Historic sail training vessel Swan seeking new skipper
A UNIQUE opportunity has emerged to skipper the historic sail training vessel Swan.
The 126-year-old former fishing vessel is now used to provide hands-on training to the next generation of keen sailors.
This year she travelled to Harlingen in the Netherlands as part of the 2026 Tall Ships Races, before journeying on to Antwerp in Belgium, Stavanger in Norway and Aalborg in Denmark.
She then returned home with her crew of young people from Shetland.
Swan recently underwent a major upgrade, with extensive works taking place over winter last year to upgrade the toilet, shower and galley facilities on board.
A funding package of almost £100,000 was used for the upgrades, with contributions from Shetland Islands Council’s Coastal Communities Fund, Arven Offshore Wind Farm, Lerwick Port Authority, Peterson Energy Logistics and the Swan Trust’s own reserves.
Former skippers of the Swan include Eli Pacey and 2025 Shetland sportsperson of the year Maggie Adamson.
The Swan Trust said that it was seeking a qualified skipper to join the crew for the 2027 summer season, adding the role would offer a “fantastic experience” for the right person.
It said the new skipper would lead Swan around Shetland, the north east of Scotland and on “international journeys to the Faroe Islands”.
“The role would suit a someone keen on adventure who understands the importance and value of sail training to our younger sailors, and the quality of experience for our public sailing trips,” the trust said.
The role would be held from 1 April to 30 September 2027, with a salary of £30,000-£35,000 pro rata.
The closing date for applications is Thursday 12 November.
You can read more about the post here.
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