Registration number 959
Status Archived
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Previous names

  • Wistaria BA64

Details

Function Fishing Vessel
Subfunction Dredger
Location NONE
Archive reason Disposed
Current use Community Vessel
Available to hire No
Available for excursions Yes

Construction

Builder Weatherhead, William & Son, Cockenzie
Built in 1949
Rig None
Number of decks 1
Propulsion Motor
Number of engines 1
Primary engine type Inboard diesel
Boiler type None
Boilermaker None

Dimensions

Length: Overall
54.75 feet (16.70m)
Tonnage: Gross
28.00
Depth
7.00 feet (2.13m)

History

SHEMARON was a 1949 purpose built ring-net fishing boat. She was built at Weatherheads at Cockenzie for the Sloan brothers who fished off the Ayrshire and west coast of Scotland, through the Minch and also down the North East coast where she was known to call at Seahouses and Hartlepool, and Whitby.

In 1949 SHEMARON was known as Wisteria. She was sold in 1964 after a very successful career in herring fishing, partnering the Watchful. She was bought by the Galbraith family in Carradale and was fitted as a scallop dredger and used for a brief time trawling and prawn fishing. She was renamed SHEMARON at this point.

SHEMARON passed from father to son, Sandy Galbraith, and on his retirement found her way into the guardianship of her final owner.  She was under long-term restoration at Campbeltown for several years, the plan being to restore her as close as possible to her original condition. The forecastle and fish hold remained as built, and the deck was original and unpainted. Her masts were restored using partly original components and she was re-nailed.  

In 2019, the Ring Net Heritage Trust's project 'Bringing Shemaron Home to Cockenzie' was awarded funding of £4508 from 'Salt of the Earth PSG Community Heritage Fund' towards the project.

In October 2023, the Ring Net Heritage Trust found SHEMARON's condition to be beyond repair, and took the difficult decision to break her up.

Key dates

  • 1949

    Built by W Weatherhead & Son, Cockenzie

  • 1949/1964

    Ring net fishing

  • 1964/2006

    Ring net and dredger

  • 2006/2015

    Pleasure craft

  • 2015

    Owned by Ring Net Heritage Trust

Grants

  • January 2016

    A Sustainability Grant of £1000 towards the cost of re-caulking was made from the Strategic Development Fund of National Historic Ships UK

Sources

Shemaron: A Beautiful Endeavour, Fiona Malkin, Abe Books, 2015
Olsen's Fisherman's Nautical Almanack 1998, E T W Dennis & Sons Ltd, pp659, Edition 122, 1998  
Scottish Office Agriculture Environment and Fisheries Department, Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1996, Government Statistical Service, 1997

Own this vessel?

If you are the owner of this vessel and would like to provide more details or updated information, please contact info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk