Astro Small Boat Race

Racng from Gourock to Belfast they will meet up with Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge fleet in Belfast.

Nordcaperen

Nordcaperen was built in 1924 in Denmark. Her hull construction is Oak on Oak. She was built as a sailing trawler and hence the relatively narrow beam and long keel. She is believed to have been skipper-owned during her working life to 1990 when she was decommissioned.
She was purchased in 1992 by the late John Fisher, she was lavishly rebuilt and refitted in the years 1993 to 1997 by professional firms of shipwrights in Grimsby. The hull is original, but everything else was replaced, including deck, wheelhouse, engine and sailing rig.

Maid of the Loch

The Maid of the Loch was the last paddle steamer to be built in Britain, and the largest for an inland waterway.

She was built by A & J Ingle’s yard at Poinhouse on the River Clyde and launched on the 5^th of March 1953.

She was then dismantled and transported to Loch Lomond to be reassembled on the slipway at Balloch,she entered service on the loch in May 1953.

Her last sailing was on the 30^th of August 1981, being in need of repair and the crippling price of oil made her uneconomic; there were a few attempts to revive her but all floundered leaving her to rot away.

Fortunately a group of enthusiasts saved the Maid, not only by slowly restoring her but by having an excellent business plan they have made her a superb tourist attraction.

With the aid of a National Lottery Grant they have replaced her original wooden deck with steel and aluminium, not only this but she now has a restaurant and cafeteria as well as a souvenir shop.

Work has also included a car park and the restoration of the steam work shop.

Will she ever ply the waters of the Loch again? Well the volunteers who happily give their time centenary think so, but it still seems a tall order.

A photochrome of the Argyll Hotel Dunoon there is no date on the picture perhaps late19th or early 20th century?

Its interesting to note how much of the sea was claimed to build the esplanade.

Believer

At anchor off Gourock awaiting her slot at the container terminal.

Wolthusen

Passing Greenock as she makes her way up river to Glasgow.

RFA Bayleaf A109

Bayleaf is a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship,manned by civilian sailors,her task is to replenish warships at sea .

She is seen here at the NATO refueling jetty in Loch Striven.

Ranger

Fishing off the coast of Dunoon.

Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig photographed from Girvan .

Tistedal

Tistedal on her way to the container terminal,more pictures of her HERE