Enterprise of Four Uigeachs

Stornoway Gazette, 30 December 1949.

It is many years since there was a fishing boat of any size in Uig but four Uigeachs arrived in Stornoway on Tuesday of last week with a 45-foot motor-boat which they have purchased in Inverness.

The boat will take her new name from the initials of the four owners – KJ Mackay, who is the skipper, and the three brothers L, D and A Macdonald – giving the name ‘Kilda’.

The ‘Kilda’ is powered by a 36-horsepower diesel engine and averaged 8 knots on her way over from Inverness.  She has previously been engaged in ring-net fishing and is of such a size as to be suitable for drift net, seine net, line or lobster fishing.

At the moment the ‘Kilda’ is to fish the great lines from Stornoway, and last Thursday her crew were busy getting their lines, of which she will carry sixteen, so as not to waste any time in getting their new boat to sea.

Kenny John Mackay was renowned as a footballer, had a shop at Miavaig and later emigrated to Australia.  The brothers were Louis, Donald and Angus Macdonald.  We don’t seem to have a photo of the Kilda – if you do, please let us know.

See more on the fishing boats of Uig here.