A historic fishing boat will make its first voyage in over thirty years today after it was saved from destruction.
The dilapidated Harvest Reaper has been stationary on the quayside at Burghead ever since it ran aground in the 1980s.
The ancient trawler was set to be crushed to allow Moray Council to begin work on a £250,000 harbour-front development, but the last ditch efforts of local enthusiasts saved it from being destroyed.
Dan Ralph, this year’s Clavie King, appealed to the council to delay work for a further week on four new storage units at the harbour to allow him to move the Harvest Reaper to its new home.
He organised a crane and lorry to relocate and preserve the 20-tonne vessel 300 yards along the quay.
Due to the rarity of the vessel’s design — being one of the few remaining fishing boats powered by sail alone — Mr Ralph, a Burghead Headland Trustee, said saving the boat was essential.
Mr Ralph said: “It was my idea to take it under our trust umbrella, which allows us to protect and conserve the Harvest Reaper as a look back to our fishing heritage now gone.
“She’s a beautiful hull, so she needs to be preserved. We will apply a few liberal coats of tar, which will preserve her for many years to come.
“Whether this will be her last voyage remains to be seen.”
Moray Council said it was satisfied by the public demand to save the boat.
Duncan Brown, the local authority’s development and operations manager responsible for harbours, confirmed last night the crane had been booked for this afternoon.
Jimmy Wiseman, of Wiseman Plumbing and Heating Services in Elgin, has vowed to oversee a restoration of the vessel expected to cost upward of £150,000.
On Friday, Mr Wiseman met with the Harvest Reaper’s owner David Meldrum, who was part of the original salvage of the vessel, to discuss the future of the boat.
He said: “Mr Meldrum is happy for it to move forward. How we go about saving it is now going to be very much a community decision. David still owns the boat, and he may keep it himself.
“The restoration of her is certainly doable, and I have been getting lots of feedback. People from as far as Texas and Dubai have contacted me and said they think it’s a good idea, but it could take years to get it done.
“The Harvest Reaper isn’t a stand alone case. I have been to marinas all over the world and seen old boats like her. I can’t make her seaworthy alone, and it will be all hands on deck to do this, but I believe I can pull it off if I get community support. It’s community, community, community all the way.”