Nighean Ruadh takes to the water at last
Boat was lovingly carved by volunteers
A wooden rowing boat, hand- built by volunteers in a borrowed garage in Aberfeldy, was officially launched on Loch Tay on Saturday.
Known as ‘Nighean Ruadh’ (The Red Haired Lass), the Loch Tay Skiff was blessed with whisky by John Swinney MSP, had poetry spoken over her by Jon Plunkett and was put in the loch as a horn blown by Celtic celebrant Claire Hewitt sounded over the grey water.
The celebration of nearly four years of fundraising, research and hard physical woodworking that saw the vessel complete was held on Saturday, September 25.
The Loch Tay Skiff Club, which completed the £ 10,500 project, invited guests from a couple of other Scottish skiff clubs, including one from St Andrews which brought a second boat along so there were plenty of rowing opportunities.
After pouring a stream of Dewars Aberfeldy Malt over the new boat’s painted name, Perthshire North MSP John Swinney went aboard and joined the delighted boat builders for some rowing.
Well wishers brought red ribbon to decorate her. Cake was consumed and stories of the long build exchanged on the pebbly shore beside the jetty.
The painted St Ives skiff has a permanent home at The Kenmore Club.
The name ‘ Nighean Ruadh’ comes from the Loch Tay Boat Song, a tune with a great local connection.
Traditional entertainer Claire Hewitt sang a version of the song as the 12 oars dipped and lifted.
The story of how Nighean Ruadh came to be began in December 2017.
Over almost four years the builders - ordinary people giving their time - were led by Aberfeldybased master furniture maker Angus Ross.
They cut, smoothed and nailed timbers according to a design from
Cornwall.
The boat was put together in an unheated garage lent by Aberfeldy resident Margaret Jarvis.
When it came to painting, the garage workshop was too cold and the work was delayed till summer temperatures were enough to make the paint dry.
Local author Linda Cracknell has been hugely involved from the start.
She said: “Five of us - Adam Harrison, Angus Ross, myself, Charlotte Flower and Ruth Atkinson - made fact- finding journeys to Anstruther and St Ayles Skiff Club and the Scottish Fisheries Museum in December 2017 to learn how we could go about building a boat and setting up a club.
“In January 2018 a public meeting was held at the Birks Cinema.
“It was clear there was a great deal of interest in the idea of building and rowing a community skiff. So a campaign to develop a community effort began.
“Adam Harrison began a fundraising campaign to buy the building kit and other essential equipment and by March 2018, The Loch Tay Skiff Club was constituted.
“The Kenmore Club agreed to be a permanent home for the skiff, so we were in business.
“We held an AGM in April, formed a committee and raised our first funds at the Kenmore Games in July that year.
“After that we added funds from Kenmore Community Council, SSE Griffin, Breathe Project, Aberfeldy Common Good Fund, the Thomson Charitable Trust, and the Big Lottery-Awards for All.
“Initial work took place in Angus Ross’s workshop.
“Then Margaret Jarvis kindly agreed to allow us to use her large garage just outside Aberfeldy for building the skiff which we estimated to take a year or so.
“In August 18 we met our fundraising target of £10,500.”
The work to build the hull of the boat went on very slowly, based around when members could give time and if it was not too cold in the garage for the epoxy glue to set.
In March 2019 John Swinney MSP made his first visit to see progress.
“Marking a halfway point in the build, he gave a hand with some fine work on the keel, which was fitted after the rest of the outer hull had been completed,” explained Linda.
“Soon after this, we turned the now-planked hull over. It started to look like a boat.
“Then work continued on fitting the gunwales and seats. Much sanding was required in preparation for painting.”
By January 2020, the building of the skiff was complete but higher temperatures were needed for the paint to set.
With lockdown adding a further complication, it was not finished until spring this year.
“In spring 2021 we finally vacated Margaret’s garage and awarded her life membership,” continued Linda.
“The skiff took up residence for the remaining work in the boat shed of at Acharn, kindly provided by Remony Estate.
“Work resumed there, we painted, varnished and added details.
“And finally Anna Sibbald painted the name onto the bows of the skiff.”
The boat first had contact with the water last month when it was rowed from Acharn to Kenmore on a blazing hot day.
Omar Shamma has created a photographic documentation of the process which is leading towards a beautiful glossy book. See https://oshamma.exposure. co/loch-tay-skiff for more.