In Search of a Wee Pram -- Scottish Small Craft

Traditional boats around the world -- part of a series
by John Weiss

In September, 2005, I visited the town of Irvine, Scotland, about 20 miles southwest of Glasgow. Irvine is a cargo, fishing, and recreational port, and the home of the Scottish Maritime Museum. The museum holds a variety of indoor and outdoor exhibits. Most prominent is a reconstructed shipbuilding company building that holds a wealth of history of both small and large watercraft built in Scotland. Exhibits include heavy steelworking machinery, steam engines, and a variety of small craft. The museum's charter prohibits the restoration of most of its boats, and only allows preservation in their current state.

Below is a sampling of the small craft built and in use in Scotland from the late 1800s to the present.

Dinghies

Scottish rowing and sailing dinghies appear to have evolved mainly from the need for yacht tenders. The 9' sailing dinghy *Westward, shown below with a backdrop of figureheads, was built in 1960 by McGruer Boatbuilders at Clynder on the Gareloch as tender to cruiser-racer Westward of Clynder*.
This yacht tender was built in 1932 by Fife of Fairlie for the yacht *Golden Orfe* moored in Greenock.	The Tiller dinghy was built in the 1950s by Waddell's Boatyard in Sandbank. This boat was sailed by its owner in Morecombe Bay until 1988.
Rowing Boats
Dinghies, however, are not the only rowing craft built and enjoyed in Scotland. Recreational and competitive rowing clubs were, and still are, very active on Scottish rivers, lakes, and other sheltered waters. The Jolly Boat *Mary Chalmers*, shown above and at right, is a classic racing rowing boat. The last of her class, she was built in Dumbarton in 1953 for the Ladyburn Trades Amateur Rowing Club of Greenock. This is an example of a "First Class" boat, very light weight, intended to be raced by experienced crews. A view of the cockpit is shown at right.
Paddle Craft Paddle craft are also apparent in Scotland's history. The "Gantock Single" sea canoe below is a prototype of a class based on a Greenland hunting kayak brought to Scotland in 1959.
The gun punt *Maalesh II* was built in 1939. Gun punts were designed for hunting wildfowl in shallow water, mud, and reed beds. Both paddles and sails were fitted. The large gun was fired by pull-cord after aiming, and its recoil would push the boat backward at significant speed.	Closeup of double kayak among collection of kayaks and sea canoes in various states of seaworthiness (below)
Unique Sailing Craft The sailing yacht *Queen Mab* is a half-scale 6-metre design, one of 2 built in the 1890s by Alexander Stephens, Shipbuilders. Additional details of her planking and keel can be seen below left.
	*Falcon*, an experimental wind turbine powered boat, was designed at the University of Glasgow. I have no more information on her, and she appeared to be in a state of advanced neglect.
...and a bit of power This fishing boat is typical of those found in the harbor at Irvine.
Steam engine with wood-tooth reduction gears. Teeth are of lignum vitae, hammer-fit into the gear wheel, designed for silence and easy replacement in case of breakage. For size reference, the large gear wheel is about 1 meter in diameter. I did not see a "wee pram" in the museum, but did find a "wee dram" on the way back to the hotel...