A community group from Scotland is seeking to restore a boat with a strong Manx history.

The Manx Beauty is one of the few remaining 1930s ring net boats still afloat and the group wants to see her returned to her former glory in the country of her birth.

Launched along with her sister ship the Manx Fairy on June 11, 1937, the boats and two others, the Manx Lad and Manx Lass, were ordered as part of a Manx government initiative to help the fishing industry.

It was hoped that by subsidising a fleet of ring netters, the government could encourage young Manxmen back to fishing following the decline in the industry in the 20th century, despite Irish and Scottish vessels continuing to fish successfully off the island.

The government of the day used a less well known ship builder, Provost Carstairs, as it sought to give Manxmen the highest possible return by ensuring low running costs, which was the specification offered by Mr Carstairs over rivals such as Weatherheads, Walter Reekies and Millers.

A spokesman for the group, based in Cellardyke in Fife, told the Manx Independent: ’The Manx Beauty will need a major restoration to bring her back to her original look and up to standard. This will involve the replacement of ribs, deck beams and deck as well as some planks, internal fit out and replica wheelhouse built.

ambition

’It is estimated to take about three years. The ambition is to raise enough grant income to employ a charge hand, who is a skilled boat builder, to lead the restoration and motivate a team of volunteers and students.

The work is estimated to cost about £250,000.

’The restoration is not the end of the process merely the beginning, a tool to establish the community emotional ownership and pride in the boat.’

The community group confirmed the purchase of the Manx Beauty earlier this week and now face the task of preparing her for road transport to Fife for renovations.

After being launched in 1934 and skippered by Peel man Lock Horsburgh, the Manx Beauty was sold in 1951 and was re-registered.

She was later sold a number of times.

Group member Richard Wemyss added: ’The project started when I began to work on a musical composition about three years ago to tell the story of the boat.

’This work is to involve young musicians from the Isle of Man and the East Neuk of Fife [in which Cellardyke is situated]. I never imagined the vessel would be coming up for sale and may be a community restoration project.

’Just over a year ago I saw the vessel for sale and phoned the last owner’s son Arthur Maddock, to ask if he knew her history and importance.

’I went down to visit saying that as I was already restoring a vessel I wasn’t in the position to look at taking the Manx Beauty over.

’In the early summer the owners contacted me again and I put it to the community and we have been working on it since and the boat came into our ownership on October 28.’

Anyone wanting to support their efforts should email [email protected]