Fundraising push to help restore historic Reaper

Covid-19 and the lockdown almost put a halt to the ongoing work on Reaper. The Scottish Fisheries Museum Boats Club volunteers have done a fantastic job on maintenance throughout the pandemic, and now boatbuilder Ali Beedie is working hard with the Boats Club in the final stages. However, Reaper now needs your support to raise money via Crowdfunder so visitors can enjoy an amazing experience when they visit.

The campaign, Come Onboard Reaper!, aims to raise vital funds for tour guides, interpretation and signage so the vessel can reopen to the public and welcome visitors onboard. The Crowdfunder is part of the Museums Association #SupportOurMuseums campaign to support our fantastic museums and help them face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

Campaign manager and director of eevelopment at the Scottish Fisheries Museum, Simon Hayhow, said: “We are absolutely delighted that we could be welcoming the public back onto Reaper soon. Without the funding for guides, interpretation, and signage, we will not be able to tell the fascinating story of this iconic boat. We hope to see you on board by August.”

Reaper started out life as a herring drifter after being built in the early 1900s and once held the record catch of herring at around quarter of a million. Reaper continued fishing until the outbreak of World War II when she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and saw service in the south of England. After the war she returned to fishing in Shetland until 1957. The Scottish Fisheries Museum acquired Reaper in 1974,

In her time at the Scottish Fisheries Museum, she has attracted over 300,000 visitors from more than 130 countries. Reaper has appeared on Outlander in the past and has even had very own episode on the show The Boats that Build Britain, hosted by British yachting journalist, author and broadcaster, Tom Cunliffe.

If you would like to donate to the Crowdfunder, you can do so online at – www.crowdfunder.co.uk/come-onboard.