View source for Sgoth

{{Short description|Traditional type of boat of Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[Image:Jubilee_Sgoth_Niseach.jpg|thumb|250px|right|''Jubilee'' under sail]]
A '''Sgoth''' or ''Sgoth Niseach'' is a traditional type of [[Clinker (boat building)|clinker built]] [[skiff]] with a [[Lug sail|dipping lug]] rig, built mainly in [[Ness, Outer Hebrides|Ness]], in the [[Western Isles]] of Scotland. The boats were [[traditional fishing boat]]s, particularly for [[Longline fishing|line fishing]], during the 19th century and until the early half of the twentieth century.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070529004921/http://www.c-e-n.org/jubilee.htm Ness Historical Society page with some Sgoth history]}}</ref> There are several still owned, used and maintained by community trusts.

The rig of a Sgoth is unusual in that the yard is longer than the mast, all of the rig fits comfortably within the boat as the mast was lowered when working with the lines. The boats were beach launched, when they were afloat they were loaded with ballast of stones from the shore; during fishing the stone ballast would be replaced by the catch.

As line fishing died out in the islands, the numbers of boats being built dwindled. In 1935 ''Jubilee'' was launched; she would be the last original working Sgoth. By this time the boats had been reduced to a fleet of around 27, and fishing was concentrated more to inshore waters. These are sometimes referred to as 'three quarter size' Sgoth Niseach.

''Jubilee'' was restored as a community sailing boat in 1978, and more recently in 2005, and is operated by the community boat trust 'Falmadair'. She is based in Stornoway where she sails regularly, taking out members of the public as crew.

In 1994, a full size (33 feet) replica Sgoth was built in Stornoway by John Murdo Macleod, as the subject of a documentary film called ''An Sgoth''. The boat was named ''An Sulaire'' (The Gannet).

Another three-quarter Sgoth ''Oigh Niseach'' (24 feet) built in Port of Ness in 1980 by John Murdo Macleod  for Teddy Grey of the Garrygualach Adventure Centre is now operated by Raasay House on the island of [[Raasay]]. ''Bluebird'', a half sized (16&nbsp;ft) Sgoth, is based in Ness.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links ==
*[http://www.falmadair.org/the-boats.html Falmadair] 
*[https://www.flickr.com/groups/sgoth/ Photos of the boats]
*[http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/object.cfm?ID=SLR1323 Model of a Sgoth] at the National Maritime Museum
*[http://www.ansulaire.com/ An Sulaire Trust]

{{fishing vessel topics}}
{{fisheries and fishing}}
{{Sailing Vessels and Rigs}}

[[Category:Sailboat types]]
[[Category:Types of fishing vessels]]
[[Category:Isle of Lewis]]
[[Category:Scottish design]]
[[Category:Fishing in Scotland]]


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