Here’s a compilation of short clips from three square sail training trips in August 2021. These trips provide a great opportunity for anyone wanting to learn how to sail a sixareen and gain experience of the traditional square sail rig. It is great fun aboard, working together as a crew to operate the rig. The trips are very sociable with good yarns among the crew and skippers who have vast experience and knowledge of sailing traditional Shetland boats but also many other craft.
An organisation, ‘Shetland Maritime Heritage Association’ has recently been set up to enable the promotion, protection and preservation of Shetland’s maritime history and traditional skills. You can become a member and get updates on sailing trips, activities and events. [ Ссылка ]
The clip opens with footage from the first trip off in the Vaila Mae in nearly two years due to the pandemic. Jim Tait and the Walls crew were sailing her that evening. A reef was put in as she was fairly light for ballast on this trip. Great to be back on the water in the sixareen, she was making 8-9 knots on the reach. The second clip, Brian Wishart was skipper, and along with Robert Wishart they did a familiarisation with the rig for new crew members and a refresher for those who hadn’t sailed for a while. There was a fair bit of wind, so we put two reefs in and she sailed comfortably out towards the Bressay Lighthouse. The third clip is with full sail and we were making between 7.5-8.5 knots on the way back through Lerwick’s north harbour. During these trips your get to gain experience in all aspects of crewing, working the rig, and on the helm of the sixareen.
The tunes accompanying the footage are traditional Shetland tunes ‘Da Oyster’ from Whalsay, and two Fetlar tunes, Hjogravylta and Garster’s Dream. The Fetlar tunes were both played by fiddle players who were at the Haaf fishing, sailing and rowing sixareens in the 19th century. David Hart was towsman working the tows or halyard, and a great fiddler. Hjogravylta was the name of his croft. Jacob Garster is the name of the fiddler who played Garster’s Dream, he was in the same crew with David Hart aboard the sixareen ‘Spray’ at da Haaf fishing. I thought it would be nice to have their tunes from the era accompanying the sixareen sailing.
Da Oyster - Trad Shetland
Played by Haltadans from the album ‘Light Ida Lum’
Hjogravylta - Trad Shetland
Garster’s Dream - Trad shetland
Maurice Henderson - Fiddle
Ewen Thomson - Guitar
Filming - Maurice Henderson and Gordon Henderson
