1872–1914 (1912) In 1872 William Bow and John McLachlan founded the company at Abbotsinch,
Renfrewshire, where it made steering gear and light
marine steam engines. Ships built in 1904 included the sail and steam-powered cutter for
HM Coast Guard and the
steam yacht for
Lord Pender. In 1906 Bow, McLachlan built
cable layer ships for two of Sir
John Pender's telegraph companies: for the Western Telegraph Co. and for the
Eastern Telegraph Co. In 1912 Bow, McLachlan built two coastal "pocket liners" for the
Canadian Pacific Railway Coast Service in
British Columbia: the sister ships and . In 1913 it built two more "knock down" passenger and cargo ships for the Uganda Railway: the sister ships and .
First World War In the
First World War Bow, MacLachlan supplied the
Royal Navy with the
sloop and sloops and in 1915, the sloop in 1916 and several s. It also supplied the
Hunt-class minesweeper in 1916, in 1917, , , and in 1918 and and in 1919. Also in 1919 it built several
Moor class mooring vessels for the
Admiralty.
1920–32 In 1920 the company went into
voluntary liquidation but was reconstituted as a new company with the same name. Also in 1920 the company built the steam yacht for its co-founder William Bow. In the 1920s Bow, Maclachlan supplied export orders from countries including Australia, Greece, India and Portugal. At the beginning of the 1930s the company supplied export orders including a class of six tugs for the
Chilean Navy. In 1930 Bow, McLachlan built the
motor yacht for
Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal. However, by then manufacturing in the UK was declining in the
Great Depression so the UK Government sponsored a rationalisation of the shipbuilding industry. In 1932
National Shipbuilders Securities took over and closed down Bow, McLachlan. In the
Second World War the yard was reopened briefly to build
landing craft. ==Surviving ships==