THERE WAS joy on the banks of Loch Tay yesterday at the news that the final parts for the steamboat Spirit Of Loch Tay had arrived

As the parts of the 110 ft vessel, which has lain uncompleted since last year, arrived at the lochside shipyard, local MSP John Swinney said he hoped this augured well for the future of the venture.

Today workmen from Ferguson Shipbuilders will return to the temporary slip for the first time since they finished painting the hull to fit the propeller.

The five hull sections, built at their Port Glasgow yard, had been moved by low loader to the temporary shipyard at the Forestry Commission site at Dalerb, on the shores of the loch.

There, the sections were welded together and painted before the Marine Coastguard Authority, which is responsible for certifying passenger-carrying vessels, carried out X-rays of the welds—and insisted repair work was needed to bring the welds up to an acceptable level.

Ferguson’s have refused to accept this, and in a letter to the Historic Boat Company, who ordered the vessel, claim the welds “will last 100 years,” leaving the company caught—like the boat—high and dry between the builders and the regulatory authority.

Richard Shand, a partner in the company, welcomed the move, however small, which saw the superstructure and propeller at last being moved to Perthshire.

He and Mr Swinney watched as the last item—the four-bladed ferro- phosphorous prop— was unloaded after the deckhouse and funnel came off the low-loader.

Watching the propeller—made in Hong Kong—being placed near the stern of the Victorian-style steamboat for fitting yesterday, Mr Swinney said, “I very much regret the delays that have taken place in the completion of what is a very attractive tourist project for this area.”

Mr Swinney said the completion of the steamboat would be an important event for Loch Tay and he hoped that Ferguson’s were now in a position to complete the work on the steamer which would add greatly to the attractions of Loch Tay.

Meantime, instead of the replica Victorian steamboat ploughing the waters of the 12-mile-long loch, its place has been taken by a former Amsterdam waterbus, MV Glenlyon, which gives tourists one-hour trips up the loch.