Gigha Is a Bermudan sloop of the Scottish Islands class, designed by Alfred Mylne. There were nine built in 1929-1931, one in 1938-and the last in 1952-. 1 Westra (destroyed by fire), 2 Cara, 3 Bernera, 4 Stroma, 5 Sanda, 6 Jura, 7 Fidra, 8 Iona, 9 Gigha, 10 Canna, Il Islay. Some, including Gigha in 1931, were built in Mylne's yard, Bute Slip Dock Co. Ltd. at Ardmaleish, Bute, and the others in Mac Gruer's yard at Clynder in the Gareloch. Gigha was built for Herbert Thom and was vernished (the class rules decreed that each owner used a different colour for his yacht). After he had won most class races, Thom sold Gigha about 1934, but in 1938 he came back into the class with Canna, which was varnisbed, Gigha being changed to sky blue, which suited her well. After the war Mrs. Simpson had Islay built. Thom in Canna still led the class. Apart from being an excellent helmsman, he kept Gigha's (and Cannaos) shrouds very slack because she sailed better that way. Also he fitted a slanting seat on each sidedeck, which was comfortab.le for the helmsman (himself) on a beat. For racing he dïd not rig a topping lift, and he reduced weight on the ship. No doubt these features contributed to his success.
engine was a Watermota 3hp two-stroke type Kl, 5111, populary known as a itcopper-pot, since the cylinder was surrounded by a copper pot with water circulating between. This engine pushed
information on the Scottish Islands class was published in Yachting World, July, 1929, and in Yachts and Yachting 20 November, 1959.
Gigha's hull is built of pitch pine planks on oak floors with steam bent American rock elm frames: many of these frames were broken and about thirty sister ribs of oak were fitted in 1981. The keelbolts were of galvanized iron, and although they have corroded they were evidently left in situ when bronze keelbolts were fitted, |
