69' Scottish Fifie Herring Drifter (1902) - REAPER FR958

REAPER FR958 is a 1902 two masted wooden lugsail built to the traditional Scottish ‘Fifie’ design. She’s on the UK’s National Historic Ships Register. Being from early last century she provides a sense of a bygone era which to most in today’s world is an unimaginably harsh but, in many ways, more cohesive way of life. When constructed, over 2600 square feet of sail (allowing a speed of up to 10 knots) and expert seamanship allowed these boats to be manoeuvred in and out of harbours and return with their catch to the local markets – the first crew home would achieve the best price!

In 1975, she was bought by the SCOTTISH FISHERIES MUSEUM and moved to Anstruther, Fife. By 1987, she was fully restored but retained an engine. Since then, a dedicated group of volunteers have maintained and sailed REAPER taking the history, on behalf of the Museum, to 57 harbours around Scotland and as far south as Portsmouth in the South of England welcoming aboard over 300,000 visitors and appearing in seafaring documentaries and film projects such as The Boats that Built Britain, Tommy’s Honour and Outlander.

REAPER is presently undergoing a major refit which has been hampered by Covid 19 work restrictions but the Scottish Fisheries Museum Boats Club Crew hope to have her operational by 2022 when we can again invite the visiting public aboard the last authentic, sailing Fifie Herring Drifter and savour what life might have been like in the early part of last century. From the smell of the timbers to the windage and weight of the 60-foot masts. She’s a magical sight to behold.