Classic boat review: Atlas CN 258
5th March 2025
Launched in 1973, this Macduff-built 50-footer is now a stalwart of the Campbeltown fleet
By Mike Smylie
When John Watt took over premises in Macduff and changed the firm’s name to Macduff Boatbuilding and Engineering Company in 1966 to enable 80ft vessels to be built, he probably didn’t realise that smaller boats were, for some years, going to be his bread and butter.
One of these was the Atlas, built for William (Billy) West and partners of Macduff in 1973. This was to be a replacement for Ocean Crest BF 116, which they then sold after the new boat was launched.
First registered as BF 182, her original engine was a Caterpillar 240hp. At just under 50ft registered length, she stayed within the 25GRT regulations. She paired-trawled with the red- painted Helenus UL 33 for many years. Sometime in the 1980s they replaced the whaleback with a full shelterdeck, covering her in entirely.
In the late 1980s Billy West ordered a new Atlas, BF 245, from Macduff, and when she was ready in 1987, the first Atlas was sold to Ian Watt and John Swankie of Arbroath, and re-registered as AH 111. There she paired with John Swankie’s Crystal Tide AH 135.
The vessel in her early days, now showing some signs of wear and tear!
Today Atlas belongs to Andrew Harrison of Campbeltown, although it was his father who originally bought her from Arbroath in 1991.
This was to replace their previous vessel Strathisla CN 240 (ex PD 199), which had sunk after an engineroom fire that, Andrew says, took hold very quickly. Thankfully, they all got taken off by a German coaster that was nearby, and were later transferred to the Barra lifeboat.
The boat sank 10 hours later between Tiree and Barra.
In Arbroath, now painted green and with the full shelterdeck.
The Atlas was repainted and upgraded before leaving for the west coast. Andrew told me: “Before leaving Arbroath, my father wanted a colour sonar fitted, which he considered a vital piece of kit in those days for working the harder bottom, and he also made a few other alterations such as putting the trawl wires over the top of the shelter instead of along the deck below the shelter, thereby improving safety for the crew.
“He also changed the green hull for black that she has been ever since we took her home to Campbeltown.”
Four Macduff boats: from left, Valonia BF 263, Atlas BF 182, Budding Rose BF 156 and Aquila BF 214.
Once home, she was re-registered as CN 258. Andrew continued: “When we first started fishing her it was single nets – scraper trawls for fish and prawns and single hopper nets targeting better-quality prawns on the hard ground – but after a year or so we decided to go back to twin-rigging as we had done on the Strathisla, so she was rigged with three wires onto the large Jensen winch.
“This only had two drums, but they had huge capacity to accommodate both door wires on one side and the middle wire on the other drum. We worked that way for a few years before replacing the winch with a three-drum Rapp trawl winch.
Alongside at Peel after her move to Campbeltown, now registered CN 258. (Photo: Darren Purves)
“After that, the crane was replaced and the original outriggers removed, and we fitted a new towing gantry, and then next the masts, gantry and discharging derrick were replaced. I don’t think we have anything original apart from the wheelhouse and shelterdeck.
“The planks from the deck up to the top rail were all replaced over a couple of years by Noble’s, and a first-class job they have done. She looked like new after getting that completed, along with all the irons replaced from stem to stern.
“On top of that, the old 343 Caterpillar was removed in Buckie and replaced with the 3406 with a Twin Disc gearbox, all done by Ally Davidson.”
The boat is a real ‘grandfather’s axe’ then, I said! “Yes,” he replied. “I remember asking Peter Noble what state he thought she was in, wanting some verbal reassurance. ‘She’ll see you out as long as you look after her,’ he replied. We have, always slipping her at Girvan. She’s a good boat, in good order.”
Towing off Davaar Island, Campbeltown. (Photo: David Linkie)
According to Noble’s, she’s ‘one of the best-kept wooden vessels we welcome to the slip’. Given just how many of these west coast vessels use their facilities, this is recognition of both her pedigree and her upkeep. The crew play a huge part in keeping her looking the way she does, and keeping her maintained to a high standard. As is always the case with a boat of this age, there’s always something to do!
I asked about changing fisheries over the years. Andrew told me: “In years gone by we would have the option to change our fishing pattern depending on the time of year, maybe pelagic for whitefish in the deep water in the Clyde, fishing normally from Sunday night until Friday.
On the slip at Noble’s in around 2018. (Photo: Andrew Harrison)
“Another option was the bottom trawl for queen scallops in the North Channel – between Rathlin Island and Islay. That job was a different ball game with the very strong tides, and pretty often poor weather, as we would start fishing there in the winter months. It was always a race to get her loaded within a few days and return home with the hold full (450 bags) – though definitely easier said than done!
“After that it was back to the twin-rig for prawns on the Gigha grounds, and we also fished the Irish Sea on grounds west of Portavogie, known as ‘the Rig’ to the locals.”
For crew, Andrew says he’s been fortunate with the men who work with him. Danny is relief skipper and Tollie the cook, both from Romania, and have been aboard nine and seven years respectively. Both have settled here, with family living in Campbeltown now.
Two other crew, Romeo and Clive, are from the Philippines, and have also been aboard for two or three years. Andrew has been full-time skipper up to recently, but has now decided to stay ashore during the winter months.
We talked about the landing of fish, and I was surprised to hear that an artic-load over to Fraserburgh from the east side of the Clyde cost £1,100.
Back at work in fresh conditions.
“You need to make sure the back of the artic is stuffed full of high-quality fish to cover that sort of cost,” Andrew added. Given the problems over transport, quotas and the increasing burden of regulations, it’s hardly surprising that, like the majority of west coast boats, they confine themselves to prawns or scallops!
When we spoke, the boat had been working the Gigha side of the Kintyre peninsula, landing into either Tayinloan or West Loch Tarbert. If they are further north, landing into Crinan is normal, and they land at Campbeltown when around the Clyde.
Unfortunately they were not in Campbeltown when I’d been there a few weeks beforehand – but as I was writing, I checked online and saw that they were currently working some two miles east of Davaar Island at the entrance to Campbeltown Loch.
Many thanks to Andrew Harrison.
This story was taken from the January 2024 issue of Fishing News. For more like this, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here.
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