A Boat with Deep Local Roots

The Reaper was built as a practical, fully decked fishing vessel and became a familiar sight around Cheekpoint and Waterford Harbour. In the 1970s and 1980s she worked real fishing ground under Jim “Dipps” Doherty and crew, including herring drifts off Dunmore East and the Hook.

Unlike many smaller half-deckers of the era, The Reaper was built for harder offshore conditions — enclosed forward, strong underfoot, and equipped for serious net work in rough and changeable waters.

The Lost Years

After being sold in the 1990s, the vessel disappeared from local life and eventually deteriorated badly in storage in Kilkenny. What remained was weathered timber, rusting fastenings, and a hull that looked beyond saving to most people.

Recovery and Rebuild

The Doherty family tracked her down and made the decision to bring her home. The restoration was not cosmetic; it was structural and methodical — replacing failed sections, rebuilding key components, and preserving as much character as possible while making her fit for modern licensed passenger use.

Return to Cheekpoint

On 4 April 2026, The Reaper returned to Cheekpoint Quay — a major moment for the community and everyone connected to local fishing history. For many, it was not just the return of a boat, but the return of memory: family, work, weather, and the river itself.

From Working Deck to Heritage Deck

Today, Jack and family are writing the next chapter through small-group heritage tours. Guests now experience the same waterways once worked by local crews, but through a safer, more comfortable format focused on storytelling, maritime history, and the character of the estuary.

Each trip is part of a bigger purpose: protecting local memory, sharing place-based knowledge, and passing this history to the next generation.