Portsoy Scottish Traditional Boat Festival crowds enthralled by Wick Society vessel Isabella Fortuna
A popular vessel returned to the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival to give people an insight into how fishermen worked in days gone by.
Isabella Fortuna dropped anchor at Portsoy’s Old Harbour during the event and visitors were able to step aboard.
It is an example of a traditional Fifie fishing vessel, built by James Weir of Arbroath and launched as Isabella on September 15, 1890.
The vessel was intended for line and drift-net fishing and was originally powered by two big lug sails, a jib and five oars.
For 86 years, generations of the same Smith family fished with the Isabella, from Arbroath.
In 1919, a 15hp Kelvin engine was fitted, but by 1928 greater power was needed for the seine-net fishing and a Kelvin K2 44hp engine was installed.
This, in turn, was upgraded in 1932 when a Kelvin K3 66hp engine was fitted. This engine continues to power the boat today. That same year the name was changed to Fortuna.
When the Smith family retired from the sea in 1976, Hobson Rankin, a restorer, bought the vessel and began a four-year restoration project.
In 1980, the Fortuna became the Isabella Fortuna incorporating once more the original name.
The Wick Society bought the Isabella Fortuna from Hobson Rankin and Michael May in 1997.
Mr Rankin donated his share of the vessel to The Wick Society to assist in using the boat to promote the town’s fishing heritage.
Since then, volunteers have engaged on a continuous programme of renewal and restoration.
Extensive reconstruction, renewal and overhaul have been necessary to keep the boat seaworthy.
The project has bought together people with a wide range of abilities and has provided an opportunity for traditional skills to be practised and passed on to younger generations.
The maintenance of equipment and fittings enable the vessel to meet modern safety regulations and standards.
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The Isabella Fortuna is normally berthed in Wick Harbour, although during the winter months it is housed in the old lifeboat shed on the south shore of Wick Bay. This enables maintenance to continue throughout the year.
With a voluntary crew the vessel visits other ports during festivals and sea-based events like the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy.
At last year’s event, it won the best presented boat award which takes in not only the vessel itself but also how the crew interact with visitors.
At the festival’s opening ceremony this year, chairman David Urquhart said it was one of the highlight vessels.
He added: “The Isabella Fortuna has always supported the festival.
“It gives people a chance to see what the sea mariners had to do when they went to catch fish for us all.”