Daisy is a South Isles yole built in 1910 by James Nicholson of Flotta for William Groat of Hillside, South Walls. Daisy was used for general purposes; cartage (including peat), fishing, pilotage, family etc
Daisy was first registered for fishing as K678 from 23/09/1918 (Orkney archives CE55/11) by William Groat, Longhope, grandfather of Willie Groat who donated her to The Orkney Museum collections in 1986. Measuring overall 17 feet and 8 inches, beam 6 feet 6 inches and depth 2 feet and 7 inches, she demonstrates a traditional clinker (lapstrake) ‘double ender’ construction with no aft transom, a classic straight keel and half lap joints between keel and both stem and sternpost. These features along with her pattern of fitted and steamed timmers (ribs) follow Viking tradition. Larch strokes (boards) on an oak frame reflect the availability and known suitability of materials. This hull form is adapted for sailing in the shallow but often very steep local sea conditions around the island of Hoy, Scapa Flow and the Pentland Firth. Two masts, bowsprit and two sprits of Douglas Fir allow the traditional three sail yole rig, which replaces what would have been lugsails on earlier boats for better windward performance. She was never fitted with an engine but would have carried oars typically 8-10 feet in length. The straight keel and shallow draft gave directional stability under sail and allowed four men to drag her up the beach.
Daisy has been fully restored and completed with two masts, 2 sprit sails, bowsprit and jib.
