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SCOTTISH HERRING SAILING
DRIFTERS Early 19th century two distinct types of herring sailing boats were in use in the East Coast Scottish waters, these were ‘Clinker Built’ and were 25 – 30 feet long, undecked, were fitted with masts and sails and were often propelled by oars. Along the Moray Coast and as far north as Wick, the “SCAFFIE” type boat reigned supreme. The design was based on the ‘North Isles Yole’, was crewed by 5 or 6 men and sometimes also with a boy, she had round raking and a deep raking straight stern, and this design resulted in a very short keel making them very manueverable.
Tradition had it that a Lossiemouth fisherman married a Fifie skippers daughter who brought with her a dowry to help with the purchase of a family boat. She favoured a Fifie whilst her husband was dead set on a Scaffie. The boat builder in his wisdom made a half model (there being no plans in those days) incorporating in one vessel the special advantages of both types. She had the vertical stem of the Fifie and the deep raking stern of the Scaffie. The design was acceptable to both parties and when launched, was named appropriately ‘NONSUCH’. The success of this boat resulted in a larger boat of the same type (60ft long approx.) being ordered from the same boat yard in Lossiemouth. When it launched, she was named ‘Cetshwayo’; this being the name of the Zulu Chief when the 6 Months Zulu war commenced in 1879. This resulted in the type being nick-named ‘Zulu’ the name stuck and all boats of similar design are up to the present day known as ‘Zulu Type Wooden Sailing Drifters’. In 1885 carvel construction was introduced resulting in lengths of boats increasing from around 40ft to 70 and 80ft. The Zulu’s great length above the water line (up to 80ft) allowed a larger spread of canvas to be used in light wind and were famed for their turn of speed, the jibe sails were set when on passage to distant waters. The last sailing drifters were built in 1905 when motor and steam took over.
Herring Sailing Drifters |
