REAPER is a Fifie sailing herring drifter, the most popular design of fishing boat on the East Coast of Scotland for the greater part of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Built at Sandhaven near Fraserburgh in 1902 as a two masted lugger she is 70 ft long with a dipping lug foresail and a standing lug mizzen.
First registered at Fraserburgh in 1902 (FR 958) she moved to Shetland and was registered at Lerwick in 1908 (LK 707) where she was very successful for many years at the summer herring fishing. In 1916 she had an engine fitted for the first time – a Gardner 75 hp.
During the war she was requisitioned by the Admiralty and saw service in S.E. England. After the war she returned to fishing in Shetland.

In 1959 she was purchased by Zetland County Council for use as a “flit-boat”. Renamed SHETLANDER she was used for carrying general cargoes and aggregates for road and pier building among the islands. With the introduction of Ro-Ro ferries SHETLANDER was retired in 1979 and was purchased by The Scottish Fisheries Museum. During the following few years she was restored to her original appearance and renamed REAPER FR 958. Berthed in Anstruther close to the Museum and crewed and maintained by the volunteer members of the Museum’s Boats Club she now makes guest and promotional appearance throughout Scotland and N.E. England where the public are invited aboard to view the boat and the museum display in the fish hold.
REAPER has made many appearances in films and television including the current BBC Coast programme and is a popular venue for corporate etnertaining. Up to 50 guests can enjoy the unique atmoshpere both on deck and down below. Members of the Boats Club man the boat during the event to ensure the safety and comfort of guests.

The SCOTTISH FISHERIES MUSEUM BOATS CLUB was founded in 1985 to provide an organisation to restore, maintain and operate the Museum’s fleet of historic wooden fishing vessels, which include the 70’ Fifie REAPER and the 32’ Bauldie WHITE WING.


The Club has helped to re-equip and restore REAPER and a second refit is currently under way on WHITE WING. To do this the Club has attracted assistance, both financial and material, from a wide variety of firms, grant agencies including the Lottery Fund, clubs and the general public.


The volunteer Club members crew REAPER and WHITE WING at guest appearances as far away as Lerwick, Glasgow and Portsmouth and assist during filming and other events. They also work on maintenance and repair during the winter.

Members of the Boats Club come from all walks of life. The only qualification is a willingness to contribute time and effort towards preserving a unique part of Scotland’s heritage and new members are always welcome.
Membership is additional to membership of the Museum.
Contacts for further information: