HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2020 TO ALL

A busy scene at the Leith Shipyards of Robb Caledon sometime around 1976

Well 2020 it is then, bloody miracle if you ask me, puts me in mind of an old Jager & Evens song “In the year 2525, if man is still alive”

Perhaps someone will change the year around to show 2020 but I digress, I have been asked a few questions many times about plans for 2020

I shall endeavour to answer below, always a wee bit reluctant to make plans set in stone as we all know what happens to plans (Ask around in any shipyard and you will find out, but we will not mention anything about what has really happened with the two Cal-Mac ferries being built or not built at Ferguson’s yard on the Clyde)

Will there be a new website in 2020 – Most definitely, although it will take a slightly different format as this website will also feature the many books that I have on the go right now both Non-Fiction such as the recently published Leith-Built Ships Vol. I

I have Fiction books starting with a trilogy about two young shipwrights from Leith, full of madcap adventures. Set around actual ships built at Leith in the late 18^th century, that I am writing with the first two books finished but as yet unpublished.

The new website will also in time feature a very large library of ships photographs.

Will Volume II of Leith-Built Ships be published in 2020 – Most definitely although still to be confirmed with the publishers, but this book is 99% complete and almost ready to go, with Volume III well on as well it could be an exciting year on the publishing front to feature more on the almost forgotten shipbuilding and maritime heritage of the old port.

There is a lot more in the pipeline but as ever I don’t count my chickens before they are hatched.

Remember the first book is now out and can be purchased from most good bookshops, for anyone overseas the publishers can post to anywhere.

http://www.whittlespublishing.com/They_Once_Were_Shipbuilders

or it can be purchased from Amazon at the following link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Once-Were-Shipbuilders-Leith-Built/dp/1849954437/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AGCT5P1NE6DX&keywords=leith+built+ships&qid=1577884811&sprefix=Leith+Built+S%2Caps%2C233&sr=8-1

So for now it is on to 2020 may it be a good one for all.

SOFALA Ship No 241

The Twin Screw Motor Vessel SOFALA I can confirm was a motor vessel with 2 engines leading to twin screws, in responce to Gordon's question. He served on her when named Vorlooper and was unsure if she was single screw or twin. Happy to put the record straight about ships built at Leith and you will be able to find out so much more about the ships built at Leith, in my second book in the series which is almost complete.
In the meantine you can read about the ships from 1850 to the end of WW1 in the new book to be published next month.

The details of the book can be found at the publisher’s website as follows-

http://www.whittlespublishing.com/They_Once_Were_Shipbuilders


You can also pre-order the book from Amazon at the following link

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Once-Were-Shipbuilders-Leith-Built/dp/1849954437/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=They+Once+Were+Shipbuilders&qid=1567599695&s=books&sr=1-1

Many thanks.

They Once Were Shipbuilders

Well at long last the first in the series of books on Ships built at Leith is now ready for pre-ordering.

The details of the book can be found at the publisher’s website as follows-

http://www.whittlespublishing.com/They_Once_Were_Shipbuilders You’ll see that the book is now available to order and that it’s available at a special pre-publication price of £14.99 which will run until 20th September.

Or the book can now be pre-ordered at Amazon by following the link shown below.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/They-Once-Were-Shipbuilders-Leith-Built/dp/1849954437/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=They+Once+Were+Shipbuilders&qid=1567599695&s=books&sr=1-1

Christmas Lights for Mercator

Mercator

Xmas lights

The volunteer crew of the last sailing ship built at Leith have been busy setting out some Christmas lights to present the recently refitted ship at her best for this Christmas and New Year of 2017.

  

 

Mercator's mast's being prepared for Xmas Lights as seen above.

This fine and well preserved example of shipbuilding excellence is well worth a visit at her berth in Ostend on the Belgian Coast.

The Sail Training Ship/Museum Mercator seen at her berth in the harbour at Ostend.

Some of Mercators Volenteer Crew sort through the Christmas Lights before climbing the masts to put them up in time for Xmas.

Up the rigging with full safety gear on to get the lights rigged.

Top of the mast on Mercator the last sailing ship built at Leith launched from the Ramage & Ferguson Shipyard as Ship No 268 in December 1931.

Sail Training Ship MERCATOR

It has been some time since I have been able to spend anytime on the Blog or the website, but happy to let you all know about the latest developments on another old ship built at Leith.

New lease of life for the last ship built at the famous Ramage & Ferguson shipyard, at Leith, Scotland.

MERCATOR

Launched from the Leith Shipyard in December 1931 she was Ship No 269 according to the official shipbuilders list, she was an order from the Belgian Government for a 3 masted Barqentine for use as a sail training ship to be used by the Belgian Navy.

A barquentine is a sailing vessel with three or more masts; with a square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged main, mizzen and any other masts.

Ideal for sail training along with the advantage of having a smaller crew than a full rigged ship, they are capable of very good performance before the wind, along with the ability to sail relatively close to the wind.

The MERCATOR is a very striking looking ship that required extensive work after a long period of lay-up at the port of Ostend.

MERCATOR seen here at her berth in Ostend, Belgium

(Photograph from the official Mercator website)

Her extensive re-fit was carried out in Ostend, Belgium by

IDP Shipyard  (Industries des pêcheries)

http://idp-shipyard.be/nl/

They did the masts and the rigging a few years ago. While last year they carried out repairs, cleaning and panting of the hull along with a complete refit of her inside, with the cost of the whole operation costing around 3.4 million Euro. She is now back at her berth in Ostend open to the public, who as you will see in the video below came out in great numbers to welcome the old Leith built ship home.

Return of the Mercator to Ostend

https://youtu.be/p7_a_KnqGXA

If you happen to be in Ostend and wish to be shown around the ship and the surrounding area then we would recommend that you contact Joris Surmont, who is a very knowledgeable guide working in Ostend with very good English as well, you can find more details of his guided tours below, just click on the link to be taken right there.

http://www.ijslandvaart.net/English_guide.html

You can also visit the official MERCATOR museum site here at

 http://www.zeilschipmercator.be/mercator/

She is a testimony to the men who built her at Leith, now eighty five (85) years after she first entered the waters of the Firth of Fourth and still going strong, she is supported by a marvellous organisation along with many volunteers who will ensure she goes on for many more years.