National Transport Trust Members are invited to join in the celebrations of the re-launch of former fishing vessel Britannia after a 10 year restoration in a shed in Devon. The event will be part of the Exeter Heritage Harbour Festival – “Rise Up Again Britannia” - on 23 & 24 September and will feature shanty singers, live music, cannon-firing and ‘general jollification’.
The 58ft Britannia was built in King’s Lynn in 1915 and worked as a fishing boat until 1968. Sam and Vicki Samuels first bought her in 1973 and converted her into a yacht, sailing from Lowestoft to West Country and later to Scotland, until they were forced to sell her in 1996.
Many years later, the couple found her on a mooring in Brixham and, saddened by how neglected she had become, bought her back again for a symbolic £1. After a spell in Cornwall, they had the boat transported to Winkleigh, in mid-Devon, where the restoration began.
Britannia won an NTT restoration award in 2022
Further information can be found on the Britannia social media pages using the links here:
Donations to the project can be made using the Crowdfunder donation page