We only seek to restore vessels we believe have historic value. Take City of Edinboro for example - she is the last surviving ship of her type and is an amazing feat of construction – her oak planks are fastened using tree-nails (wooden pegs).

Restoring her faithfully would keep rarely-seen traditional skills alive and we would learn more about the methods of boat-building from her time.

A plan of action has to be written in order to apply for funding. Often the extent of the work involved is only discovered once it has begun.

The initial estimate for the restoration of Excelsior was only a fraction of the end cost.

City of Edinboro needs her hull rebuilding from the keel up, which will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Slipways are not as common as they used to be and many are booked up for months.

Finding somewhere to restore a small boat like Horace and Hannah is far easier than a 25mtr long sea-going ship! At the Trust we are lucky to have our own facilities, although these often have to be adapted

Although we have always been lucky enough to have a steady stream of volunteers willing to lend a hand, restoration also requires skilled labour –  shipwrights, metalworkers and surveyors among others – and finding the right people is more important than cost.

Timing is also important! When restoring Excelsior we were fortunate to be able to take advantage of Government work initiatives in a time of mass-unemployment.

Restoring another large ship such as City will take years and considerable manpower who will all need teaching and supervising. This means our team must be onsite to supervise operations – not easy when they’re at sea sailing Excelsior!

The best thing for old ships is to be kept sailing. But maintaining them each year is further expense and time. Deciding how the restored ship will be used and earn her keep is an important part of the decision to restore a heritage vessel.