She began operating commercially in 1998 and that first year she did 40 trips and carried 450 trainees on board.

Since then she has become a familiar sight, not only in Shetland waters, but further afield also. She is commonly seen in the fjords of Norway and on the Faroese coast each year. She has also taken trainees to take part in the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races to ports in France, Denmark, Ireland and Holland as well as around the UK.

We specialise in short sail training trips for Primary and High School pupils and now take out over 1000 trainees each year from schools in Shetland, Orkney and The Western Isles. The Swan is, however, open to all age groups and also to Special Needs Groups.

The Swan also helps us to understand what life must have been like for the fishermen of Shetland as they sailed into the twentieth century. We can see and use their technology, re learn some of their skills and begin to appreciate the challenges they faced in bringing home the catch. Crewing the vessel, our young people can re discover the excitement and rewards of relying on themselves and each other, working together in a team and making new friends; learning, in other words, about some of the most important skills in life.