Three months after it sank in Peel harbour, this former fishing boat could be facing something of a religious conversion.

Currently ’moored’ incongruously in the car park of St German’s Cathedral, the old trawler Nerilla is being assessed to see if it can be incorporated into a striking new lychgate.

Dean of the cathedral Nigel Godfrey said: ’If this fishing boat is suitable, it will create enormous savings and make a scheme, which is currently financially beyond our reach, a real possibility.’

Planning consent for the lychgate (13/91514/B) was approved in February 2014.

It’s the latest part of the cathedral development that has seen new gardens created featuring a labyrinth, shrine, Manx crosses, a dark skies observatory and a commemoration of the Knockaloe internment camp.

Princess Anne is patron of the campaign launched to raise £10m to develop the cathedral into a new national cultural venue.

The imposing lychgate will open up a new entrance from Derby Road, direct to the cathedral and a refurbished Corrin Hall. There will be a bus shelter in its side wings, with free wifi and an information area.

Its design has been inspired by the island’s Viking tradition, Peel’s history of boat building and the use of old boats as shelters in the western isles.

The idea is that the boat is a vessel for carrying people across from one realm to another.

Rev Godfrey said the garden projects have made use of reclaimed and recycled materials wherever possible.

He said the fishing boat, which is the correct size for the lychgate, had been offered for the project and it is now being assessed to check if it is sound and practical.

If it is, the project will then be able to proceed using a combination of skilled paid and voluntary labour, he said.

Peel coastguard was called out to Peel marina on October 6 after the Marine Operations Centre noticed on CCTV that a vessel was sinking at its berth against the harbour wall.