Welcome

OHBS Logo

About

The Orkney Historic Boat Society (OHBS) was launched in 2013.

Our Vision: To preserve the boating history of Orkney for future generations.

Our Mission: To preserve historic boats and related traditional boat building skills and crafts. To collect preserve and communicate knowledge relating to boats built in Orkney or having contributed significantly to Orkney life and to further the education and knowledge of the public in relation to historical Orkney Boats, including establishing a boat museum and workshop.

The society is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) with Charity Number SC044884.

OSCR Logo for SC044884

This website


Here the society retains information of interest in the long term. This includes information of preserved boats and their equipment. Latest News and Event information is distributed via the society Facebook page.

The society is seeking information on potential boats for gifting towards restoration/preservation and display in the established Boat Museum. To ensure the right boats are selected for potential work and showcasing, an acquisition process has been developed. Please click on this link to download the OHBS Boat Acquisition Form. This form should be completed and then sent to the OHBS for assessment.


Get Involved
You don’t have to be an expert in research or renovation to join the Society. We welcome members who share our belief in the importance of preserving and promoting Orkney’s nautical heritage and traditions. Obviously experience in boat building or renovation would be welcome but we also need folk who are happy cleaning, painting and varnishing.

A lot can be learnt about working with wood and jobs can range from transporting water, wood, coffee and tools right up to actual renovation tasks. If you want to give it a go, contact us. You are welcome to come along for one or two sessions to see if you like it, but be warned, you might end up hooked!

There are few greater pleasures than knowing that you have contributed to the preservation of Orkney’s maritime heritage.


Join the Society
Subscription Rates and Membership Type:

Individual Membership (Annual): £15.00
Junior Membership (Annual): £2.00
Life Membership: £150

Annual Subscriptions are renewed on 6th April each year. If you would like to join please click on this link to download the OHBS Membership Application Form.


Make a donation to OHBS here.


Past OHBS Newsletters are available here.


OHBS Policy documents are available on this page.

Latest News

On Facebook

On Workgroup Activities

  • White Wings is getting some of her planking re-roved; that is copper boat nails are hammer from the outside through over lapping planks and timmers (ribs) and small copper roves (cupped disks) are then places on the inside of the nail, the nail is cut back to leave a few millimetres exposed which is then […]
  • Now that Waterwitch has been moved inside we have been able to start servicing the engine which hasn't been started for around 5 years. The first stage has been to remove the engine box to allow proper access to the engine from all sides.
  • The name boards previously removed from Cingalee have now been stripped, repainted and re-varnished. We won't refit them just yet but instead wait until Cingalee can be brought in out of the weather.
  • More boats have been moved into the storage facility which is now full. We could do with even more space as several of the largest boats are still outside in the weather.Chocking off The 19' Stroma Yole TernWorking on TernFull upCrew with the 18' South Isles Yole Doris