Name Red Moon

Built of wood to the smaller 45’ design class for the Admiralty, suitable to be lifted onto a ship. MFV’s stemmed from a recognition in 1942 that there was a need to have a range of vessels to suit the war needs and to supplement the fishing fleet after the war. A lovely, but smaller than usual MFV, which was constructed with a beam of 16.5fU/5.05m and a depth of 6.6ft/2.01m. She was ordered in 6 April 1944 from J. Bolton and Son Ltd, Poole under the pennant MFV 769. Completed in August 1945 and was delivered to the Clyde Division in Scotland. Trials were completed in September 1945 and then transferred after the war to Rosyth in 1947

Having been released by the Admiralty in 1948 she was purchased by skipper John Watt and others from Fraserburgh and originally named CHRISTINE DUFFIE with the registration number FR313.

She was first rigged as a herring drifter but was adaptable to seine netting as well, when fitted with a Sunderland winch and the ever popular Beccles coiler.

Sold on in 1952 to skipper Tom Scott Goodlad and partners from Scalloway, renamed SILVER CLOUD, LK217 and operated as a seiner, mainly on the west-side grounds of Shetland. Although one of the smaller type she also made the long, hazardous journey to the Aberdeen market to land her catch. It was a lengthy trip indeed for such a small vessel to make, but this was understandable when a much better price could be had. She also visited Wick and Stornoway at some time, while engaged in the herring fishing. In 1958 she registered to Wick as WK207. Changed over to work as a creel boat for a time during the lobster boom in the sixties,

In 1956, a newly fabricated steel wheelhouse from mainland builders was fitted at Waltersons’s Yard, Scalloway. During this refit the old original MacLaren (Chrysler petrol 60hp) engine, which by this time was unreliable, was removed and replaced by the 114hp 6-cylinder Gardner engine (built October 1950) , which had been removed from the old herring drifter Planet. These changes enhanced the vessel greatly, the wheelhouse gave a much greater comfort to the crew and the extra horsepower improved her towing capabilities. Sadly, on 29th May 1988, while en- route to the grounds at Foula, her skipper, forty-four year old T Goodlad collapsed and died. She was to return to the fishing, under new skipper, J Goodlad, brother to the late skipper. Some three years later she was for sale.

Sold on 1st May 1962 to the Carter brothers, David and George S, from Lybster north of Scotland. Remained as the SILVER CLOUD and re-registered with the number WK207. Fished successfully from this port for a number of years and once held the record for one days fishing when landing a bumper catch of 378 boxes of prime cod. This was undoubtedly a very big haul indeed for such a small vessel but they coped well with their days work. With an imminent sale, due to the arrival of their new boat, the name was changed to Fire Crest, but she was to retain the registration.

Sold 27 March 1972 to a new owner, Mr & Mrs Ross from Wick. Renamed to FIRECREST by her new owners and continued to work as a seiner still as WK207.

Sold again 10 June 1976 to A Gunn from John O’Groats, Caithness. Keeping the same name and number she went on to operate for little more than a year before she was again put up for sale.

Around 14th December 1978 she was sold to a timber merchant, J Bevan, from Manchester and was based in Fleetwood and it was almost certain that she no longer fished after this. Apparently Mr Bevan read an article in the Sunday Observer supplement written by Eric Newby about a voyage across the Pentland Firth on Firecrest and extolled her sea worthiness. Jack spent considerable effort over 8 years - 18,000 hours labour, in converting her to her current form. He renamed her to NORDIC STAR, registration 379101, home port Manchester 

Other owners followed namely, S Ross(1989), P Unwin(1990), J Church, P Slaney(2002) and J Estall (2005, Estepona) and spent some time around Southampton and including trips to Portugal. In 2008 she was sold again to S Fineman and renamed BIG SABA, he took her through a major refit and update at Gloucesters Tommie Nielsens Boatyard. In 2015 she was sold again to her current, renamed RED MOON and returned to Scotland as a small boat cruise vessel where she has operated on the West Coast and Inner Hebrides to the present day (2026).