New life on the ocean wave for much-loved Bell Rock boat tripper

ARBROATH: Local owner sells up as he trims his sails after 20 years in business

After more than three decades carrying passengers to the Inchcape Rock, a Tayside boat is charting a new life on the Northumberland coast.

The Girl Katherine II left Arbroath harbour at the weekend, 36 years after being launched at a town boatyard and with a traditional “cargo” of two gold sovereigns still set within her timber structure.

Built as a passenger vessel by Gerrard Brothers in Arbroath, she was launched in 1984 and for the past 19 years has been owned by local man Alex Smith, who operates angling and pleasure trips which have been popular with generations of locals and visitors to Arbroath,

Mr Smith, who is operations manager with Arbroath RNLI, also operates the catamaran Ultimate Predator as part of his business and has scaled back the set-up with the sale of Girl Katherine II.

The boat has been snapped up by

“

I remember seeing her being built at Gerrard’s yard and she has been a great boat for us.

ALEX SMITH

David Thompson from Berwick, whose family operates trips to sea and on the River Tweed.

Girl Katherine II was collected by the Thompson family and sailed south on Saturday, with Mr Smith delighted the boat will continue to fulfil the role for which it was built.

“I remember seeing her being built at Gerrard’s yard and she has been a great boat for us,” he said.

“We mostly use the Ultimate Predator now, so I didn’t want to see her sitting doing nothing in Arbroath and it’s good to see her carrying on in good use – I’m sure she’ll be well looked after.”

He added: “The Bell Rock lighthouse remains our most popular trip and she has been out there hundreds of times, but also to the likes of St Andrews, Perth and Montrose.”

The two gold sovereigns in the oak stern post of the vessel remain after being placed in the “dead wood” bottom plank for good luck by the boatbuilder, a tradition which continues today with the welding of coins into the bottom of the radar mast of some modern craft.

Standing around 11 miles off Arbroath, the Bell Rock is the world’s oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse, having been built between 1807 and 1810 by Robert Stevenson.

It stands 115ft tall and its light is visible from 35 miles.

Alex Smith, right, hands over Girl Katherine II to new owner David Thompson and his family.