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Tuesday 12 March 2024

The Scottish Islanders




It’s been great fun, and quite emotional at times, getting feedback from people who’ve read The Scottish Islanders. Stories have come in from sailors, including one telling me how her parents met through Jura and she now reads excerpts to her dad in his care home. The book’s not just for the old folk though. There are chapters dealing with approaches to saving the life of an old boat and even building a replica with modern materials, that should encourage those with energy to take on the challenge.

There are also some tales from the west coast, which should provide a nice read once you’re at anchor, and the book should sit nicely on a yacht’s shelf.











Because my publisher friends at the Scottish Yachting Archives decided on a high quality print, there isn’t a sufficient margin to put the book into bookshops and still cover the production costs, so marketing is entirely via social media on sites such as this, and huge thanks are due to admins. We’ve also had some excellent reviews, including the current month’s Classic Boat.

If you’ve already read the book, think about posting a review on Amazon. It’s listed there, but the best way to get a copy is via the publisher’s online shop directly,


www.shop.yachtarchive.scot


Monday 16 October 2023

The First Review!

 


I'm beginning to get feedback from readers and it's all very encouraging. The online shop now has its own dedicated address here:


shop.yachtarchive.scot

Friday 29 September 2023

The Book is out!

 


When I started this blog in 2010, my intention was to use it to gather information for a book on the class, and I'm delighted to report that not only is it written, It's found a publisher in the form of the highly appropriate Scottish Yachting Archives.

They are now taking orders and the response has been uniformly positive. Marketing is being done online, so to order a copy, please use the following link:

www.shop.yachtarchive.scot

Thursday 4 May 2017

Update on the Islanders



I haven't posted on this blog for a long time, as most of my efforts have been devoted to www.scottishboating.blogspot.co.uk, where you will find an archive of general information, mostly about boats and mostly in Scotland. Meantime my Stroma remains for sale and is safely on shore at Cairnbaan on the Crinan Canal in the care of Adam Way.

I'm determined to sell Stroma, as she really needs someone younger to take her on, but it's quite a wrench after so long. The above image was taken in Loch Craignish during our first season together in 1977.

Yachts in the Islands Class and similar deliver exhilarating, very stylish sailing. They are safe and seaworthy with their long keels and ideal for anyone sailing with a light crew, as the small jib is easy to handle. It's better to have at least one person with you, although they are easy to single hand, as I and many owners have found over the years. I have decided that at my age it's better to do so on something designed for the purpose.

Recently there has been an interesting development, which one hopes will lead to a revival of interest in classic Scottish yachts in general and Islanders in particular. The Clyde Keelboats Association has been formed by a group of enthusiasts with the purpose of saving, renovating and supporting them. In time it's likely that a new generation will come forward to take them on and enjoy them.

The Association has made a great start by buying Sanda and Jura, which are both in need of serious restoration. Both are also now in the care of Adam Way.



In the meantime Canna, yacht number 10 has been acquired by Richard Thom, grandson of the legendary Herbert, who commissioned her, and beautifully restored, also by Adam Way. You'll find a recent post about her on Scottish Boating. As you will see from that and the preceding post the new generation is starting to arrive on the scene.

Finally on a sad note, Adam Bergius, whose name is intimately linked with the Islanders, recently passed away after a long and wonderful life. His mother was a successful helm pre-War in Jura and Adam told me that on his return from the Far East, expecting to go straight to work in Teachers he found that Jura was his thank you for returning home safely and he took off for a cruise up the West coast with some friends, despite it being October. 

I'm sharing a letter he sent me about the Bergius Rosebowl, which I had recently recovered and returned to him. Subsequently three yachts turned out for the event, which ran as part of West Highland Week 2004. Stroma won the series, but as so few of us took part I felt it was more appropriate to return the bowl to Adam in the hope that in time a larger fleet would be assembled. That day may now be approaching!



Friday 28 March 2014

STOP PRESS - STROMA IS FOR SALE


I've cared for her since 1976 and she's been a big part of my life, source of a lot of joy and good friendships and occasional worries. She's taken me and those I love safely through storms, gently cradled us when we were tired and thrilled us when we eased her sheets and let her reach across broad seas.

I've never counted the hours spent caring for her, but am sure there are few yachts her age in better condition. She's as strong as when McGruers launched her in 1929.

I'm sixty six now and won't be taking her, as I once did, to Ardminish or to Craighouse, or to Skye or Muck or Eigg or Coll or Mull or Wester Ross. She needs someone younger to do such things, in Scotland or further afield; I won't care if she's going to be in good hands.

Stroma is up on the hard at Cairnbaan along the Crinan Canal, a two hour trip from Glasgow. I'm asking £18,000, about 22,000 euros, for her and she's well worth that to the right person.    

There are full details elsewhere on this website.

Monday 12 August 2013

Scottish Islands Class Yachts for sale

Readers will know that for the 2013 season I lent Stroma to my friend Adam Way, a brilliant boat builder and restorer based just down the road from where I live. He had a good season and I had the pleasure of sailing with him a number of times, but in the longer run I think he will be looking for a yacht with more substantial accomodation. While he's currently intending to launch Stroma again this year selling these classics takes a lot of time and if anyone is interested please let me know.

I've heard on the grapevine that Bernera has just been sold and is on the way to a new life back on the Clyde. This means that there's potentially a good fleet back on the Firth where they started out - Gigha, Isla, Shona, Fidra, and now Bernera.

This leaves three or four Islanders either for sale or for restoration, i.e. Canna and Stroma in commission plus Jura and Sanda waiting for restoration. If you're interested in becoming part of Scottish yachting heritage by owning one all is not lost.

Anyone interested can contact me via this blog and I'll pass your details on to the various owners concerned.

Saturday 14 July 2012

SCOTTISH ISLANDS CLASS YACHT (NO LONGER) FOR SALE - SEE UPDATE IN NEXT POST

Stroma was built by McGruers at Clynder, Scotland in 1929 to a design by Alfred Mylne, so she's got a fine pedigree coming from two of the finest names in Scottish yachting history. She's in first class condition, having been fully restored a few years ago and given new spars and sails. I'm only selling her because after thirty six years it's time for a new owner to take over, enjoy her and care for her.

Stroma is one of the Scottish Islands Class One Design yachts, which were introduced to provide competitive racing on the Firth of Clyde and safe, short cruising on our West coast and inner islands. They are powerful boats for their length, but incredibly well-behaved and nimble, being fast and light and responsive on the helm.

Regular readers of this blog will know that there's a great deal of history and lore about these historic boats here. If you're visiting the blog for the first time please enjoy the posts and allow yourself to become immersed in part of our yachting heritage.

Over the years the shapes of yachts have changed a bit, with the older ones designed by craftsman engineers and modern ones by computer nut accountants. One thing that hasn't changed is the sea and a lovely traditional yacht will perform just as sweetly today as when she was built.


In Stroma's case the restoration work has ensured an extremely tight, strong hull, in many ways of much greater strength than originally. This has almost eliminated the annual maintenance bill and I've been able to drive her hard without worries.
 
Basic Details

Stroma is a registered British ship, Official Number 161770 at Greenock, with the sail number 4.

Her registered details are:-

Tonnage 2.96 registered, 3.21 gross, 4 TM (about 3,200 kg)
Length OA 28.0 ft, WL 20.0 ft (8.53 m, 6.1 m)
Breadth 7.0ft, Draft 4.5 ft (2.1 m, 1.4 m)
Sail Area 418 sq ft (39 sq m)

Stroma currently has no engine, as I prefer to sail without one and declined to instal one during her restoration. These yachts did have an engine originally, so a new owner could have one if desired.

History of Ownership
Elsewhere in this blog I have recorded much of the history of the various Scottish Islands Class yachts and the people associated with them. They include the legendary Herbert Thom, possibly the most successful racing helm of all time, whose skills were undoubtedly honed by the very close racing these yachts provided. The new owner will be joining an extremely interesting and diverse band.

My ownership started in 1976, when I was looking for a fast, stylish traditional yacht for weekending and light cruising. For the next thirteen years I kept her mainly in Argyll and visited numerous anchorages up to the far North of Scotland and islands such as Skye, Eigg, Coll, Mull, Jura and Gigha, usually sailing with one or two friends. We took part in various inshore races and regattas, always ending up at or near the front.

By 1989 it was clear that Stroma, then aged sixty, was getting tired and I was contacted by a museum, which was looking for traditional yachts as exhibits and offered to restore her, so I agreed to lend her to them. Unfortunately the museum failed to keep their side of the bargain. They simply displayed her afloat until she deteriorated, then took her out of the water and stored ashore, while they looked for funds. Her condition then got even worse, until there were doubts about her survival.

In late 1995 I cancelled the loan and removed the yacht to a shipyard, where she was comprehensively restored by me, with help from a number of friends and professional boat-builders. The hull planking was in great condition but many of the large structural components, for example her wood keel, stem, sternpost, transom etcetera were found to be rotten and had to be replaced. As this removed the main obstacle to a modern hull coating I took the opportunity to protect the hull with a woven-cloth/epoxy treatment and then had it faired and finished professionally. Full details of all the work done can be provided.

I commissioned a new set of spars, the mast being specially designed and built by Alastair Garland, and sails from the Tollesbury master, Gayle Heard. These are all still in excellent condition.


Since she was relaunched in 2003 Stroma has been used mainly for day-sailing and short cruises, some of which I have written about on this blog, and also on my scottishboating blog. She took part in West Highland Week in 2004, winning several races and coming third in her class and in 2006 she won the Royal Highland Yacht Club's 125th anniversary regatta, beating 62 other yachts. She has been at most of the Crinan Classic regattas, usually winning in her class.

Stroma has proved incredibly stiff and fast and time has shown that the restoration work has been a complete success. In recent years maintenance has been limited to touching up the brightwork, antifouling etc. This year I noticed that her topside paint, which had never been refinished, was becoming faded and she has recently been given a fresh treatment professionally.


I have not regretted my decision not to put the engine back after Stroma was restored. Personally I prefer the challenge of pure sailing and do not like to share my space with a nasty, expensive piece of machinery. Some of Stroma's sisters have small diesel units, but since the technology for electric propulsion units is now well advanced this should be considered by a new owner.



Accommodation

In common with all traditional racing yachts space below is limited. I gave a lot of thought to the internal layout and ended up with two full-length "Pullman type" berths in the main cabin with bench seating below. During the day the berths are folded up, keeping bedding out of the way and the benches give full sitting headroom. I've posted about this in detail, here:-  Keeping comfortable 


There is the possibility for a third berth for one person or two close friends under the foredeck.

On the original drawings Alfred Mylne shows lockers under the cockpit seats entered from the rear of the cabin and I duly reconstructed these. They give plenty of storage for cooking and other equipment. There's also a drawer for navigational materials and a food storage bin.



Stroma's future

My main concern is to ensure that this lovely yacht passes into the hands of someone who appreciates her qualities, fast, exciting sailing, a lovely yacht that turns heads wherever she goes, a piece of yachting heritage with, thanks to her restoration, a very limited schedule of annual maintenance. The classic yacht scene is now very international in character and I have absolutely no concerns about seeing her go to one of our friendly European neighbours.



Price

It's incredibly difficult to know what a yacht like this is worth, given that she's already been restored at considerable cost. I'm asking £23,000, that's about 28,500 Euros at current rates, which I hope is about right and certainly should be to the appropriate person.

Enquiries
Stroma is currently ashore at Kilmelford, Argyll, where I live. You can contact me by email here:- ewangkennedy@gmail.com or by phone on +44 (0) 1852 200261