sailscotland 2020

FIRTH OF CLYDE

2. Look out for the golden dragon carved motif on the bow of these beautiful yachts whenever you visit a marina or anchorage no matter where you are in the world. 3. Read “Fast & Bonnie” by May Fife McCallum – a great book packed with history and details about all of the Fife yachts and the family who created them. 4. Google them and see just how many fabulous classic yachts one small yard on the Firth of Clyde managed to produce. 5. Keep your eyes peeled if you are on holiday in the Med, the Caribbean or the US (these lovely ladies do get around!) Hazel Pearson Flamingo Yacht Charter www.flamingoyachts.com

up a large part of the foreshore and was fully under cover. There was acetylene lighting, woodworking machinery, lead founding, brass founding and iron founding. William Fife III began designing yachts in 1890 and went on to become one of the most renowned yacht designers of the period. He designed Pen Duick in 1898, famously owned by Eric Tabarly in more recent times and the America’s Cup boats Shamrock in 1899 and Shamrock III in 1903 for Sir Thomas Lipton, the tea magnate. No small feat for a yard with such humble beginnings! The last true Fife yacht built in Fairlie was Solway Maid in 1938 and William Fife III died in 1944 at the age of 87 with the yard closing not long after. These clyde-built beauties have travelled far and wide; many are now berthed in sunnier climes and have been lovingly restored and cared for

by wealthy owners with a passion for classic yachts. The yachts are truly beautiful, and nothing beats the site of their classic lines charging along under full sail with their golden dragon motif cutting through the waves at the bow. I would urge both new and experienced sailors to get out onto the water and grab the chance to see these amazing, awe-inspiring yachts whilst their presence graces our Scottish waters. Where better to see them than in their original homeland against the amazing backdrops of the Kyles of Bute, the Mountains of Arran and Argyll and the rolling hills of the Ayrshire Coast! If you fancy spotting a Fife Yacht and want to know more about them, my top tips would be: 1. Get out on the water during the Fife Regatta and appreciate these boats up close.

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