Kirjahaku

Lying far to the north of Scotland, the Shetland Islands form an extraordinary archipelago, unparalleled in Britain for their beauty. In the summer months, the sun barely dips below the horizon, and at midsummer there is the famous ‘simmer dim’. Living in such close proximity to the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the sea’s ever-changing moods leave a deep impression on those who live on or visit the islands, and many islanders are reliant upon the surrounding waters for their livelihoods. Shetland Islands includes fantastic seascapes and many of Shetland’s ferries, ships and fishing boats appear alongside the celebrated Shetland ponies and historic monuments. This collection illustrates the varied and picturesque scenery around Shetland and reveals some of the many changes seen on the islands over the last fifty years.

The coasts of Scotland are a goldmine for fishing boats new and old, and this latest selection from James Pottinger covers a huge variety of them – from early trawlers to seine net boats, to modern twin rig side and stern trawlers. As it does so, it demonstrates the changes that evolved in the design of the boats themselves, as progress marches on: the numbers of handsome wooden boats have declined, while the smaller boats have flourished, now rigging themselves for trawling, lining and shellfish catching. With over 200 photographs, many previously unpublished, Scotland’s Fishing Boats is a photographic journey through time at a variety of locations around Scotland and the Isles.

For centuries the Clyde has been synonymous with ships but in the last thirty years there has been a decline in the number of vessels using the lower reaches of the river. The shipyards that made the river famous are all but gone and the plethora of paddlers that plied their trade between the coastal towns have been replace by a few ferries. Clyde Shipping - The Twilight Years is a trip down memory lane for those who remember when the Clyde was the third most important river in Britain and its ports some of the busiest. That heyday has gone and all that we have to remind us of the greatness of the Clyde are images such as the ones contained within this book. No longer are the world's largest ocean liners built here and only a few large ships now make the journey up the river. Once busy ports like Greenock and Port Glasgow lie silent for much of the time and all that remains are photographs and the memories of those who worked on this once busy river.

From Orkney and Shetland to the north east coast, and from Fife to Berwick, fishing boats have been an important part of the maritime heritage of Scotland. The original designs of fishing vessels were based on Viking ships, but by the early twentieth century, scaffies, fifies and zulus were being replaced by more modern craft, all of which are included in this charming collection of fishing boats of Scotland. The future of the fishing industry in Scotland cannot currently be termed as promising; successive EEC rulings gave resulted in a large diminution of fleet, and this, combined with a regime of ever-changing restrictions and rules, have made it impossible to work with current legislation and still be economically viable. However, the author hopes that there will be those who, either due to faith and enterprise or simply for lack of other opportunity, will continue to invest and continue as generations of their forefathers have done before. This book illustrates the vessels that played a past in the fishing industry in Scotland, with 200 old photographs accompanied by informative captions.

A companion to his successful first book, James Pottinger’s new volume Scottish Fishing Boats: A New Look looks farther afield, and covers the fishing history of the areas of north-east Scotland, the west coast and Shetland. Topics covered include miscellaneous types from today and the past, pursers, smaller craft, visiting boats and boats which were lost to sea or have been scrapped. A number of older boats are included to illustrate shapes and designs, which are often held to retain a measure of character and individuality, perhaps not as prevalent today. Touching on some of the changes in boat types and fishing methods, as well as changes and developments in design and catching methods, this second selection of images brings the story of Scotland’s fishing boats up to date.

With the gradual phasing out of wooden fishing boats of Scotland it is timely to record some of these handsome vessels. In the years from 1960–80 boat builders produced some of their most shapely and graceful craft, a testament to the skill of both the builders and designers. Initially the designs were a collaboration of builders and skippers, but later the implementation of statutory rules demanded a more structured approach by qualified naval architects, which inevitably resulted in a certain degree of standardisation. James A. Pottinger’s new illustrated volume concentrates solely on the graceful wooden boats, large and small, regarded by many to be the best looking boats of all. Many boats are photographed at sea, while other views range from repairs being carried out to the more melancholy sight of beautiful craft being cut up. Boats were once scrapped only due to old age, but sadly political factors now often dictate the destruction of the classic wooden craft included here.

For many years the River Clyde held a premier place in the world of shipbuilding and engineering, pioneering many advances in both disciplines. Whilst these days are long gone we should never forget the great contribution made by a range of companies, from those constructing luxury passenger liners and major warships, to those building a whole range of cargo ships, including numerous specialist types, and the smaller concerns concentrating on coasters, tugs, dredgers and puffers. Such well-known companies as John Brown, Fairfield and Barclay Curle plied their trade on this river and provided employment for thousands; indeed, the local area was important to shipbuilding as the industry was to sustaining the local area. This illustrated history reveals the whole gamut of Clyde-built types constructed on the river and celebrates the glory days of times past, now sadly only living on in old photographs and the memories of those who were there.