The steel motor trawler Boston Stirling was launched from the yard of Goole Shipbuilding and Repair Co Ltd (Yard No 583) on 28th February 1975. She measured 39.3m x 9.4m x 4.0m and her tonnage was 387 gross tons, 145 net tons. She was powered by a 16 cylinder 4SA diesel engine by Mirlees Blackstone delivering 1700 brake horse power. She was ordered by Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd., Fleetwood and, on delivery, she was registered in Lowestoft LO336.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1985.
MV Boston Stirling
There are limited details about the loss of the Boston Stirling on 31st August 1985. She was fishing for mackerel off Loch Broom when she struck an unseen rock and began to flood. There are reports that the skipper, named Lilley, had fallen asleep at the wheel but this had not been verified. After an inspection of the vessel the skipper sent out distress calls which were picked up by coastguards ashore. The engine room had quickly flooded and soon power was lost. For a short period fire also broke out aboard the vessel but was successfully extinguish by the crew. Thankfully the distress calls were answered and local boats rushed to assist and nine men aboard were quickly taken off the drifting trawler. The skipper, first mate and engineer stayed aboard the Boston Stirling for some time hoping for an opportunity to save her but when she drifted ashore on Tanera More, a rocky island near the entrance to Loch Broom, their situation became more perilous and the last three men abandoned the vessel. The Boston Stirling became a total wreck.
Aberdeen Press & Journal
The wreck was sold for scrap later in the year and some salvage works are reported in 1986. Despite this for a number of years the guardrail of the wreck was visible at low tide confirmed in diver reports in 1997 and 2002. We have no up to date reports on the status of the wreck which will have deteriorated since these reports. She lies on her starboard side at right angles to the shoreline with bows closest to the shore oriented 140/320 degrees in estimated position 58° 00.012’N, 005° 24.323’W in depths up to 18 metres.
