Alexander Robertson and Sons

Alexander Robertson started repairing boats in a small workshop at Sandbank, Argyll in 1876, and went on to become one of the foremost wooden boat-builders on Scotland's River Clyde. The 'golden years' of Robertson's yard were in the early 1900s when they started building some of the first IYRU 12mR & 15mR (Metre Class) racing yachts. Robertson's was well known for the quality of its workmanship and was chosen to build the first 15-metre yacht designed by William Fife III (Shimna, 1907). More than 55 boats were built by Robertson's in preparation for the First World War and the yard remained busy even during the Great Depression in the 1930s, as many wealthy businessmen developed a passion for yacht racing on the Clyde. During World War II the yard was devoted to Admiralty work, producing a wide range of large high speed Fairmile Marine Motor Boats. After the war the yard built the successful one-class Loch Longs and two 12-metre challengers for the America's Cup: Sceptre (1958) and Sovereign (1964). Due to difficult business conditions the Robertson family sold the yard in 1965, and it was turned over to GRP production work until it closed in 1980. During its 104-year history, Robertson's Yard built 500 boats, many of which are still sailing today.

Alexander Robertson, the son of a crofter/fisherman from Tarskavaig on the Isle of Skye, was born in Inverkip on 29 August 1851. Following the catastrophic potato blight on Skye in 1846, Alexander's father left Tarskavaig to seek a better life fishing on the River Clyde. After his parents moved to Sandbank in 1859 to run the village Post Office, he served his apprenticeship as a boatbuilder in Dunoon and Govan. In 1876, at the age of 25, he teamed up with Daniel Kerr to build small boats at his workshop in Sandbank. The partnership was dissolved in 1878, and Robertson went on to acquire larger premises in order to expand the business. He initially designed many of the yachts and launches himself, but in later years used many leading designers of the day to carry out work on the larger boats. Robertson remained chairman of the company until 1935, two years before his death.

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