Macduff & Portsoy
May 20, 2020
20 May 21. HM 114. Forget Shakespeare's Macduff - let me introduce the real McCoy (sorry) - James Duff, 2nd Earl of Fife.
Politician, landowner and seemingly all round good bloke, in 1760 he spent over £1 million (today's money) building a fine harbour for his local village of "Doune". So it seems only fair he re-named the place with his own name hence Macduff!
Fast forward to 2021 and this large town and thriving harbour is a centre of shipbuilding. Macduff Shipyards turns over £30 million, repairing fishing boats from all over the UK as well as building fishing, pilot, survey and work boats and servicing vessels up to 60 m in Fraserburgh. That's big - superyacht size. It is only when a fishing boat is out of the water that you can see their extraordinary shape (their deep fish hold) - Photo 6 and the size of their propellor - Photo 7. These boats go far out into the Atlantic and cannot afford to break down when trawling in a Force 8 gale. Macduff is also the home to the "fake wood look" for boats like Reliance - Photo 8.
Following in the footsteps of James Duff, let me introduce a modern day "good bloke" - the ex HM - John West, who went out of his way to help me, standing in for the current harbour master Duncan Mackie who was otherwise engaged. John was AHM and HM from 1986 to 2016 - 30 years. John started fishing at 14, like so many men of this area, his family have fished for generations, too many to count! John explained to me how he saw the industry change - with powerful hydraulic winches replacing "block & tackles" being the main advancement during his time. Clearly John is held in enormous respect in this harbour which sees 45 boats in and out each day.
Meanwhile Portsoy, a tiny village harbour to the west of Macduff, is famous for its annual Classic Boat Festival. We poked our bow in there (photo 10) when we sailed past and it is very pretty. It is also looked after by the current HM - maybe that is where he was on the day I tried to meet him? A big thank you to Marilyn Paterson of @theseafrontmacduff who suggested I interviewed John. @stbfportsoy @macdufflifeboat
Politician, landowner and seemingly all round good bloke, in 1760 he spent over £1 million (today's money) building a fine harbour for his local village of "Doune". So it seems only fair he re-named the place with his own name hence Macduff!
Fast forward to 2021 and this large town and thriving harbour is a centre of shipbuilding. Macduff Shipyards turns over £30 million, repairing fishing boats from all over the UK as well as building fishing, pilot, survey and work boats and servicing vessels up to 60 m in Fraserburgh. That's big - superyacht size. It is only when a fishing boat is out of the water that you can see their extraordinary shape (their deep fish hold) - Photo 6 and the size of their propellor - Photo 7. These boats go far out into the Atlantic and cannot afford to break down when trawling in a Force 8 gale. Macduff is also the home to the "fake wood look" for boats like Reliance - Photo 8.
Following in the footsteps of James Duff, let me introduce a modern day "good bloke" - the ex HM - John West, who went out of his way to help me, standing in for the current harbour master Duncan Mackie who was otherwise engaged. John was AHM and HM from 1986 to 2016 - 30 years. John started fishing at 14, like so many men of this area, his family have fished for generations, too many to count! John explained to me how he saw the industry change - with powerful hydraulic winches replacing "block & tackles" being the main advancement during his time. Clearly John is held in enormous respect in this harbour which sees 45 boats in and out each day.
Meanwhile Portsoy, a tiny village harbour to the west of Macduff, is famous for its annual Classic Boat Festival. We poked our bow in there (photo 10) when we sailed past and it is very pretty. It is also looked after by the current HM - maybe that is where he was on the day I tried to meet him? A big thank you to Marilyn Paterson of @theseafrontmacduff who suggested I interviewed John. @stbfportsoy @macdufflifeboat