The launch of a new fishing boat at Arbroath harbour has marked a day of hope and celebration for the town’s fishing community.
Almost 25 years have passed since the last commercial vessel launched into the North Sea from the town’s harbour but that statistic was taken over with the launch of Endurance, a crimson red catamaran, from McKay’s Boatyard slipway.
Owner of the vessel, Neil Pattison, 39, celebrated the historic event alongside his family and friends on a poignant afternoon for the Angus town.
Mr Pattison said: “I was very nervous when I got up in the morning, especially when I was watching the boat being carried over to the slipway.
“I’ve never launched a boat myself before so I didn’t know what to expect, but everything went great and it has been a brilliant day.”
Fishing families and visitors from further afield, some steeped in the salty air of the industry for generations, gathered at the harbour side to watch the boat enter the water for the first time.
The event evoked memories for many of a time when boat launches were celebrated like family weddings or birthdays.
It also held a poignant significance for Neil and his family, after his brother George died at sea along with three other men in 1997 when their boat Westhaven capsized off the coast of Aberdeen.
“There has been a lot of support for the family for this and I really appreciate it,” said Neil.
“I have wanted to launch my own boat for about five or six years and I just want to thank everyone who has helped make it possible my dad, the fishing community in the town and especially McKay’s for letting me keep it in their yard and work on it.”
Neil’s mother and sister Dyce Pattison and Kathleen Shepherd launched the vessel in the afternoon sun.
Arbroath East and Lunan councillor Bob Spink said he was “delighted” to see a family willing to put further investment into the area.
“I spent my whole working life down at the harbour so I’m delighted to see somebody investing in its future,” said Mr Spink.
“There are a lot of people who tend to believe that the industry in Arbroath has died but it hasn’t it has just changed.
“There has been a move from big white fish boats to smaller shell fishing boats and I’d say we now have an equal number of smaller boats fishing as we did with the larger ones.
“The family will no doubt be celebrating and I wish them all the best.”