A Racing Yole
Skua was built as a racing yole in the early 1930s using larch planking. She was built for the then novelist and writer Eric Linklater by William Ritch of Deerness for the sum of £45.18.5 1/2d which included mast, spars and oars.
The restoration of Skua involved replacement of missing garboards on both sides, deadwoods, part of the stern post, all decking, thafts (thwarts) and floorboards (tulfers), as well as repairs to the gunwales.
The following video shows some of the work that OHBS volunteers undertake and details the restoration and the historical importance on Skua.
Pictures of the restoration (not in chronological order):
Bottom damage to the hull
New flooring
New flooring
Work on the interior in progress
Work on the interior in progress
Boat builder Ian Richardson at work on Skua
Preparing for the new deck (midships)
Preparing for the new deck (aft)
Preparing for the new deck (foredeck)
August 2016
Stern repair work
Stern repair work
Repaired bottom plank
Repaired stern post and planking
Damage to the bottom of the hull
Damage to the bottom of the hull
No decking and no flooring
At the start of the project
Port hull garboard & sternpost complete, rudder shaft re-bored
Forward re-decking
Aft re-decking
New mast step complete
Restored rudder
Restored tiller attachment and main sheet eye
Rebuilt interior
Restored tiller
Almost complete
Almost complete
The completed boat ready to be moved to its new home
On the move
Arrival in Lyness
Unloading in Lyness
On its way to covered storage
Nearly there
Job done
