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.
The couple built a basic shed to cover the boat and assembled a team of volunteers to help, and the rebuild has been going strong ever since. A key part of the project has been to train disadvantaged young people in the art of boatbuilding.
Britannia won an NTT restoration award in 2022
All that hard work and determination will be rewarded when the boat is finally launched at Exeter Quay on 24 September. With any luck, Britannia herself might even pay a visit.
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