Clyde Puffers, Irvine Harbour, Ayrshire

Clyde puffers were essentially a type of small steamboat providing a vital supply link around the west coast and Hebridean Islands of Scotland from the middle of the 19th century till as recently as the 1990s. They were rugged cargo ships that remain in fond memory largely due to the short stories of Neil Munro about the puffer 'Vital Spark' and the antics of her captain Para Handy and crew.

The boat nearer the camera is the MV 'Spartan' which is part of the Scottish Maritime Museum collection. Read more about its restoration and the involvement of the young people of Irvine through the Heritage Lottery Fund.