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“Puffer” on Scotland’s Western Coast – Ink/Inktense on a Watercolour Moleskine
Puffers were designed to operate up and down Scotland’s coast and the Western Isles where access by road was limited. They were built with flat bottoms so they could be beached at high tide, unloaded at low tide then floated off later. Puffers supplied everything from food to coal for remote communities and brought back wool and other local produce. They were named after the curious sound made by the steam engine exhausting up the funnel on every stroke – rather like a steam locomotive. Later models were converted to diesel but, during WW2 coal built models were again constructed as precious oil had to be imported from the USA while Scotland had plenty coal. These wartime versions were called “Vics” (Victualling Inshore Craft) because they were used to supply the many warships on the Atlantic coast. Up until recent time these same boats replenished the vessels in the Holy Loch where there was an American base.
Puffers have a special place in Scotland’s folklore mainly due to the “Para Handy” tales written by Neil Munro about the adventures of a motley crew cruising up and down the islands in the puffer “Vital Spark”. Well worth a read as the Highland language/accent is beautifully written phonetically.
I have always wanted to construct a model of this type of vessel and finally have got around to it. You can see my early stages at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28475994@N00/3636580370/in/set-72157619795080007/
Unfortunately the photos are in reverse order as the “later stages” were uploaded more recently. This means that subsequent shots will have to be viewed in the same way.
roseindigo 10:26 pm on June 19, 2009 | #
I really like this for all sorts of reasons—the clouds, the light, the water and the colors in the land. The color of the water is gorgeous—and of course the story that goes with it.
trebor61 2:57 am on June 20, 2009 | #
Glad that you like this. As Para Handy would say, “This is the ‘Smertest boat in the tred’” (You have to get your Highland accent going to pronounce “Smartest boat in the trade”. After all, “If Dougie wass here, he wud tell you himsell”.
Sophie Brown 1:46 pm on June 20, 2009 | #
Are you making this model from scratch or do you have some way of going about it? It looks like your own invention.
trebor61 3:17 pm on June 20, 2009 | #
Hi Sophie
I actually sent for a set of plans which are based on a boat built in the 1930’s. I admit the shape looks a bit strange but that is the charm of these things. You can see their general shape in links such as this:
http://www.tradboat2.co.uk/sourcepages/clydepuffers/clydepuffersource%20page.htm
The method of constructing the model is quite normal and, in fact, some full sized sailing yachts are constructed by the “filling in” method but expanded rigid foam is used instead of wood.