Leaving Aberdeen Harbour

A Leith registered fifie leaving Aberdeen Harbour. The white building seen behind the sails is the Round House, the Harbour Master's office, on the New Quay at Fittie.

The fifie was a fast wind-powered sailing boat favoured for herring fishing on much of Scotland's east coast from the 1850s until well into the 20th century. Its main features were the vertical stem (front) and stern (back) and the wide beam (width) making them stable in the water.

Fifies had two masts, a main dipping lugsail and a mizzen sail. Fifie's were increasingly decked following the recommendations of Captain Washington's 1849 report into the Moray Firth fishing disaster.

See SCRAN's webpage on Scottish sail powered fishing boats for more information on the subject.

The Tidal Harbour is in the background, beyond the landing stage of Pocra Quay's Lower Basin.

Aberdeen Harbour