NICKEY
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 8:59 pm
The “nickey” was a fast drifter adapted in the early 1860s on the Isle of Man from the Cornish lugger, that fished in the Irish Sea and the local fishermen expanded their activities to the Irish mackerel fishing grounds in the Atlantic.
The nickey was a fast fishing vessel achieving 10 knots in good conditions, and she could lie close to the wind
She derived their name from the first delivered nickey to Peel, which was named NICHOLAS.
They realized the speed and sea abilities of the Cornish lugger.
Distinctive feature was a large dipping lug mainsail set to the lee side of the mast and a high-peaked, standing lug mizzen.
The first craft did have a sharp raking stern, but mostly the later types had rounded or elliptical counters.
The bow was mostly straight, keel straight with a moderate drag.
She was decked with a large fish hold amidships.
Cabin between the mizzen and the hold and a net room forward of the hold.
The mainmast raked aft slightly and was stepped off centre so it cleared the mizzenmast to port when lowered while drifting.
The mizzenmast was tall and stepped with forward rake, but stood vertical when the nickey was afloat
She could be rowed by two long sweeps when necessary.
In 1883 more than 40 Peel nickeys were fitted with steam engines for hauling the nets, and a two mile long mackerel train could now hauled in two hours.
Most nickeys were fitted out with an auxiliary engine after World War I.
In use until ca. 1920
Crewed by 6 – 7 men.
Average dimensions: length between 12 and 17 metres, beam 4.6 metres and depth 2.8meters.
The 22p stamp depict the nickeys SUNBEAM and ZEBRA at port Erin, have not any info on these fishing vessels.
Isle of Man 1981 18p sg192, scott?, 22p sg194, scott?
Source: Crown Agent release. Aak to Zumbra, a Dictionary of the World’s Watercraft. Internet.
The nickey was a fast fishing vessel achieving 10 knots in good conditions, and she could lie close to the wind
She derived their name from the first delivered nickey to Peel, which was named NICHOLAS.
They realized the speed and sea abilities of the Cornish lugger.
Distinctive feature was a large dipping lug mainsail set to the lee side of the mast and a high-peaked, standing lug mizzen.
The first craft did have a sharp raking stern, but mostly the later types had rounded or elliptical counters.
The bow was mostly straight, keel straight with a moderate drag.
She was decked with a large fish hold amidships.
Cabin between the mizzen and the hold and a net room forward of the hold.
The mainmast raked aft slightly and was stepped off centre so it cleared the mizzenmast to port when lowered while drifting.
The mizzenmast was tall and stepped with forward rake, but stood vertical when the nickey was afloat
She could be rowed by two long sweeps when necessary.
In 1883 more than 40 Peel nickeys were fitted with steam engines for hauling the nets, and a two mile long mackerel train could now hauled in two hours.
Most nickeys were fitted out with an auxiliary engine after World War I.
In use until ca. 1920
Crewed by 6 – 7 men.
Average dimensions: length between 12 and 17 metres, beam 4.6 metres and depth 2.8meters.
The 22p stamp depict the nickeys SUNBEAM and ZEBRA at port Erin, have not any info on these fishing vessels.
Isle of Man 1981 18p sg192, scott?, 22p sg194, scott?
Source: Crown Agent release. Aak to Zumbra, a Dictionary of the World’s Watercraft. Internet.