Dad about this and he asked another person who used to live on Stroma . They provided copy of a newspaper article that said the boat sank in 1974. `3 men were on board : skipper Sandy Gunn, Ackergill ; Robert Munro. Staxigoe and a temporary hand`. The boat was holed on rocks at the NW corner of Stroma.like cheap canoe (https://canoesurfer.net/best-cheap-canoe). All were rescued, moments before it sank. The Longhope lifeboat and `Stroma Isle`raced to help. It was the `M.V. Viking`, skippered by James Simpson, Canisbay, who was line-fishing in the area, that hauled the `Tern` off the rocks.

I hope this is of some help.

I read your post and search history related to boat sank in 1974 so i find that "e webThe fishing vessel Gaul was a deep sea factory ship based at Hull, United Kingdom. She sank some time on the night of the 8-9 February 1974 in storm conditions in the Barents Sea, north of Norway. Thirty-six crew were lost in the worst peacetime disaster to befall the UK fishing " is this true or not......?
kindly conform year of that newspaper or any other details for this article....?

[Bill Fernie]

Opportune WK171
The Opportune has left fishing and in case anyone missed the story it was in the John O'Groat Journal 19th November 2019.
https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/last-catch-for-wick-registered-fishing-boat-after-40-years-186498/

Written by Jean Gunn - Reporter - Photos on the link above.

AFTER a career spanning 40 years the Wick-registered fishing boat Opportune (WK171) has landed her last catch.

The seine-netter was given a fond farewell as she set sail from Scrabster on Sunday evening en route to Peterhead on the first stage of her voyage to Hartlepool, where she will take up a new role in the offshore wind sector.

To mark the occasion, the owners, Bremner Fishing Company, donated the last box of fish from the boat to the Seafarers Memorial Group in Wick.

At the auction the box of cod was sold for £150 to Scrabster Seafoods, with another five buyers – H & D Calder, Thomson International Ltd, Bell's Seafood, JPL Shellfish (Scotland) Ltd and Fish in Crieff – all donating £100 each. Scrabster Seafoods also put in an additional £100, with the Bremner Fishing Company bringing the total raised up to £1000.

Owner Andrew Bremner explained: "Normally when a new boat starts service it is tradition that you donate your first box of fish for charity. We just thought it would be nice to to donate the last box of fish out of the Opportune after 40 years at sea.

"There is no memorial in Wick for seafarers and we are trying to help raise funds to put up a fitting memorial on the Braehead."

On the decision to sell the boat, Mr Bremner said: "It was always part of the long-term plan when we built the new Boy Andrew three years ago that we would go down to operating one boat."

He went on to say that the present fish quotas had also influenced the decision.

The timing was also aimed to coincide with the retiral of the skipper David Fraser, of Lybster, who received a lifetime achievement award for his services earlier this year.

Mr Bremner said: "The Oppertune was built in 1979 for my father. I was skipper on board for seven years before David Fraser took over for the last 33 years.

"She has been an extremely successful boat and has given employment to local fishermen over the many years she has been here. First of all she was called the Boy Andrew III and was built in the Campbeltown shipyard in 1979."

He added; "I would personally like to thank all the crewmen, past and present, who have been on board the Boy Andrew/Opportune."

The reality of it all has not quite sunk in yet with the skipper, who has spent 40 years on the same boat, as his duties in the wheelhouse will not come to an end until he delivers the Opportune to her new owners in Hartlepool where she will take up duties as a guard ship at an offshore wind farm.

First the seine-netter will be spending a few days in Peterhead where she will have her WK171 registration swapped for HL6. Then in around a week's time she will set off for County Durham.

"I will not be fishing on her again," Mr Fraser said. "It has been my home for 40 years and it will be strange when I finally come ashore from Hartlepool. I am 65 now and cannot go on for ever."

The retiring skipper, who has been with the company since March 1974, added: "We have had the same crew for about 20 years. It is the end of the line."

The other crew members of the Wick-registered boat are Michael Munro, Lybster, Alistair Jappy, Helmsdale, David Mackay, Wick, Keith Macadie, Wick, and Magnus Cowie, Helmsdale, who will also be retiring.

Bremner Fishing Company hopes to be able to employ the remaining four members of crew on the Boy Andrew, working a rota system.

[orkneycadian]

He went on to say that the present fish quotas had also influenced the decision.

Such a shame that even this close to Independence Day, that the EU and the CFP is still causing the demise of the local fishing fleet.

[Gronnuck]

This from Graeme Goodall in Buckie, Moray.

Scottish Fishing

LIVING in Moray, I found it infuriating to see placards everywhere depicting a smiling Haddock draped in the Union Jack proclaiming that a vote to leave the EU would “Save Our Fishing”.
Moray was the closest-run district in the whole of Scotland in the EU referendum, with entire family dynasties with links to fishing casting their vote to leave based purely on the misguided mantra that the EU is responsible for the demise of the fishing industry in Scotland.
As a former fisherman during the 1980s, and at that time part owner of new-built 65-foot trawler, I think it is time for all of our fishing communities to face up to some hard truths about the fishing industry and at whom the finger of blame for its demise should be pointed.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, the Scottish fleet had become the biggest and most powerful in Europe, to the point where the catching power far outstripped the resource. Boatyards were booming and so were the local economies.
The vast majority of these vessels, however, including the one in which I was a partner, were built with the help of a 50 per cent EU grant. Without this, the boat could never have been built. The same applies to the vast majority of boats built in Scotland in that era.
As this new generation of boats, equipped with the cutting-edge of fish-finding equipment, became larger and ever more powerful, the need to catch more fish to fund them increased. New methods of pair trawling utilising much heavier and larger nets were developed, as well as twin-rig trawling with one powerful vessel towing two large nets. This effectively rendered no single area of the seabed, including the spawning grounds, safe from the Scottish fleets’ nets. Many owners had two rotating crews that would change over straight after landing so that the vessel turned right around and was constantly at sea, hammering the fishing grounds seven days a week.
A Catch-22 situation was created where the large boats were so expensive to run and heavily financed that they couldn’t afford to stop fishing for a single day!
By the end of the early 1990s the fish stocks were utterly devastated, with landings down vastly year on year and cod on the brink of extinction and haddock and whiting heading the same way. Extreme action had to be taken, with quota cuts and days at sea being introduced by the EU as the stark scientific data was presented but almost immediately and unsurprisingly dismissed by fishing industry leaders as unproven nonsense.
The EU grants for new vessels had stopped, but young ambitious skippers then turned to the big banks to finance even more powerful super trawlers being built both at Scottish and European yards, which were designed to work in the most extreme conditions at the outer reaches of the continental shelf and Rockall. The traditional inner waters had now been fished out and decimated, not by the EU but by our own Scottish fleet. The EU finally took drastic action when many fish species teetered on the brink of never recovering, and quotas were immediately cut again to the point where the new larger vessels were struggling to stay viable.
To rein in the size of the fleet, a short-term decommissioning incentive scheme based on the vessels’ tonnage and horsepower was introduced, with a maximum compensation of £1 million for the largest vessels. Skippers who had gambled by building multimillion-pound vessels at foreign yards now found themselves at the mercy of the banks to whom they had turned to finance their venture. Cold, hard economics of the banks decided the fate of many young north-east skippers as the unsympathetic banks decided to cut their losses at the fear of further quota cuts and grab the decommissioning payment while it was available, resulting in almost brand new multimillion-pound vessels sailing to the scrapyards of Denmark to be cut up and their owners made bankrupt with their livelihoods in ruins. Many other boat-owners decided to accept the decommissioning grants as well due to a mass migration of crews to the oil industry, adding to the already intolerable stress of trying to stay viable in impossible circumstances.
Today, fish stocks are recovering to healthy levels, but only thanks to EU intervention. Had the Scottish fleet been allowed to continue as it was the end-game would have been the same for the fleet, but there would have been no fish stocks today and no recovery. Many fishing families fished ethically, but if fishermen – especially those from that era who are blaming the EU while waving a Union Jack – need to point the finger at anyone for the tragic demise of the industry and our communities, then I suggest they take a good long look in the mirror.

Another interesting article on the UK fishing industry; https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/11/brexit-uk-fishermen-fishing-industry-quotas-uk-government

[orkneycadian]

An interesting piece. Thanks for posting.

[jo_hal]

During the 80's I served in the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron. Back then the Royal Navy had over 20 vessels dedicated to this task. All the ships were based at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Rosyth. On some occasions, Royal Air Force Nimrod aircraft would assist us. The Government back then spent a lot of money to protect our fishing grounds. It was still not enough as the majority of arrests we made were for excessive quotes caught & undersized nets. In all the time I served in the FPS, less than a handful of arrested fishing boats were UK registered. Most were from Europe, particularly one large country who were infamous for illegal fishing. In my experience UK fishermen were not the problem for our dwindling fish stocks.

[orkneycadian]

Having had some time to read and digest the above 2 very interesting posts, what can we glean?

A quick Google soon finds Graeme Goodalls Twitter page - @graemegoodall29 - which features an aerial photo of Findochty Harbour, and where Mr Goodall describes himself as

"Engineer and Scottish Independence to the absolute core."

His webpage is referred to as "stickyertvlicenceupyerarse.com" and his location is patriotically stated as being in Stavangar, Norway. So not quite the Buckie fisherman he may first appear.

Aside from his eloquncy in picking websites to link to on his Twitter page, he seems to be a prolific and vociferous contributor to Scexit supporting website's, including that of his fellow Scottish patriot who lives in Bath, who runs the Wings over Scotland blog.

So it might be expected that Mr Goodall has opinions that are aligned with the SNP and the Scexiteers.

The second posting seems to come from someone with a lot more industry experience.

In all, very interesting reading, and a few revelations once you start investigating a bit deeper.

[Gronnuck]

Having had some time to read and digest the above 2 very interesting posts, what can we glean?

A quick Google soon finds Graeme Goodalls Twitter page - @graemegoodall29 - which features an aerial photo of Findochty Harbour, and where Mr Goodall describes himself as

"Engineer and Scottish Independence to the absolute core."

His webpage is referred to as "stickyertvlicenceupyerarse.com" and his location is patriotically stated as being in Stavangar, Norway. So not quite the Buckie fisherman he may first appear.

Aside from his eloquncy in picking websites to link to on his Twitter page, he seems to be a prolific and vociferous contributor to Scexit supporting website's, including that of his fellow Scottish patriot who lives in Bath, who runs the Wings over Scotland blog.

So it might be expected that Mr Goodall has opinions that are aligned with the SNP and the Scexiteers.

The second posting seems to come from someone with a lot more industry experience.

In all, very interesting reading, and a few revelations once you start investigating a bit deeper.

A good bit of research orkneycadian, well done. While we're on the subject of fishing; I did read somewhere that the UK has been the only member state of the EU to allow the selling on of Fishing Quotas, many of 'our' quotas have gone to Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese fishing companies. Can you throw any light on this?

[orkneycadian]

As we are still in the EU (just), then there is nothing to stop EU nations, or companies based in the EU buying British boats to access the UK quota. Some reading for you here.....

https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2019/03/07/fishing-brexit-uk-fleetwood/

Particularly;

"The Spanish vessel owners in question were (and still are) known as “quota hoppers” – fishermen from other countries who had bought British boats and licences to gain access to the UK’s fishing quota.Quota hoppers have long been a source of deep resentment for British fishermen. They are held up as evidence for the widely-held view that European Union membership has been a raw deal for the UK’s fishing industry, and the origin of its decline. Their presence on the UK fishing register has been controversial from the eighties to the present day (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/foreigners-to-net-uk-fish-after-brexit-hpf6njhvt), and was one driver of the huge support for Brexit in coastal towns."

[Gronnuck]

As we are still in the EU (just), then there is nothing to stop EU nations, or companies based in the EU buying British boats to access the UK quota. Some reading for you here.....

https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2019/03/07/fishing-brexit-uk-fleetwood/

Particularly;

"The Spanish vessel owners in question were (and still are) known as “quota hoppers” – fishermen from other countries who had bought British boats and licences to gain access to the UK’s fishing quota.Quota hoppers have long been a source of deep resentment for British fishermen. They are held up as evidence for the widely-held view that European Union membership has been a raw deal for the UK’s fishing industry, and the origin of its decline. Their presence on the UK fishing register has been controversial from the eighties to the present day (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/foreigners-to-net-uk-fish-after-brexit-hpf6njhvt), and was one driver of the huge support for Brexit in coastal towns."

I can understand the resentment British Fishermen feel towards "quota hoppers" but that then raises the question who sold their boats and their quotas to these 'outsiders'?
It's a bit like the the people of Cornwall complaining about the lack of affordable housing when the housing stock has been sold off for holiday cottages for the wealthy from London and the home counties.

[Bill Fernie]

A New Boat At Scrabster WK4 Osprey

https://fishingnews.co.uk/features/osprey-wk-4-holborn-fishing-company-takes-delivery-of-19m-vivier-crabber-from-parkol-marine-engineering/ (https://fishingnews.co.uk/features/osprey-wk-4-holborn-fishing-company-takes-delivery-of-19m-vivier-crabber-from-parkol-marine-engineering/)