A soaring welcome for new £2.4million Loch Ness cruiser

The summer is set to be ‘plane’ sailing for Loch Ness by Jacobite as the cruise tour operator welcomes a new addition to its fleet.

The Jacobite Maverick embarked on its maiden voyage on the world’s most famous loch this week accompanied by a fitting wingman.

In a nod to the Maverick moniker a fly-by took place thanks to Scotland’s very own maverick pilot, David Heather-Hayes.

With the tourism sector worth in excess of £700 million annually to the Highland economy, the new vessel – which can carry up to 200 passengers – will enable Loch Ness by Jacobite to meet the demands of the growing sector and guide even more guests along the loch.

Behind the £2.4 million investment is Loch Ness by Jacobite managing director Freda Newton MBE, who is gearing up to welcome over 300,000 visitors to the loch this year.

Freda said: ‘When searching for a fitting name, ‘Maverick’ stood out as it means quite unlike anything else – which sums up the Loch Ness by Jacobite experience.

‘We commissioned Wight Shipyard to build the boat and we are really pleased with the end result. The quality is fantastic and it will help us share the loch with even more visitors to the Highlands.

‘The addition brings our fleet up to four, and follows record-breaking visitor numbers in 2017.

‘Loch Ness attractions have seen higher than normal increases for the past two years, climbing 23% and 29% respectively, and as the third runway at Heathrow has been given the go-ahead, the Highland region will directly benefit from this.

‘New flight routes mean we’ve welcomed people from all around the world, including China, the USA and Australia, and the Maverick will help us continue to welcome more people than ever before.

A soaring welcome for the Jacobite Maverick

‘None of this would be possible without the dedication of team Jacobite, who sail a total of 4,359 hours a year!’

Celebrating the launch at Jacobite’s Dochgarroch HQ was Drew Hendry, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, who was joined by 50 guests for an exclusive preview aboard the bespoke 20-metre catamaran.

Drew said: ‘It was a privilege to join the Jacobite team on-board the Maverick for its maiden voyage, which marks further investment from the company into the region.

‘It’s experiences like these that make the Highlands such a desirable destination, and it’s no surprise that visitor numbers continue to increase.

‘The expansion of the Jacobite fleet reflects the hugely positive outlook towards the region’s tourism sector, with our reputation for hospitality renowned the world over. This is only made possible by the local businesses working tirelessly to provide the best service to all visitors.’

The Jacobite Maverick was built by Wight Shipyard, with its lightweight design providing eco-friendly sailing between Dochgarroch, the Clansman Harbour and the historic ruins of Urquhart Castle.

The launch comes amidst renewed scientific interest on what lies within in the waters, with a global team of scientists, known as the Super Natural History team, carrying out environmental DNA sampling to identify remnants left behind by life in Loch Ness.

It also follows a record year for Nessie spots, with more ‘official’ sightings in 2017 than any other year this century.