The Nobby Owners Association was formed in 1987 by a group of likeminded traditional boat enthusiasts. Their common purpose was to encourage the restoration of a type of fishing boat, the Morecambe Bay Prawner, known locally in the North West of the UK as a "Nobby" Although built to similar basic lines, each boat was built as a working boat and, as such, they were built to fulfil their owner's specific requirements and differed in overall size. The fleet formed the backbone of the North West's Fishing Industry from between 1860 - 1940. They were designed to have a useful life of about 10/15 years before it was intended that they should be replaced by a newer craft. With such a short term life expectancy, the were built out of old "Nobs" of wood, fastened with iron dumps and ballasted with discarded lumps of pig iron from the blast furnaces of the Cambrian coast. They were an extremely successful craft and at their height there were about 80 -100 vessels actively fishing. Today there are around 30 sailing regularly, but every year another restored boat joins the fleet - now used almost exclusively as yachts. They evolved to meet the differing coastal conditions from the Solway to Aberystwyth. Some with straight keels and others with rockered keels, depending on whether they were to be kept afloat or dried out on the sands when not in use, but all had graceful and sleek lines with a straight stem, attractive sheer, graceful counter and low freeboard aft.
The hull shape itself had to be powerful - to tow a trawl. It had to be fast - to
enable their owners to remain longer on the fishing grounds on each tide, or to meet
the London train with their catch and gain a higher price! Above all, the boats had
to be easily managed by a maximum of three men to make the trip profitable.
The boats were built in three main yards at Arnside, Hoylake and Conwy - all owned
by members of the same family, the Crossfields, but there were other notable builders
such as Gibson's and Armours, both of Fleetwood.
Many of the more northern fishermen crewed the Edwardian racing yachts on Windermere
during the summer months and fished their own boats, off shore, in the winter.
The fishermen took the design from the speedy yachts and translated it into their
own requirements, making fast, powerful and attractive hulls that have helped ensure
survival and subsequent conversion to yachts.
Annually, the fishermen would gather on the Mersey at Liverpool to show off their
fine craft and they demonstrated their speed by holding a race but with the emphasis
on family enjoyment.
That annual spectacle became the forerunner of the Mersey River Festival and happily,
the Nobbies still hold an important part in the now expanded event. As well as that
major event on the Mersey, the Association holds an active series of races, centred on
the Mersey and the North Wales coast with the emphasis on comradeship and family enjoyment as opposed to end results. This, combined with a varied social programme, makes the Nobby Owners Association a group willing to welcome both boat owners as "full" members and crews and supporters as "associates".
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