In 1978, following a
number of years of inactivity and requiring much needed repairs, the Jubilee was purchased
by a group of local enthusiasts on behalf of the Ness community and brought
back ‘home’ to Ness. Over the intervening years, several alterations had been made to the boat,
in particular the addition of a small wheelhouse and
a deck being fitted. Having secured the necessary funding, the
restoration work soon commenced, and in 1980 Jubilee was once again launched from Port of Ness harbour –
forty-five
years after she first put to sea from the same spot. Over the
succeeding years the boat made numerous sailing trips around Ness and
further afield, attracting appreciative responses from both sailors and
landlubbers alike.
Jubilee and the larger An
Sulaire at Port of Ness harbour, Lewis |
In support of the Sulaire
Project, which aimed to build a new full size sgoth Niseach, the Jubilee
underwent additional remedial repairs in 1995 that were essentially short term
to enable a crew to train on
this type of boat so that they could then use these sailing skills to manage
the larger sgoth Niseach, An Sulaire, that was being built at that time as a project
that featured on an award winning television documentary broadcast on BBC2.
By 2005 Jubilee, like
any traditional timber built boat, once again required attention.
Fortunately, much needed funding for renovations and refitting became
available with
the development of a
new housing scheme on the site of the former Sail Loft at Stornoway
harbour. This development programme incorporated a community arts
project that included two former fishing skiffs, 'Jubilee' and 'Broad
Bay', both of which had worked the inshore waters around the Hebrides. |
As a
result of this work, Jubilee is now fully restored and equipped, and is
now able to once again offer Falmadair members a safe and unique sailing
experience. The Jubilee remains an enduring reminder of the often
fragile, yet vital, role the sea has historically played in the lives of the
Hebridean people. It is now incumbent on us all to ensure that we
maintain Jubilee as a first class sailing vessel and a working historical
artefact for years to come.
|
.gif)
