Muirneag - a new tall ship for Scotland

Aim

To rebuild the historic vessel SV Muirneag, for use as a community sail training ship, and to rejuvenate heritage boat building skills.

The Muirneag na Mara charity (SCIO) has been established to rebuild and steward the use of the historic 80ft (24m) sailing vessel; the herring lugger SV Muirneag ("Darling Girl" in Gaelic).  

Fully coded and licensed, and berthed in Ullapool and Stornoway, SV Muirneag will be a flagship for the North West Highlands and Islands, and Scotland as a whole.

Objective:  

To create a world class community asset, a fundamental driver for;

• Developing young people through projects and apprenticeships, whilst rejuvenating heritage boatbuilding skills 
• Providing life changing opportunities through Sail Training and Tall Ship Racing, 
• Citizen marine science via an onboard laboratory
• for local communities to engage with the marine environment and Scotland’s rich seafaring heritage. 

The build:

In terms of wooden boatbuilding, sailing, and Scotland’s maritime and fishing heritage, the recreation of SV Muirneag will be an event of historic importance. This will be the largest wooden boat build to have been undertaken in Scotland in decades. 

Not only will the build restore a missing link on our heritage, it will also serve to strengthen and expand the nation’s traditional skill base. In 2023, wooden boat building, rope, sail and spar making were included in the UNESCO recognised Red List of Endangered Crafts for the first time.

Under Sail;

Once commissioned and operational, SV Muirneag’s primary function will be as a Sail Training ship:

• Providing life changing opportunities for young people 
• Preserving and promoting at risk traditional seafaring skills 
• Providing new opportunities for experienced crew and seafarers.

It will also provide community access and engagement (day sails, open days at berth), collaborations with museums, heritage and cultural organisation, and will represent Scotland and the UK at traditional boat festivals across northern Europe.

Citizen science;

Muirneag will have a dedicated lab space on board for passengers, trainees and volunteers to contribute to citizen science, through monitoring and recording water quality, sea temperature, mammal and seabird counts and remote beach cleaning.

Volunteering:  

Volunteering opportunities will be provided for the construction, sailing and operation of SV Muirneag. For young people interested in a career at sea, volunteering is a key (and often difficult to access) step in the transition from sail trainee to paid crew. We will provide opportunities for volunteers to become involved in the ongoing maintenance program, further developing heritage skills.

Fundraising

The SCIO trust is seeking sponsorship to cover the £1.8mln cost associated with the 3 year build phase of the project. Beyond that point it is intended that the SV Muirneag will be self sustaining through revenue generating activities including sail training, private charter, brand partnership, hospitality, film/media, and accommodation.

Sponsorship from Heritage Lottery Fund, plus other funds and trusts are hoped to cover a portion of this cost, but we need your help too! 

Crowdfunding: 

A key ambition of the project is to connect as many people as possible to the project objectives. Crowdfunding via our "sponsor a plank" scheme is a great way to have you join us on this journey, whilst supporting the cause in a tangible way. 

This Crowdfunder is focussed on the first phase of the project; building the "backbone" of the boat. Your donation can pay for anything from a nail or a keel bolt, through to a plank or frame, with your name inscribed as a lasting legacy of your contribution.  See the rewards section of the crowd-funder site.

If you prefer to donate without leaving a tip for Crowdfunder then select the Custom Amount under the tip scroll bar, and enter £0 to donate without a tip.

If you or your organisation are able to make a more substantial donation please see the website for more opportunities to sponsor a mast, the keel, or a mainsail. We also welcome enquiries for; 

• Donations in kind of key components of the build, 
• Brand Partnerships; Visually striking, SV Muirneag has strong potential as a compelling addition to marketing activities across a range of sectors. 

Thanks in advance for your support!

Visit www.muirneag.org for more information.

We are in the early phases of fundraising and need your donations to start the project. We will only refund donations where we are required by law to do so. In the unlikely event that we are not successful in securing sufficient funds for the completion of the project we may, in our sole discretion, pass donations on to other charitable organisations with the same or very similar objectives (including heritage skills, sail training and youth development). 

Any donations made may be deployed quickly to the Muirneag project and used either directly for project purposes and to pay any expenses or costs which are necessary for the project to succeed. Accordingly, any onward payment may be less than the amount originally donated.  Minimal amounts may be treated differently to larger amounts. Donors will be notified of any significant changes to the use of funds via the Muirneag na Mara website (www.muirneag.org).

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 20th June 2026 at 2:03pm