The steel steam trawler Sark was launched from the yard of Mackie and Thomson Ltd., Govan (Yard No 94) on 28th February 1895. She measured 109.1′ x 21.3′ x 11.2′ and her tonnage was 145 gross tons, 57 net tons. She was powered by a compound steam engine by Muir and Houston Ltd, Glasgow delivering 45 registered horse power.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1920
She was ordered by the Hull Steam Fishing and Ice Co Ltd and registered in that port as H272. In 1909 she was purchased by Mr Charles Finlay Paton, owner of Paton’s Trawlers Ltd, and registered in Glasgow (GW25) in June of that year. In 1916 she was purchased by her final owners, Ashworth, Morris and Taylor Ltd., Fleetwood. She was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a Fishery Reserve vessel on 29th May 1917 but survived the war to be returned to her Fleetwood owners who registered her in that port as FD 224.
Steam trawler Sark underway
On 16th November 1920 she was fishing off the north west Scottish coast under the command of her skipper Harry Hake when her trawl line became entangled round the vessel’s propeller. The engines were immediately stopped and the crew tried to free the rope but to no avail. The weather was deteriorating and was soon blowing a gale from the west driving the Sark, out of control, towards the shore. A distress call was answered by the crew of the trawler Diana who arrived on the scene and succeeded, after a few attempts, in getting a line aboard the helpless trawler. Then, despite huge waves breaking over the two vessels, they successfully towed the Sark into the shelter of Loch Eriboll where she anchored close to White Head Lighthouse to ride out the storm. The storm continued to worsen and, after only a few hours, the anchor began to drag edging the Sark closer and closer to the rocks. The crew, with no alternative but to abandon ship, managed to launch their boat but, as they pulled towards the shore, the lifeboat capsized throwing the men into the sea. The skipper and the fireman, D McSweeney, both of Aberdeen, were unfortunately lost as the rest of the crew swam ashore amid the waves and the spray driven by the storm. Minutes later the Sark came ashore and was driven high onto the shore where she became a total wreck.
Some broken wreckage, including her large boiler, may still be visible in the shallows, approximately 400 metres south of White Head lighthouse in approximate position 58° 30.828’N, 004° 39.063’ W.
