Posted: 04/04/2024 12:05:44
It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Iain MacDonald.
Iain was a source of great knowledge and skill since Tall Ship Glenlee's return to Glasgow in 1993. A member of the Ship Technical Committee since its conception, he shared the benefit of his years of experience as Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy in restoring and maintaining this heritage vessel. He aligned the masts during re-assembly for stepping in 1998, and later, the capstan was restored under his supervision and can still be admired on the fo’c’sle today. His meticulous photos and notetaking ensured that the years of restoration of Glenlee were recorded for posterity and future works. In co-authorship with Colin Castle, they wrote the first account of “Glenlee: the life and times of a Clyde-Built Cape Horner”, published in 2005 by Brown, Son & Ferguson Ltd. Latterly, he was the mainstay in the repair and maintenance of the Kelvinhaugh Clyde Ferry No 8, another historic vessel. The Glenlee community owe Iain a great debt, and we mark his loss with our red ensign being flown at half-mast.