Wick fishing boats

[peter macdonald]

No Tony the Girl Mina was taken in as well She was used in Scapa but spent most of the war around Oban

[Kenn]

Absolutely fascinating thread .
I too come from a fishing port and fortunately a local family have kept a record of the boats and crews in words,documents,photos and films, this has now been attached to the town website and sure had me off down memory lane.
I wonder if at some point Wick Heritage Centre might be able to do a similiar excercise or if that is some thing already in hand having perused their fabulous photo collection.

[Fly]

Fly many thanks for the correction . I saw a picure of the crew of the Enterprise recently taken in 1955 when they picked up the crew from the Aberdeen trawler Gava which went ashore on the Pentland Skerries ..Malcolm Steven George Swanson Wull Steven and one other whose name escapes me for the moment
Again thanks
PM

Could it possibly be Bobby Sutherland?

[peter macdonald]

Fly Spot on!! That was the name Ill see if can put the picture on here
I think the Smiling Morn was also on War service The boat that became Chance WK126 in 1954 was also in Scapa during WW2 when she was owned in Lossiemouth Her name during that period was the Screwtater
PM

[Tighsonas4]

the spray was skippered by a chap from yarmouth but he was a brother in law of the thomsons of lossie.alister sutherland from wick was on her
and robbie coghill and jimmag somebody from keiss
there was boats from every port right down the east coast
in most cases they left the nane but took the numbers off tony

[caroline]

Love this thread. Two fishing boats I know of in my Caithness family :

Sweetpea owner Neil Stewart he was also a coxswain and think he was one of the people honoured for his bravery concerning the Norway boat mentioned previously.

Kate crew I know of John Manson & Donald Leith (my gr grandfathfather)

Does anyone know if there is a list recorded somewhere in the Caithness Archives recording the boatbuilders names and years of the fishing boat been built. My Jack family where mostly boatbuilders.

[Tighsonas4]

hi old neil stewart had the sweet pea wk 12 and young neil would have been with him. young neil was cox on the lifeboat for years and was also assistant harbour master and then harbour master
he had several awards. have seen them but dont know what they were for tony

[brokencross]

Was surfing and found this by accident from the Old Pultney website so acknowledgment to them, contains footage of herring days plus advert/info on the whisky production as well. Worth a little look and listen. http://www.oldpulteney.com/playclip.php?id=heritage4

[George Brims]

There were 2 Fisher Boys that Jimmy Bremner had ,the first one was built in Wick and was wrecked on Thurso beach in a gale in the early 1950s the second one was also built in Wick and was wrecked on Brimms Ness around 1956

Choost wan "m" in Brims please, Peter!

[weedonald]

From my old photos

[peter macdonald]

Wee Donald Looks like the Branch WK294 from Helmsdale She was sold to Ullapool in 1972 and finished up in Northbay Barra She was bought to Helmsdale by John Innes in 1964 having been registered ME158 She was built in Fraserburgh in 1951

[horseman]

peter macdonald = memory that could outstrip an ellephant or access to a lot of records-what ever way-well done you,very comprehensive an well presented.
Can claim to know r.swanson (num),an there would be loads more, but memory will not sretch that far. I went out once with my brother in law alla swanson (an that was enough for me) I was never designed for boats, memories of deadliest catch, but I cannot recall the boats name. sandy plowman figures along about that time too.But again a blank is in place.But as I said before well done for your smashing posts.

[Average]

Seonaid Skipper Donnie Calder then Dod Bremner (or was it one of the Dunbars) WK29
North Star Skipper Hugh Calder WK29
Silver Cloud (two boats) Skippered by George Carter WK80 WK270
Deveronside Skipper Donald Calder WK176
Fram Skipper Noel Sutherland WK28
Moira Skipper Alec Calder then Noel Sutherland WK439
Restless Wave Skipper Alec Calder WK439
Alban Skipper Alec Cowie WK222
Fairy Queen Skipper Donnie Calder WK204
Wanderer Skipper Billy Keith WK501
Procure Skipper Jack Young WK186
Cordelia Skipper Don Carter WK226
Valena Skipper George Carter ??
Loch Lorna Skipper Donald Cormack WK156
Morvenna Skipper Alec Calder WK439
Restless Wave 11 Skipper Jim Dunbar WK339
Glad Tidings Skipper John George Forbes ??

A list of the top of my head so any more ?? ;-))))

Was ther a boat called the Souter Lass or something similar. It was green. I remember as a boy getting a shot of steering it towards Lybster Harbour on one of the harbour trust days. edit, actually may have been thinking of the Restless wave, was that green? Think it was the "sister ship" of the silver cloud.

One Lybster boat which mean alot to me is the Maple Leaf, Owned by Jock Canadian. My old man used to work on it occasionally. Is Jock still alive.

[peter macdonald]

Average Aye the Restless Wave was green as was the Alban
Two Lybster boats i could not remember the numbers of were the Glad Tidings WK372 and Valena WK99

A couple of Wick boats I cant remember but was told of were the Sunbeam , Sprig and the Bonito WK20 which George More had before he bought the Bluebell The Speedwell was WK3 not as i had written

Horseman its a bit of both re memory and records The memory is fine for stuff like this but if you ask me what happened last week I would not have much of a clue !! The records I have are scribbled down bits of paper Olsens Almanacs various books etc
Ive really enjoyed putting the bits and pieces on here if nothing else to remind people how it once was
PM

[jm.mack]

Another Wick boat I don't think has been mentioned (or just have'nt noticed it) is the Moray Lass, can't remember the skippers name but remember Wull Tait worked aboard her at one time. She was a green boat with the accomodation forward. Can't remember the registration number!

[peter macdonald]

Jim WK167 and the skipper was the late Donald Harper

[horseman]

You can't get much better than that! An I remember she had a pointy bit up front

[Tighsonas4]

peter macdonald = memory that could outstrip an ellephant or access to a lot of records-what ever way-well done you,very comprehensive an well presented.
Can claim to know r.swanson (num),an there would be loads more, but memory will not sretch that far. I went out once with my brother in law alla swanson (an that was enough for me) I was never designed for boats, memories of deadliest catch, but I cannot recall the boats name. sandy plowman figures along about that time too.But again a blank is in place.But as I said before well done for your smashing posts.

hi num was ullas uncle and him and i were pals for years
he wanted me to take a berth when they got the golden eagle but oh declined for me tony

[AllanT]

Another Wick boat I don't think has been mentioned (or just have'nt noticed it) is the Moray Lass, can't remember the skippers name but remember Wull Tait worked aboard her at one time. She was a green boat with the accomodation forward. Can't remember the registration number!

Willie Tait was my father and he part owned the Moray Lass with Donald Harper and Jimmy Jappy. As a bairn in the early 70's every Saturday morning was spent on the Moray Lass. It seemed to be the gathering point for all the other fisherman to gather for a coffee and to get all the crack. This was quite profitable for me as all the men would give me a penny at least after a good week and I would then head off to George Lyall's. Happy days.

I wonder what happened to the Moray Lass after she was sold around 1980?

[Fisherbigin]

What about the Plough, two Sealgairs,two Kestrels that Ron Aitkinhead had.