Originally built in 1956 by J&G Forbes near Fraserburgh, Scotland, Radiant Star spent her first 38 years working as a Herring Drifter in the North Sea fishing fleet 6 days a week off the craggy shoals of Scotland.  In 1994, Radiant Star was slated to be chain sawed, wrecked as part of a government buy-out of the fleet. At that point she was purchased by a Scottish-American owner who undertook a complete yacht conversion.

They had the yacht delivered to Fraserburgh, where they worked with the local talent to build a new galley into the large hold forward. They also did some simple preparations for the long voyage back to Seattle. They then took the yacht up the Themes River to London where they found many refurbished antiques from the local shops which were eventually built into the vessel. 

The new owners, with some trusty friends, cruised the yacht home, rounding Cape Horn  in January of 1995 and arriving in Anacortes in April, having cruised 18,000 nm and 2300 engine hours.  It was there that the real work on the conversion began!  The original 3" decks were repaired as needed and re-faired. They were then rubberized before a new 2" fir deck was laid. The bottom was refastened with 3,000 huge 5" square spikes. The bulkwarks were replaced with mahogany and capped with purple heart, much of which had to be steam bent to the required curve. All of the exterior work was done by Guemes Island boatbuilder David Hartford and his crew. David Bass did the interior.

Radiant Star has been featured in Passagemaker Magazine (Spring 1999), in Wooden Boat (July 2006), as well as in the prestigious publication by the Cruising Club of America (CCA).  She has been voted Best in Show and Peoples Choice at recent Trawlerfest events.