Wick fishing boats

What about the one where the WK boat had a disgusting water tank , with a fine rusty colour of water coming through so the cook decided to boil the mince with lemonade instead :eek:

Another story of a WK boat was when the crew needed to cut a bad bit of rope out then splice the 2 ends back together so that they could shoot the gear. Well none of the crew were much good at splicing so the Skipper obviously didnt trust them & asked for the ropes to be handed in the wheelhouse windows.
Only thing was, he was handed one end in the starboard window & one end through the forrad facing window !! He was halfway through splicing it when he realised what he was doing & went mental as his crew were ending themselves laughing at him[lol]

Another WK boat had a skipper who was noted for being a bookworm, of sorts, He would read his book no matter what but quite often hed get to the 4th last page only to find the rest of the book had strangely ripped out[lol] Not just the once either. The devils!!!

talking of smaller harbours our friend took the golden eagle into staxigoe on high tide . tied her up at the north side
the bairns were aboard puttting off flairs etc and he was telling what house to aim for [lol]he got one side painted and he had put an anchor out
when he decided to leave he couldnt get the anchor in so cut it adrift
and its there to this day tony

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Originally Posted by Amy-Winehouse

My brother says you missed out!!!
Copinsay!!!![lol] Skaill Bay, The skerries, The Grandstand, The Noup, 16 miles the back of the sule, Suleskerry.
Smith Bank, Jocky Bhans, Jean Dugle , The Skater!!! The Skate hole , The sooth deeps, the cock, navidale hole,

in no particular order Im afraid- He says he was at Rockall & St.Kilda in bigger boats from elsewhere but [Copinsay was the one he dreaded the most- sma` haddies with their eyes no open yet!!"]

Absolute slaughter but the crack was pretty good, rather him than me

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Wis all large haddies ye got at Coupinshaw:confused

Fishing grunds at the westard,The Houp,Geo dick,Black hole,Sands,Scottigeo,The Banks,the Bocht,High dans,Dan Taylors,the Squeeze,the white rock,Hole o' Portskerra,Trinkie Sandside,Scullumie,Point o' Strathy,Blue mountain,Maggie Fleming, Cousea,North east corner o' Stormy,Grandstand,stoolie,stook,close up to the Sule,shaal o' the Sule,the stack,Gaza strip,Nun bank,solan bank,whiten head bank,Smasher,the poles the Black o'whiten Hd,islands,Naver,Armadale,the bankie, the tackets,cnoc na fiddoch,go west to the mooth o' the loch,Smoo,Balnakiel,shepherds bay and the Staigs at the Cape;)

Aye Captain Swanson was certainly a character but as was said earlier wasnt a bad sort and personally I found him very interesting and a clever man.He was a excellant navigator in fog. There is another story of him fishing Rackwick in the company of 3 or 4 other boats when thick fog came down the Good Hope was one and the only one with radar fitted. He called up the rest of the boats and suggested they follow him home they all did except Capt Swanson who stated he had no need to follow anyone. He then had another tow and when the rest of the boats got to Wick they found him at the mart landing his fish. Another time he was at Whiten Hd at a small bight I cant remember the name off . Star o Peace was allready shot and hauled his codend aboard empty. Gleaners shot his net that close he could nearly put codend on the beach and hauled aboard 40 boxes of jumbo haddocks of course that was him off home to mother Mackays a place he was very fond off. He certainly knew his job but was a bit to keen on the amber liquid in his later years.

I only really got to know Captain Swanson in his later years..but as has been said he was a very smart cookie , .When trying to pick up a dahn in showery misty weather without any electronic aids it must have been like trying to find a moving needle in a moving haystack
Amazing skill the old guys had which I dont think people ever really appreciated . Unfortunately I can only think of a couple of skippers left now who worked clock and compass ..there must be a heck of a lot of knowledge in the cemetry
PM

he had his good points too. there was one time for some reason he was told to dump his fish
he said dump nothing get a old lorry here load it and take half to staxigoe and a half to ackergill and tell the villiagers to help themselves
beel dunnet obliged and was told where to leave it tony

DANNY ALEXANDERS BOATS
can anyone fill in the blanks
VENUS WK33 BUILT FOR MCKAYS OF DUNBEATH SOLD TO STROMNESS 1959 AND THEN ???
fsher boy wk150built for bremners of wick lost at thurso 1949
GIRL MINA WK172 BUILT FOR STEWARTS WICK SOLD TO SANDAY NOW BROKEN UP
PENTLAND SWELL WK353 BUILT FOR THURSO FISH SELLIING CO BECAME MAYFLOWER FR210 IN FRASERBURGH THEN ???
ROYAL BURGH WK 561 BUILT FOR WILLIAM SHEARER SOLD TO MCDUFF THEN BACK TO LYBSTER AS DEVERSONSIDE WK176 THEN TO ULLAPOOL ?????
GOOD HOPE WK 209 BUILT FOR DONN LATHERONWHEEL SOLD TO FLEETWOOD NOW LYING DERLICT
FISHER BOY WK 150 BUILT FOR BREMNERS WICK LOST BRIMS NESS1953
TWO BOYSWK151 BUILT FOR PLOWMAN WENT TO THURSO THEN IRELAND IN1960 THEN ????
ENTERPRISE WK 229 BUILT FOR J ROSIE KEISS SUNK OFF NOSS HEAD 1975
OCEAN SWELL WK 23 BUILT FOR BAIN WICK SOLD TO LOSSIE AS OSPREY INS 142 THEN ???
GOLDEN DAWN WK 173 BUILT FOR ADAMSON WICK SOLD TO IRELAND AND???
GOLDEN CHANCE WK22 FOR GILBERT REID THURSO SOLD TO MARYPORT BROKEN UP RECENTLY
ANY ONE KNOW THE ONES IN QUESTION REGARDS TONY

To all the wonderful Orgers who have made this such a nostalgic walk down memory lane I would like to Wish each and every one of you

ALL THE VERY BEST FOR A QUIET AND PEACEFULL XMAS AND GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS FOR 2009:)

Jock Leith

Pentland Swell then Mayflower FR210 left the fishing industry in 1972 The Golden Dawn went to Northern Ireland ..The Two Boys went to Eire after John Macleod (cowg) died
William James Coull had her just before she left Thurso in 1960

Jock Keep well and have a nice Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and the family
PM

thanks for setting this agoing jock
and will now wish you and yours all the very best over the festive season and for 2009
and the same to you pm tony

This was one of the best threads so I wish all contributers a very merry christmas and all the best for the coming year and I hope they keep them coming!!

I don't know diddly about fishing boats but this is a super thread -- really interesting.

Ocean Swell after she left lossie became a houseboat in SE England possibly Burnham on Crouch

Many thanks Jock for getting this going and best wishes to Tony and all who read and write on here
PM

An0other bit of fishing ground we missed out was the Riddles (how could we???) Also Spittal Hill was another favoiurite.

As for the Stack Rock, she is on the Tyne as a houseboat , or so im told- hope this helps, I was sent a pic of her but old Wiseman would turn in his grave if he seen her now!!!

Amy ..one I forgot about from Helmsdale ..The Enterprise 2 that Neil Mackay had in the 1960s WK319 She was bought from Stornaway 12.12.64 and was sold to Belfast 21.9.67
Owners H T and N Mackay she was built in Fraserburgh in 1940 50ft loa 20.95 Tonns Gross and Nett
There was one called the Kitty Mackay which may interest you WK357 LOA 36ft Keel 32 ft Beam 12 ft 9.33 Tonns gross and Nett Built in Banff in 1921 ex Snowdrop BF 493 Owned bt T J and G Mackay from 1/2/29 until 25.10.40 when she was sold to Peterhead

All best
PM

Peter someone e-mailed me recently and asked about Jonners Sinclair and the little crab boats he owned,I had a quick look through the thread but did not see his boats mentioned.Do you know the names of any of his boats.
??? Would they be big enough to warrant registration ???
Regards JL

Just a thought........ Was having lunch one day overlooking the harbour in Toronto, Ontario and spotted what looked like the bow and wheel house of a traditional Wick/ Lybster fishing boat...(Was born and brought up in Lybster).
So I investigated and found .....now I think a 1940's.. 60+ or - footer which was gaff rigged...mast and brown sails docked at the waterfront. Rather a strange sight especially when everything else was exotic.....e.g. 30-65' newer power boats... Donzi cigarette boat,
Carver power boats and the like.
Eventually I spoke with the owner....Built I think on the North East Coast of Scotland, went to Holland and there was rigged with the mast, then sailed to the eastern Seaboard of Canada/ Thence thru the Great Lkes to lake Ontario. The owner spent several years re-doing the inside and then put it in the water...fresh water and it started leaking like a sieve.So he had it dry docked and basically replace some planks and have the(packing) done again...
So I asked him how he was able to get rid of the fish smell and his reply....That was dealt with by the smell of diesel! Kinda nice inside altho quite rough. Was going to follow his journey but lost him. He did say that he needed a gale to move him and the 'thing' went sideways...No keel! And was going round the World.....nearly joined him!

Jock
Off the top of my head ...The Be in Time ,the Westering, Gril Mina (ex Lybster one)
Johners had the Ebeneezer and I think the Glad Tidings at the seine net as well as one which was never in WK registration (I think) Golden Strand? If I get a chance later in the week Ill check it out
They were all registered if used commercially for fishing .eg Be In Time was WK430
He was also emergency coxswain of Wick Lifeboat
PM

www.wkboats.co.uk

What a wonderful collection of pictures, great that they are preserved.
Am I right in thinking that The Opportune is the one regularly into Scrabster?

Cheers for the link Peter. A really brilliant site, excellently put together.

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Originally Posted by peter macdonald

www.wkboats.co.uk

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I was shown this site a month ago but I didnt think it was ready to be revealed yet?

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Originally Posted by peter macdonald

www.wkboats.co.uk

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a nice site well done.

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Originally Posted by Amy-Winehouse

I was shown this site a month ago but I didnt think it was ready to be revealed yet?

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me likewise but it carried no names thenbut was in the process of being set up
well done eh tony

Very good site. Well done I am sure there will be many viewers.

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Originally Posted by peter macdonald

Aye Tony There were some rare guys about Robert Swanson (num) George Thain Donald MacDonald (dusty) James MacKay (fletter) George More (and his dad Rab) Ronnie Sutherland (pep) etc etc and while they enjoyed their dram it would be a great mistake to underestimate their skill and intelligence These guys were suberb navigators in a time before radio navigation aids when there was only clocks and compasses to help them
They have my total admiration

I beleive both Bill Wisemans boats the Rival and Stack Rock are still going as houseboats in England as is the Golden Spinney Superb Procure Spindrift and Ajax
The Gleaners and Girl Linda are houseboats in West Scotland I beleive whilst the 1st Boy Andrew is now a diving boat called the Gallic Rose and the Ardent is a houseboat on the Caledonian Canal
All best
PM

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fletter is my dad...

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Originally Posted by peter macdonald

The Valhalla Wk171 She came from Ullapool UL99 Duncan Sutherland sold her to Hugh Carter in 1973 .Built Miller St Monance in 1954 she was 51ft LOA and 23,55 Tons Gross and nett I think it was Kelvin 120 engine?? that was in her She was lost by fire cant remember what year but I think Fletter was in her when it happened 1976???

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great to see my dad on your site....fletter

Would be great to hear from ORGERS that can identify family connections with the boats already mentioned on this thread.Any stories told by those great men would be a great way of keeping those memories aliveThanks DANA for your post.Some great stories have already been shared, but I am sure that many more are still waiting to be told

JL

yeah that's my Dad james fletter mackay,weird seeing his name on the puter he would have been fair proud of that thanks.

just had a look at the wk boats site and was very impressed ,but it just shows how much of a loss the fishing industry is to Wick .

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Originally Posted by bluenosenic

just had a look at the wk boats site and was very impressed ,but it just shows how much of a loss the fishing industry is to Wick .

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Yes the harbour was the hub of the town when I was growing up,we spent most days around there, fishing under the wharf,the smells are the things I remember most,fishermem mending nets the shops etc.I worked in the butchers ,so had great laughs with some of the great characters that are sadly no longer with us.Its very sad to see the run down state of the area and the silence there is now.But always take a stroll around the area when I come home for a visit

regards JL

Peter I have had a few private messages asking for info regarding the dates the old fishing boats were built etc.I have directed them to the link that you posted.To all others wishing to view pictures of the fishing fleet the link is on the last page,thanks to those who have sent enquires but the link is far more interesting,than any replies from me.
Regards JL

Hi Jock et al
I have added a film taken in the Moray Firth in 1961 to the video section Done on cine it is not the greatest quality (although we are going to remaster it later) and viewed best on small screen .It was taken aboard the Danish anchor seiner Caledonia skippered by the late Niels Moller and features a few locals eg George Mackay of the Ice Factory Jack Clark John Duncan Artur Matiesen Snr and a few others
All best
DM

Cant wait to get home to see that Peter, Roll on Wednesday :D


Mr.Winehouse

Brilliant, well done what an interesting site. Wonderful indeed.

It is nice to see that the old fishing industry is greatly missed as it is a big part of Wick's history, will many of you posting about these boats be present at the HarbourFest? I believe a few heritage boats are showing that weekend!

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Originally Posted by John Flett

Been following this thread with great interest and nostalgia. Readers may be interested in the long journey of one of the Wick fleet. In 1958 we bought the Starlight from Lossiemouth (built 1933 by John Dunn of Lossie) for £1,250.00. When I left Wick in 1961 it was sold and converted into a motor yacht in Suffolk. In 2004 the same Starlight, with the same 95 Gardner engine, was for sale in Malta. Asking price £125,000.00!! It is amazing how age adds value to life.

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Well, she didn't sell for that much, but I did buy her last year. She's still in Malta and looking as pretty as ever. Do you have any more details on the conversion, the owners that did the conversion, the architect involved or the yard? Thanks.

Sorry Heri I dont have any details of her conversion Perhaps John Flett may know a bit more if you PM him . I saw the Starlight on the net recently and she looks beautiful Congratulations on the job you are doing in maintaining her
PM

I am looking at a photo just now of Alfred Mackay,My uncle Donald Mackay,and my Dad James flett mackay,all working away with yellow oilskins on,boy do they look young.