BOATS

The Shetland boat used to be part of everyday life with everyone using them very much like we use cars today.  The current Shetland boat has evolved from its earlier Norwegian ancestry.  From the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century thousands of small open boats were shipped across from Norway in kit form, to be assembled by island craftsmen.  From the 1860’s onwards the boats were being made and constructed in the islands.  Travel and movement of goods within Shetland was often much quicker by sea, rather than more time-consuming land journeys.

The sixareen is often regarded as the ultimate development of the traditional Shetland boat.  In these 30 foot open boats, the men rowed or sailed up to 40 miles from land to fish.  The boats were very stable, and handled well in very rough conditions.

There are very few original Sixareens left.  The Museum has the INDUSTRY LK 718 built in 1891 and part of the MARY LK 981  built in the 1860’s.

Sixareens at Fethaland Haaf Station		Sixareen Plans