These images show the scale of the damage suffered to a historic north-east fishing boat after a blast of wind toppled it in a Mearns port.
However one week after the Reaper keeled onto its side in Johnshaven Harbour, during the village’s annual fish festival, the 70ft Fifie herring drifter is close to its voyage back down south.
The Fraserburgh-built ship is now approaching its leaving date at the port following a week of repairs to the structure and its engine.
Last night John Firn, vice-chairman of the Scottish Fisheries Museum – who owns the boat – said the Reaper will be out of commission for the rest of the year.
The boat will soon be sailed south to Arbroath for more extensive repairs.
The vessel had been due to attend a number of events across the country before the accident.
Neil Bone – honourable secretary of the Scottish Fisheries Museum’s boats club, which maintains the ship – was thrown off the Reaper during the incident, and is now recovering from a cracked vertebrae.
The Reaper was built in 1902 by J and G Forbes of Sandhaven for the Buchan family of St Combs.
The photographs show the interiors of the vessel, described as a “floating museum”, in disrepair after being flooded.
Floor boards and planking is seen scattered throughout the ship, with the worst of the damage to the sleeping quarters and kitchen.
However, the volunteers working on the boat – who managed to right her last week – have applied canvas patches to the damaged sections of the ship to prevent further leaks.
Problems with the engine and gearbox have been resolved by engineers, however the ship’s departure has been postponed by tide heights and sea conditions.
Mr Firn added: “It has been made waterproof and brought back to normality. We need to get some clearances from a number of people before we take the boat down to Arbroath where we will have a proper assessment of damage.
“We wouldn’t want to take it out unless it was calm.
“There will be no more events involving the Reaper this year. We had actually planned a major 25-year refit of the boat, she’s 113 and needs looked after.”
He also paid tribute to the “absolutely fantastic people in Johnshaven” who have “looked after” the team.
Simon Hayhow, director of the Anstruther-based museum said: “The Reaper is up there with some of the most important boats in the UK.
“She represents the last of what would have been a fleet of these boats up and down the east coast.”
