The Orkney Image Library
Help us get organised! If we haven't correctly identified which area this picture is best listed under, please select it below and click Done!
Orcadian. 14ft restricted class Merlin, no 72. Built by Davy Wilson Ore Burn Lyness 1947/48 for Jock Barbour No 2 Mess Lyness. First Registered to John Barbour No 2 Mess Lyness Jan 28th 1948. Royalties £1 1 shilling. Picture August 1948.
Picture added on 25 January 2011 at 11:48
Well done Alan you cant do more research than that, How does this fit in with the other Merlin Rockets built in Orkney were we as I suspect "THE LEADERS IN DESIGN AND BOAT BUILDING" here on Hoy !!!.
Added by John Budge on 25 January 2011
The Orcadian in all her glory at a Stromness Regatta. This shows Peter Desmond wai his toes hooked in the bands, hanging oot ower - my dad Jimmy Wylie was at the helm and enjoying every minute o' it!
Added by Mabel J Besant on 25 January 2011
The motorboat in the background looks a lot like the "Seaflower" built for Alan Pirie jist after the war and later sold to Hughie Seatter o Melsetter Farm Longhope. The Seaflower is still here in a noust at the Smiddy Plantins.
Added by John Budge on 29 January 2011
I dont know John,But perhaps someone can tell us how many other MERLINS were built in Orkney at that time before they started to build the later model the MERLIN ROCKET.
Added by Allan Besant on 30 January 2011
Allan and John - as far as I am aware the boats built in Kirkwall by Leslie Wylie were closer to Rockets not Merlins. My uncle Dan Grieve had First Attempt (Sail number 407) - Leslie was Dan's brother-in-law. Leslie also built Freya (408) for Ronnie Drever and Corona for John Laird.
Corona was sold and spent many years sailing out of Stonehaven.
Not sure about the difference but First Attempt had a steel centre board whilst the Merlin Rockets such as Tyste and Rock & Roll had wooden centre boards. Think Rock & Roll is now in Longhope but has a sail number 1349, but her correct number as registered was 740. I crewed in Tyste with David Kemp for a while and she never carried a number on her sails which suggests she was not registered. As far as I know Tyste was built by Russell Croy.
Mid/Late 1970's I took a modern Merlin Rocket into Orkney called Leviathan sail number 2777 which is now in Longhope. She was nicknamed the "soup plate"style Merlin due to the boat's beam.
Corona was sold and spent many years sailing out of Stonehaven.
Not sure about the difference but First Attempt had a steel centre board whilst the Merlin Rockets such as Tyste and Rock & Roll had wooden centre boards. Think Rock & Roll is now in Longhope but has a sail number 1349, but her correct number as registered was 740. I crewed in Tyste with David Kemp for a while and she never carried a number on her sails which suggests she was not registered. As far as I know Tyste was built by Russell Croy.
Mid/Late 1970's I took a modern Merlin Rocket into Orkney called Leviathan sail number 2777 which is now in Longhope. She was nicknamed the "soup plate"style Merlin due to the boat's beam.
Added by Raymond Grieve on 16 May 2013
Amazing how much information on these older boats is still available. Very interesting to have all the sail numbers, builders and sailors names provided. John Barbour married Bella Omand (nee Johnstone), my great aunt. I remember hearing about Orcadian's feats when visiting them, especially in the early days before other lighter dinghies appeared in Orkney.
Added by Sheena Taylor (Robertson) on 22 May 2013
Did old Davy Wilson have any involvement, along with Jock Barbour in the building of Orcadian.. ??
Added by Jimmy Hamilton on 24 May 2013
I must learn tae read everything before commenting,no the first time either..owld age ...lol
Added by Jimmy Hamilton on 28 May 2013
Matty Stephens in Kirkwall has a loch dinghy built by Davy around the war,think it was originally a naval yacht tender, its in the loch this year again looking like new!
Added by Roy Sinclair on 29 May 2013
Ach Jimmy yae were aye speakan and no lisnan" did the teacher never tell yae aff for that.
<< back
Added by John Budge on 30 May 2013
Stromness
