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Wednesday January 23, 2008 |
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HISTORIC YOALS by
Andrew Stout As
I have witnessed the revival of interest in traditional boats all over Shetland,
and having restored an old Fourereen from the `West Side,' my thoughts recently
turned to Fair Isle yoals and the need to preserve what we have while we still
have it, especially with Fair Isle having its own boat design. Thanks to the efforts of Stewart of
Aesterhoull during these past few years, the `Dolphin' is still salvageable and
should be put under cover before the onset of another winter. She perhaps wasn't
the finest example of her class with her top boards `layed out' more than usual
amidships, no doubt caused by `too many cooks'; nevertheless, she has a good
fishing history and is unique in that she was the only `Isle' yoal to be used
with both sail and motor. After the introduction of the outboard motor, the
halibut fishing was pursued, then the lobster
fishing took off and Georgie will have many memories of this era in this
Dolphin. Jerry remembered a trip to Midsaithen when
this yoal was in her infancy, and he was in the old Dolphin with his Father and
Brothers. Their uncles had hauled their lines and had left the fishing ground in
the new Dolphin with the younger crew not far behind in the old boat. The wind
was fresh from the WNW and the yoals were `shifting'. It is easy to understand
that the competition in sailing or rowing was one of the few enjoyments that
this tough way of life granted, with the crews pushing their boats to their
utmost to be first at the fishing grounds or the beach. The older crew sailed
`close hauled' thereby preventing the young crew a tactical advantage by getting
to windward, but on this occasion they may have lost some speed by sailing
rather too `close', as the young team set course to leeward and were at the
beach in good time to meet their older relations. Another yoal not so steeped in our history but
nevertheless can claim the trademark of Fair Isle (and still very much in use)
is the `Osprey'. By a twist of fate, the Good Shepherd Crew of 1972 purchased
her from Jimmy Bolt - a well-known boat repairer from Sumburgh.
Georgie remembered `Jimmy' stating that she had been built originally by Thomas
Eunson from the `Isle', and I wondered how she would `measure up' with the Isle
Yoals. After checking her with his `rule', my Father confirmed that although
shorter than the big `Isle' yoals, she nevertheless had all the right
characteristics to be a native. I wondered whether Jimmy Bolt could have
confused Thomas Eunson who lived at West Voe, with the well-known Eunson boat builder
who lived at the East Shore, (also Fair Isle descendants who left
the Isle in the 1830's) but the well known Eunson Ness Yoal was in every sense a
Ness yoal, whereas Osprey was characteristically an `Isle' yoal, leaving us in
little doubt which Eunson built her. I decided to explore further to see what I
could find out about her. Thomas
Eunson was a carpenter and not only did he sail `deep sea' as Ship's Carpenter
during the late 1800's, but left his mark on the Isle by lining the 'Auld Haa'
throughout with wood paneling which survived until comparatively recently when
Brian and John completed this refurbishment. That he was given this job on the
Laird's house points to the fact that he was probably a `wood-man' of some
standing and was probably persuaded to leave Gaila to work for the Laird at
Sumburgh. Osprey
was built around the turn of the century but she was not known by this name
until she was re‑built in 1954. She had no name up to this time although
she was nicknamed the `Doctor', which seems rather appropriate today since our
own Dr Brown is a descendant of Thomas Eunson. She was built for Robert Young
and Partners of Northoose, Toab. but originally came from Gards, Scatness. In
1905 the Boat passed to the ownership of three `Gilbertsons' from Toab namely
Robert, Jimmy and Willie. During the 1920's she was passed on to a son of
`Jimmy' - Tom Gilbertson who was a Gardener at Sumburgh House. It was
through this connection that while she was based at Scatness, she was often used
to take the `Gentry' to the Lady Holm and Piree Holm for picnics. Perhaps
the most outstanding event in her life was in 1943 when she was involved in a
Wartime rescue mission, going to the aid of the crew of a ditched aircraft. This
was a `Mosquito' carrying a crew of two which had been on a reconnaissance
flight to Norway. She had been damaged by shellfire while over enemy territory
and, as was so often the case, could not land at Sumburgh, ditching
three-quarters of a mile off the Black Holm at the edge of the tide. A
`Wellington' dropped a wooden liferaft in the area which landed upside down,
making it impossible for the `aircrew' to get onto it; weather conditions at the
time also making the situation more life-threatening with a moderate to fresh SW
wind. Osprey, manned by Willie Douglas Leslie, Robert Burgess, Bob Shewan and
Geordie Irvine went to the rescue in conditions described by Derrick Black as `a
jabble of a day with a lot of tide'. They successfully picked up the two airmen,
but were caught in the tide and carried to the south. It was after some
considerable effort that they finally regained the safety of Scatness. But on the whole Osprey was a hard working,
successful fishing boat, based mainly at the East Shore but also spent time at
the Lang Ayre at Scatness where she spent most of the war years.
Of course, her base depended on the fishing and while she was at Scatness,
the fishing would have been mainly for Saithe; whereas Ness men can remember her
landing five baskets of Herring once at the East Shore. She was well known for
being fast under oars but there is no record of her ever having a sail. She was
looked upon locally as being `different to the other yoals' and `more of a Fair
Isle design', but no less respected for this; in fact, she was considered safe
and sound and was `sought after'. It says much for her reputation that she was
considered for rebuilding. During February 1954, Willie Douglas found a
huge larch log quite close to the present‑day Pictish Dig; so big that it
had to be salvaged using a Fire Engine, no doubt JO had something to do with
this! It was cut into three‑inch batons at Lerwick, then returned to the
Ness where Tammy Harper trimmed it into half‑inch boards. Whether this
prompted Jimmy Bolt or whether he was harboring the idea; in any case, he asked
Tom Gilbertson for the old boat which was by now `retired' on the beach at
Scatness. And so during the summer of 1954 the rebuilding was carried out under
a canvas awning made from old yoal sails, Jimmy being assisted by Willie
Douglas. The Boards were taken out individually, matched and replaced thereby
ensuring that the original design was kept. However, they did `fill her out' at
the ends, mainly the Hassan and Garboard, as she was very lean and inclined to
be a `wet' boat. Willie Douglas was `well pleased' with what they had achieved
in that respect and she was seemingly never wet again. Interestingly, I am told
that this was not uncommon in the old `Isle' yoals, as they were constructed for
their sailing and rowing abilities rather than for the comfort of the crew!
Otherwise she was identical to her old shape with part of the Stem being the
only part of the original remaining; this being kept for superstitious reasons
only. The
next phase of her life came when she arrived at the North Haven, the Lobstermen
working as a co-operative by this time with a vacancy for a boat at the
`North end'. More recently, Ian Best has carried out some more repairs so no
doubt, she will be good for quite a few more lobsters! But hopefully, when her
fishing career is over, she will be a candidate for preservation as is fitting
for a boat with this vintage. Danny Bolt has kindly given me the original number and name (place) plates which I will send in to the Fair Isle Museum - maybe this will be the start of a dedicated Marine Heritage Room. What about an extension on the Museum with a nice passage through; I'm sure the roof would be a fine height for a yoal's mast! |
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