Swan Returns Home with New Mast
Friday 15th November 2024
Shetland’s own Tall Ship, Swan, returned home to berth in Scalloway this morning following a week in Ullapool where a brand-new mast was fitted – funded by Serco NorthLink Ferries.
The new mast replaces the original, installed nearly 30 years ago during the restoration of Swan when she was brought back to Shetland from a sunken state in Hartlepool.
Chair of the Swan Trust SCIO, Mary Irvine, said “Having this new mast gives Swan a new lease of life for another generation of young people to learn sailing skills and take part in lifechanging experiences as part of Tall Ships Races, local sail training opportunities and school trips. This is a significant milestone in Swan’s story and Trustees are very grateful to Serco NorthLink Ferries for providing the funding to make this happen.
“We are also absolutely delighted with the quality of work from the boatbuilders, the speed of the progress in installing the new mast and the support given to us by Ullapool Harbour Trust and the community of Ullapool. This is a wonderful way for our coastal communities to work together and I believe it has forged an excellent relationship for further partnerships.”
The mast was created by Isle Ewe Boats Ltd, from Isle of Ewe, partnering with Johnson and Loftus, based in Ullapool. The process to prepare the mast began in October, when a 90ft Douglas Fir tree from Tyre Bagger in Aberdeen was cut down to the mast length of just over 65ft. In explaining how the mast is formed, Tim Lofthus explained “you start with something that’s roughly round and then you turn it into a square, and then you turn it into an octagon and then a sixteen sided shape and so on, until it’s back to round again.
“After it’s planed and sanded smooth, we need to get some coatings on to it. We need something flexible so we use an ancient recipe of one third linseed oil, one third pine tar and a third raw turpentine.”
The new mast was towed by sea from the builders yard around 2 miles up the coast from Ullapool Harbour. All fittings and measurements were meticulously checked as the new hardware was added and the new mast was lifted into place by Ullapool Harbour Trust staff who supported this project with berthing and incredible logistical support.
The process has been documented throughout by Steven Gourlay Media, and videos have been published on the Swan Trust social media and website. This was a unique opportunity to follow the progress of the project, from the felling of the tree to the stepping and testing of the new mast.
NorthLink Ferries support of the project is particularly appropriate, with some of the young sail trainees who start out with a day sail on board Swan, going on to a career in the maritime sector – some even aboard the north isles ferries. Supporting the next generation of seafarers and encouraging the kind of skills development and personal growth that comes from sail training is an important element of this project for NorthLink.
Stuart Garrett, Serco’s managing director of NorthLink Ferries, said: “At NorthLink Ferries, we recognise the importance of developing the next generation of seafarers and the value it offers to the communities we support. By investing in the Swan’s new mast, we have been able to help preserve a piece of Shetland’s maritime history while also offering invaluable opportunities for young people to learn essential skills in the maritime sector. We are very proud to be part of the Swan’s journey.”