AN attempt to preserve the boat-building tradition of the Western
Isles for posterity has had an unexpected result.
Mr John Murdo Macleod, 71, the last of a long line of Lewis
shipwrights, and his assistant Angus Smith, 36, received two orders in
one day for sgoths -- open wooden fishing skiffs -- at the Scottish
Boat, Caravan, Camping and Leisure Show in Glasgow's SECC, which
finished yesterday.
The pair were there to drum up charter business for their 33ft sgoth,
Sulaire, at a stand donated by the show organiser, Eventex.
The vessel's eight-month construction was recorded for a documentary
by an independent Stornoway television producer, Mr Sam Maynard. The
last full-size sgoth was built by Mr Macleod's grandfather in 1918.
However, on Thursday, the Stornoway boat builders found themselves
with another five months' work, building two more sgoths.
Mr Smith said: ''We did not expect it at all. It wasn't a business as
such, but we were hoping to make it into a business eventually. This
just brings it forward that much sooner.''
A #15,000 order for an 18ft sgoth, which will take about three months
to build, came from Islay. The second order, for a 13ft vessel costing
#5000, came from Edinburgh.
Both vessels will be used as pleasure boats.
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