Classic fishing boat: Bonnie Lass III RY 189
14th November 2024
Like Silver Cloud II, the 49ft Strathgarry SY 88 was built by Gerrard Brothers of Arbroath, though in the previous year, 1971. Built for Angus McLeod (‘Stuttery Angus’) and Donald M Murray of the Isle of Lewis, and financed with Highlands and Islands Development Board assistance, she replaced an earlier 45ft Strathgarry that went on to Scarborough and later sank. She was rigged for the seine-net and also to trawl for whitefish, and was based in Stornoway.
Strathgarry at her first home in Stornoway in the early 1970s.
The Gerrard brothers were David and Andrew, who along with their father, also Andrew, had set up their boatbuilding business alongside the lifeboat station in Arbroath in the early 1950s. Their first build was the Bairn’s Pride AH 27, launched in 1955.
They built at least 72 vessels up to 1990, after which they had to rely on repairs and overhauls to sustain the business. It went into receivership in 1994, largely due to the decline in the fishing fleet in the town, meaning that even maintenance work had dried up.
A newspaper photograph of the Gerrard Brothers workforce in the 1970s.
Strathgarry SY 88 was painted green and was renowned for having a steep deck, with the distinctive Gerrard’s bow. The Caterpillar 250hp engine was forward at launch, though was moved aft later.
Angus McLeod and Donald Murray worked her until 1979, when she was replaced by the Sputnik trawler Strathgarry (ex Fair Isle LH 259, built in 1959 in Berwick), as they wanted to fish sandeels with a bigger boat. Later, in 1986, Angus and Donald purchased the smaller Jimmy Noble-built Our Rachel FR 97 and, clearly liking the name, renamed her Strathgarry IV SY 89.
The newly launched vessel alongside – with the next Gerrard Brothers build underway ashore.
The Gerrard’s-built Strathgarry was sold to Stephen Buchan and others of Peterhead, and became Strathgarry PD 91. In 1983, she was sold to Alistair Buchan of Stromness, but didn’t stay there long, being sold again in 1984 to Ronnie C Brownie of Carradale, when she was renamed Bonnie Lass III and re-registered as CN 126. She was then converted to a scalloper, and worked the west coast of Scotland scallop grounds.
After being sold to Peterhead in 1979.
James Henderson was the engineer aboard her throughout her time in Carradale, and recalls that after a year or so, the engine was shifted aft by the Campbeltown Shipyard. The fuel tanks were also moved, leaving a ‘huge’ forepeak, which was adapted as a workshop. She was then painted blue. Accommodation was aft, and four crew worked her.
They fished all around the Clyde, around Gigha and Islay and as far north as Skye in 10-day trips, leaving the boat up there for weekends home. Scallops were landed into Uig or occasionally Mallaig. They worked seven dredges each side – they did try eight, but there was just not the room, James told me. The engine was later swapped for a similar Caterpillar, upgraded to 299hp.
“She was a great working platform,” James said. “Ideal for the job. We did do a herring trawl a couple of times, but it was mostly dredging. I’d been on all three Bonnie Lasses in Carradale,” he added.
Coming into Crinan after being renamed Bonnie Lass III.
In 2000, Ronnie Brownie decided to retire from fishing, and Bonnie Lass III was sold within a week. Sadly he died in March 2023, so I just missed speaking to him.
She was sold to John MacAlister (Oban) Ltd, and worked out of Oban. In 2005 she was sold to Brian McGuire of Maryport and was re-registered as MT 126. She continued scallop fishing around Britain, as well as doing some prawn trawling. One of her skippers at the time, Steven Wilkinson, described her as ‘a cracking boat’.
In 2018 she was sold to Mike Inglesfield of Ramsey, and re-registered as RY 189.
I caught up with Mike when he was home from the fishing. With the Isle of Man scallop fishery closed as usual during the summer, he’d been fishing up north as far as Jura and landing into West Loch Tarbert. He’d just returned from Campbeltown when we spoke.
Hauling off the Isle of Man.
He told me how the scallop lifting poles were a bit outdated by 2018, so he swapped the ones from the Heather Maid when the vessel was in the Ramsey Shipyard soon after buying her. It seems these were a bit wider, giving another 3ft. He was using six dredges rather than the seven a side the boat used to work, due to it being easier for the two crew, himself and one other. That was a gripe: the lack of crew on the island, he said.
Slipped at Campbeltown Shipyard in around 1986.
He was planning to slip the Bonnie Lass III at the Ramsey Shipyard in October this year for some TLC and to have her re-nailed before the Manx season opened again in November. “But we can’t get shipwrights on the island,” he said.
“I don’t know if the re-nailing has ever been done, so it’s about time, and I’ve booked three weeks on the slip. But I just cannot get anyone to work on the hull, because there just aren’t any shipwrights around. Same as with crew – no one wants to take on these jobs here. I’m hoping to bring a fellow over from Ireland.”
Coming alongside in Peel. The Nobles of Girvan 1970-built Maureen Patricia CT 76 on the right is another vessel that has passed the 50-year mark. (Photo: Darren Purves)
That’s mad, I said, on an island that relies upon fishing for part of its GDP. I guess it’s a reflection of the times, though in parts of the country – the west of Scotland, for instance – there’s a renaissance in shipwrightery.
I asked how the vessel was standing up to the test of time, now that she’s 52 years old. “She’s great – she does exactly what she needs to do, and keeps up with the rest of them.” Now painted red, she also looks grand!
Thanks to James Henderson and Mike Inglesfield for information, and to Darren Purves for photos.
This story was taken from Fishing News. For more throwback and nostalgic reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here.
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