Vic27, Auld Reekie, Vital Spark and back to Auld Reekie

She is still sitting on the slip they built for her, has remained in the ownership of Crinan boats since the Islay consortium pulled out.
My understanding is that Crinan are hoping an 'investor' or some funding will turn up to allow the restoration to be completed but there looks to be a long way to go. I am sure the yard will glad to see the back of her so that they can use the space.
When she lay here in Ardrishaig everyone in the village was certain she was too far gone to be restored, perhaps we were right? It was fortuitous she did not sink in the canal on the way through.
I watched that repeat, some interesting stuff on Alba, if you can avoid Daniel O'Donnel, they had a guy swimming in the Easdale quarries last night.
The Duke of Normandy that is berthed beside Vic 32, (same ownership) was on the market this year, a less intimidating project than Auld Reekie.
 
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islecastle1 said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06tkxys/air-an-smuidsteaming-episode-1
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Quandary said:
I watched that repeat, some interesting stuff on Alba, if you can avoid Daniel O'Donnel, they had a guy swimming in the Easdale quarries last night.
e.
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Thanks both, starting to watch those gems right now. I'm happy with subtitles but it's a shame they don't dub in English, I'd have thought interest this stuff would range far beyond the gaelic speaking world.
 
Quandary said:
She is still sitting on the slip they built for her, has remained in the ownership of Crinan boats since the Islay consortium pulled out.
My understanding is that Crinan are hoping an 'investor' or some funding will turn up to allow the restoration to be completed but there looks to be a long way to go. I am sure the yard will glad to see the back of her so that they can use the space.
When she lay here in Ardrishaig everyone in the village was certain she was too far gone to be restored, perhaps we were right? It was fortuitous she did not sink in the canal on the way through.
I watched that repeat, some interesting stuff on Alba, if you can avoid Daniel O'Donnel, they had a guy swimming in the Easdale quarries last night.
The Duke of Normandy that is berthed beside Vic 32, (same ownership) was on the market this year, a less intimidating project than Auld Reekie.
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Thanks for the update Q.

Fingers crossed that they find the finance to finish the project.

I do watch Alba quite a lot, as does SWMBO, who speaks Gaelic. Some good stuff on there, particularly for me, the stuff from the 60s and 70s.
 
Mark-1 said:
Thanks both, starting to watch those gems right now. I'm happy with subtitles but it's a shame they don't dub in English, I'd have thought interest this stuff would range far beyond the gaelic speaking world.
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Alba show Pro 14 rugby on Friday nights, the commentary is a hoot, it is supposed to be in Gaelic but the pundit is usually a injured or retired player from Glasgow so the language switches every sentence, there is sometimes a red button commentary in Glaswegian but it is not nearly as entertaining.
Alba is funded to support and promote the Gaelic language; using English would not do much of that, especially for islanders who used to get the tawse if they spoke their native language in school.
 
islecastle1 said:
Anybody got any later news?
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I had a chat with John Dunlop at Crinan Boats last summer - I was using his laundry at the time - and he very kindly let me and my crew have an extended crawl over the puffer.

Structurally I think she is just about done, and looking very good. Not a flake of rust to be seen inside. There are still some plates missing at the turn of the bilge, to allow access. The engine room looks good, but there is an awful lot of pipework missing. I think they are making a new wheelhouse.

I gather that it's going to be a couple of years at least ... and then the big problem is operating costs. On the whole, though, I think the Vic27 is in very much better condition than the Vic32.
 
As a by the way, I passed through Inveraray yesterday and 'The Vital Spark', (ex Eilean Eisdeal) is still sitting along side and drying out every tide. Her hull must be in a perilous condition by now as she has been there for years. Probably another right off.
 
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BlowingOldBoots said:
As a by the way, I passed through Inveraray yesterday and 'The Vital Spark', (ex Eilean Eisdeal) is still sitting along side and drying out every tide. Her hull must be in a perilous condition by now as she has been there for years. Probably another right off.
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I thought the Inveraray Vital Spark was the one in the show, guess not.

Should have read the website - it's all there. (Or even better paid proper attention when I watched the three shows last night!)
 
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I was told that the original VS in the TV series ended up in Bowling Basin on the Clyde rotting away and one day she filled with water and remained there as a wreck with all the other junk. Later the canal people cleaned up the basin as part of the Forth and Clyde canal renovation. I can’t vouch for the accuracy but the person who told me was Helensburgh based and knew the history of much of that area and the various characters that floated about.
 
BlowingOldBoots said:
I was told that the original VS in the TV series ended up in Bowling Basin on the Clyde rotting away and one day she filled with water and remained there as a wreck with all the other junk.
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There have been several Vital Sparks over the years.

  • "The Maggie" (1954) with Alex MacKenzie as Captain MacTaggart. Inca (1938 - 65) and Boer (1941 - 65), both built and owned by Hays of Kirkintilloch.
  • "Para Handy, Master Mariner" (1959) with Duncan Macrae as Para Handy and Roddy McMillan as Dougie. Not sure about this, but it may have been the Starlight, built in 1937 for Ross & Marshall.
  • "The Vital Spark" (B&W, 1965) with Roddy McMillan as Para Handy. Saxon. Built 1903, owned by Hays, scrapped 1967.
  • "The Vital Spark" (Colour remake, 1974) with Roddy McMillan as Para Handy. Skylight. Built 1936, various owners, became a hulk in Bowling and I think removed from there for the Forth and Clyde re-opening. I remember seeing her abandoned in Troon shortly after filming ended.
  • "The Tales of Para Handy" (2004) with Gregor Fisher as Para Handy. VIC27, aka Auld Reekie currently under restoration at Crinan.
  • (not on TV) VIC72 aka Eilean Easdale, renamed "Vital Spark of Glasgow" ("Vital Spark" was taken) when she went to Inverary.
Of all of them, I think The Maggie is by far the best, although only one line from the books ("The finest vessel in the coastal trade") appears and the plot has nothing to do with the original stories. The spirit is entirely faithful, though, and the battle of cunning between MagTaggart and Calvin B Marshall, the American businessman whose cargo he has contrived to load, is a joy and improves with every watching. I don't like either the Roddy MacMillan versions (too much pantomime gurning, especially from Sunny Jim) or the Gregor Fisher one (too young and playing it for ironic laughs).
 
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JumbleDuck said:
There have been several Vital Sparks over the years. ...... Of all of them, I think The Maggie is by far the best ......
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Thanks for the list, very interesting. I have not read the books or watched any of the TV series but I enjoyed the film because of the old scenes. I spent a bit of time as a boy in around various Glasgow and West Coast docks with my father who was in the merchant navy. Some of it I remember but most of it I don't and all of it was more or less derelict by then. I have my fathers copy of one of the books but I have never been inclined to read it, maybe one day.
 
Jumbleduck's post inspired me to look in a cupboard, there I found the VHS video tape of 'The Maggie' which was a gift from my son many years ago around when we moved to the banks of the Crinan, I have watched it several times as it is set around here. Black and white, U certificate so you can let the wife watch it. Someone raced a boat on the Clyde about 20 or so years ago called the Calvin B Marshall.

If anyone still has a video recorder and would like this tape I am prepared to let it go. Free, gratis in the old spirit of Christmas. If more than one request it will go the the best begging case though I may not be in position to respond for a day or two.
 
Quandary said:
Jumbleduck's post inspired me to look in a cupboard, there I found the VHS video tape of 'The Maggie' which was a gift from my son many years ago around when we moved to the banks of the Crinan, I have watched it several times as it is set around here. Black and white, U certificate so you can let the wife watch it. Someone raced a boat on the Clyde about 20 or so years ago called the Calvin B Marshall.

If anyone still has a video recorder and would like this tape I am prepared to let it go. Free, gratis in the old spirit of Christmas. If more than one request it will go the the best begging case though I may not be in position to respond for a day or two.
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Every time I watch "The Maggie", I have a job stopping the tears well up (soppy old beggar).

Alex McEnzie as the Captain, and Paul Douglas as Marshall are a perfect foil for each other. Wonderfull film. Great shots of Crinan, Bowmore and Glasgow and some unidentified.
 
Quandary said:
..... Someone raced a boat on the Clyde about 20 or so years ago called the Calvin B Marshall ....
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Good grief, that has triggered the synapses but I can not remember the type of boat. I think that the owner of CBM also owned 'Rhett Butler'. I raced against both on and off in the late 80's.
 
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Quandary said:
Jumbleduck's post inspired me to look in a cupboard, there I found the VHS video tape of 'The Maggie' which was a gift from my son many years ago around when we moved to the banks of the Crinan, I have watched it several times as it is set around here. Black and white, U certificate so you can let the wife watch it. Someone raced a boat on the Clyde about 20 or so years ago called the Calvin B Marshall.

If anyone still has a video recorder and would like this tape I am prepared to let it go. Free, gratis in the old spirit of Christmas. If more than one request it will go the the best begging case though I may not be in position to respond for a day or two.
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Ive got a VHS to Dvd recorder if you want to digitise it
Stu
 
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islecastle1 said:
Alex McEnzie as the Captain, and Paul Douglas as Marshall are a perfect foil for each other. Wonderfull film. Great shots of Crinan, Bowmore and Glasgow and some unidentified.
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Everywhere on the Clyde was played by itself; everything outside was played by somewhere on Islay (Port Charlotte, Port Askaig, Bowmore, Loch Gruinart) except Loch Mora, which was Crinan. There's a guide to the locations at http://www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/fmaggie.html

skipper_stu said:
Ive got a VHS to Dvd recorder if you want to digitise it
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Otherwise a mere tenner from Amazon or £5.99 used. Or you can buy one from the VIC32!
 
wully1 said:
Did CBM have a certain reputation as a race boat?
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Yes, but my brain cells have been destroyed from that time. There was also 'Gorse Bush', I think one of the new X - Boats. One only has to fall into a gorse bush to see what it is full of ......... They were fun times and great sailing to boot, lots of yachts, lots of classes, one design classes in large numbers. I probably have prints of them all somewhere.

Stuff is coming back ..... one had 'port tack' and 'starboard tack' printed on the boom after a wrong call was made and Rhett Butler had 'frankly my dear, I don't give a damn' written along the boom.
 
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