Felling trees for boat masts
Photographs courtesy of Forestry Commission via Grant Macintosh and shows a team measuring up a large felled Douglas fir tree at Portclair Forest which was planted in 1927. The seventy four year old tree was specifically selected to be made into masts for a whale watching boat thought to be called Marguerite Explorer owned by Christopher Swan.
The team checking over the tree are Malcolm Wield, Fort Augustus Forest District Manager, at the base of the tree and Grant Macintosh, District Forester Harvesting, holding the tape at the very top. The two men in the red hats are the tree fellers, Davy Grant, Beauly, and Bruce Douglas, Glen Urquhart. Thank you to Malcolm for providing the information, names and attached letter in the PDF.
The man kneeling in front holding his hat is thought to be Christopher Swan who owned the boat requiring the new mast. See the PDF for his letter of thanks for expert provision of the trees to make a new mast.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Ships, boats and sea transport, Tools, equipment and clothing