Clyde Excellence

[Kristal]

I was recently interested to overhear a discussion as to whether, at the beginning of the C20th, the Clyde was the British centre of boatbuilding excellence. Most of this was based upon Fife's being at Fairlie... but of course, I couldn't disagree, as Crystal was built in Tarbert in 1927!!

Any other great builders/yards on the West Coast that might enforce the argument?

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<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://d205161.u24.uk.assimilatedservers.net/cryspics/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>

 

[claymore]

McGruer's

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
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[cameronke]

Robertsons of Sandbank

Regards
Cameron

<hr width=100% size=1>Work to live, live to sail

 

[goneballistic]

Re: Crystal II

Good to hear Crystall is still going. My family owned her for a long time, selling her about seven years ago. We kept her where we live near Oban on the west coast of Scotland. I'd be interested to hear where she is now and how she is getting on.

Cheers!

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[Kristal]

Re: Crystal II

I'd be more than happy to fill you in. She's had a very dull season, mainly due to my being either too busy or too ill to work/sail on her, and is instead enjoying a picturesque berth in St Katherine's Docks, Central London. This winter, however, she will be returning to Suffolk for a lot of cosmetic work and a complete rewire, and will probably remain based in Woodbridge, as I may well be moving there shortly. I'll drop you a Private Message and we can swap information!

Great to hear from someone else who knows her well - she has changed families so rarely that information on her history is hard to find!

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<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://d205161.u24.uk.assimilatedservers.net/cryspics/>Crystal II in Pictures</A>

 

[penfold]

Silver's in Rosneath were pretty big, someone already mentioned Dickie's of Tarbert.

Some of the smaller shipyards up the Clyde produced fairly large steam and motor yachts, but not in big numbers, like Scotts' of Bowling.

There were literally dozens of smaller yards which maybe only made a few boats before going back to repair and storage; Tighnabruaich, McKellars in Kilcreggan, Bute Slipdock, Cambeltown Shipyard, Girvan, William Boag in Largs('tho' he was pretty prolific, 50+ Loch Longs between '55 and '65, god knows what else), macAllister's in Dumbarton

Can't think of any of the others at the mo'.

Cheers,
David

<hr width=100% size=1>What we are dealin' with here is a complete lack of respect for the law....

 

[Aja]

Wouldn't say that the 'yards' were any better than those anywhere else.

What I would say were the designers of the time - the Clyde was a breeding ground for innovation and design of a type of yacht - plus the fact that there was money in the area, from shipbuilding and land.

Alfred Mylne at Bute Dock Slip
All the Fifes at Fairlie
Bain at Silvers
Smiths of Tighnabruaich
Dickies at Tarbert
Mcgruers at Roseneath
Morrison and Lorrimer at Sandbank
Robertsons at Sandbank
McAllisters at Dumbarton
All within a twenty mile radius.

Some of the yards produced some fairly rough boats. They almost certainly did not look like what they do today!! But the designs themselves have certainly lasted the pace.

Regards

Donald

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