What were they like?
Paul Taylor, who worked on three of these boats, “The Wee Coble”, OB 226 “Iolair” and OB 209 says of them:
“The Wee Coble” was a lovely little boat but slow and wet. Old with lots of little bits sticking out to catch a net, but predictable in the sea. Dreadful bilge pump and loose floorboards, easy to slip but still a cracking wee boat. Caught plenty of fish.
OB 226 “Iolair” What a boat! Everything worked, everything was tight and in place, nothing to snag but heavy to handle, plenty of windage. She was fast and seaworthy, but not a boat to love. I always thought of her as a seagoing lorry. She did the job.
OB 209 Sometimes I called her “Hope” sometimes “Faith” What a beautiful boat. Form and function in perfect balance. Great sea boat. Easy to work with two of a crew. Excellent engine even though a bit noisy. Tight, no leaks. This was the best of the three………….easily. Sadly, by the 1980s there were not many fish to catch
![](https://fascadalefishings.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PL-at-sea-1024x686.jpeg)
Photo 711
Paul and Lorna Taylor, with Mick in OB 209