Category: History

How Viking, French and Dutch cultural influences shaped fishing vessels of the British Isles


Mike Smylie influences on fishing boats map

I spotted this fascinating map drawn by Kipperman Mike Smylie on his stall at the Nordhorn Fest der Kanäle this weekend and wanted to share it – it’s here with Mike’s permission. It shows how Viking, French and Dutch influences turn up in traditional fishing vessels.

The slightly fuzzy snap was taken with my phone but it’s worth a good long look – some of it will be fairly obvious, but there are some surprises, such as the French influence on the north-west coast of Ireland that I have somehow missed in the past. I should spend a little time reading up on Irish traditional craft…

See our post on Mike’s latest publication on herrings, the herring trade and of course how to eat them…

 

Voile-aviron sailing explained by Francois Vivier


Voile-aviron sailing explained by Francois Vivier

French boating guru and gifted designer Francois Vivier explains the history and principles of voile-aviron sailing. Even if you can’t follow the French too well, it looks like the best fun! There’s an English explanation here: Francois Vivier website.

My thanks to Brian Pearson for spotting this.

Mike Smylie’s Herring: a History of the Silver Darlings is now in the shops


Mike Smylie Herring - A History of the Silver Darlings

Fishing historian Mike Smylie’s latest book Herring: A History of the Silver Darlingsexamines the effects of herring and the herring trade on the communities who catch them over the past 2000 years, including the way of life, superstitions and of course their boats.

Herring’s importance to the coastal peoples of Britain cannot be measured – at one time tens of thousands were involved in catching, processing and selling the fish from Stornoway to Penzance, and many towns on Britain’s East Coast grew rich as a result. In Herring: a History of the Silver Darlings Mike also explains the natural history of the herring and even includes recipes including baked buttered bloaters, salmagundy and super sgadan.

Also known as Kipperman, Mike Smylie has been researching the history of the herring for nearly 30 years. He has also written extensively on fishing vessels and the fishing industry, including the books Fishing the European Coast, Fishing Around the Bristol Channel and Fishing Boats of Cornwall published by The History Press. He often appears at maritime festivals smoking herring for the public.