The table provides a time line for key events in the history of the yard.
| Year | Key Events |
|---|---|
| 1851 | Alexander Robertson born in Inverkip. |
| 1858 | The family moves to set up a new Post Office in Sandbank (operational 1860). |
| 1875 | Alexander's father, who was born at Tarskavaig on the Isle of Skye, dies. |
| 1876 | 'Robertson & Kerr Boat Builders & Carpenters' partnership formed. Small boats were repaired and built beside the new Post Office. |
| 1878 | Partnership dissolved, but Alexander continued on his own. |
| 1879 | Alexander bought the larger 'Distillery Site', which had more space to build larger boats, and had good access to the sea. |
| 1887 | Initial development phase of the new yard site completed. The business was expanding, with 47 boats based (wintered) at the yard. |
| 1889 | Proper boat numbering system started (No 1 Cowal Lass). |
| 1893 | The new slipway was completed late in the year. The first large boat (greater than 25 ft (7.6 m) ) was launched in 1895; Valda a 44 ft (13 m) cutter. |
| 1898 | First large steam powered boat, the 59 ft (18 m) Wooden Screw-driven Schooner, Ernani. |
| 1901 | Alexander starts buying shore property in Sandbank to stop other boat yards being built. |
| 1905 | First motor boat, and tender built (SY Nahma). |
| 1906 | Start of exports. Scottie, a special 35 ft (11 m) Mylne designed yacht was exported to Germany to race in the Baltic. |
| 1907 | Alexander bought a considerable portion of ground on the Kilmun shore, across the Holy Loch, to stop other boat yards being built. |
| 1907 | Start of the big classic racing yachts, first 15-Metre designed by W Fife III (Shimna). |
| 1907 | One of first 12-Metres in UK to be classed under' First International Rules' (Heatherbell). |
| 1911 | First naval order, from John Brown & Co (HMAS Australia). |
| 1922 | Alexander Robertson & Sons (Yachtbuilders) Ltd Sandbank, formally structured. |
| 1929 | Designer David Boyd left Fife's of Fairlie to begin work at the yard. |
| 1934 | Start of lifeboats for the RNLI (Charlotte Elizabeth). |
| 1937 | Death of Alexander Robertson, age 86. |
| 1939 | Beginning of the fast Fairmile ML/MGB/MTBs for World War II. |
| 1949 | First of one-design Loch Longs (Thistle) built at the yard. |
| 1957 | Colonel Whitbread's Lone Fox launched 10 July 1957. |
| 1958 | Earliest of the modern 12-Metre racing yachts (Sceptre). |
| 1963 | Last of the big wooden yachts 12-Metre (Kurrewa V). |
| 1965 | Robertson family sold the business. |
| 1966 | Sandpiper designed by David Boyd, wooden prototype for the GRP Pipers. |
| 1967 | Last wooden boat built at the yard, D Boyd designed 8-Metre (Sunburst). |
| 1967 | First GRP Piper fitted-out (Stormpiper). |
| 1973 | GRP shed operational. |
| 1974 | Earliest Etchell 22 built in the UK. |
| 1976 | First GRP cruiser built, Comfort 30 (Casual Comfort). |
| 1980 | Yard went into liquidation. |
| 1993 | Lower Yard sold to Highlands and Islands Enterprise. |
| 2003 | Upper Yard sold for housing development. |
| 2009 | Lower Yard site being incorporated in the Holy Loch Marina expansion programme. |
Read more about this topic: Alexander Robertson And Sons Ltd, Robertson's Yard Time Line
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