THE WRECKED FISHING boat that was saved from the scrapyard by members of the Burghead community is to be moved to a permanent berth this week.
The ‘Harvest Reaper’ will never float again but the local landmark that had to be moved to make way for new industrial sheds at Burghead will once again be provided a permanent slot within sight of the Moray Firth.
In January Moray Council ordered the old boat’s owners to move it or it would be destroyed – the future looked grim for the boat that had been built in 1904 but lain neglected on dry land since the early 1980’s.
Local businessmen saved the boat as the deadline approached for work to start of work on the units, which has now been completed.
The Reaper was moved to a temporary slot elsewhere in the harbour – now she has been adopted by the Burghead Headland Trust who will this week move the boat to a permanent display area.
“It has been a lot of logistics to find the right place but it has been worth it,” Headland Trust member Dan Ralph said, adding: “When you destroy history it never comes back and we had very little time to save her.”
The Reaper will be sited on the north foreshore where an information board will be put in place explaining her history. Mr Ralph added: “She is going to look good, she will be tarred and will be there for the next 100 years. It is a public way along there so people should be able to get a really nice view of her.”