The Invergordon Archive

Loch Fyne Skiff

Caber Feidh, as mentioned in picture #345, was an example of a Loch Fyne skiff. These were lightly built boats, of clinker construction, used mainly for herring fishing and originally open decked and dipping-lug rigged. The later versions were decked and fitted with engines, mainly Kelvins. They were built with the Zulu stern, which was fashionable at the time. This had a steeply raked rudder post, which, while giving a long deck, produced a shorter keel, which gave greater manoeuvrability compared with the upright Fifie sternpost, as on the Muriel.
The picture is of a watercolour showing one such craft. Mr Angus Ross, Rossal, owned a converted example, which made a roomy and comfortable pleasure boat.

(Painting reproduced by kind permission of © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London)