Reaper at Rosyth for restoration
The Reaper made her way up river last week to Rosyth Naval Dockyard where she will undergo a comprehensive restoration programme to fit her for the next decades of sailing.
The Scottish Fisheries Museum Boats Club were busy for weeks ahead of her departure preparing her for her short journey. All of her on-board exhibits had to be removed and carefully stored, her ballast relaid and masts removed. After an inspection she was declared ready to depart and is now in the capable hands of Babcock International Group who will be overseeing the work.
Back in Anstruther, inside the Boatyard, the restoration of the Fruitful will be completed by the end of November. However a date for the launch has not been decided yet, as the team is busy finishing the paintwork and fitting the necessary pieces of equipment for her going into the water.
After Fruitful moves out, there will be one week of rearrangement of the yard, in preparation for the next tasks. This time, two boats will be taken under cover: Shirley II and Athene will be moved inside and the team will start to restore them, working on Athene first, leaving Shirley aside while we prepare a Conservation Management Plan and raise the funds necessary to bring her to a display standard.
