Museums' Exhibitions
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The Excelsior Trust's Historic Vessels
Index
- Introduction
- CONCRETIAN FCB
- CITY OF EDINBORO H1394
- ESTRALITA RX8 (current page)
Introduction
The Excelsior Trust was originally set up to save the Lowestoft smack EXCELSIOR LT472. Other vessels have been added to assist this original objective.
CONCRETIAN is a wartime mass-produced Ferro Concrete Barge that now serves as a mooring barge for EXCELSIOR at her operating base in Lowestoft's Inner Harbour.
Ashore, in a large boatshed, is the Hull smack CITY OF EDINBORO H1394 and the East Channel lugger ESTRALITA RX8. These vessels are to be 'vehicles' to keep the skills alive that are needed to maintain EXCELSIOR.
The Trust also has two Class 'C' lifeboats, from Lowestoft-built fishing vessels, for seamanship training.
The Excelsior Trust's Historic Vessels
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ESTRALITA RX8
ESTRALITA RX8 is a large East Channel Punt. These vessels were built to work off the exposed shingle beaches of Kent and Sussex.
They were lug rigged and drifted for sprats, herring, and mackerel, or trawled for soles and plaice according to the season. The equivalent vessels in Suffolk are the beach boats of Kessingland, Dunwich, Aldeborough, etc.
History
1948 Built by Harry Phillips of Rock Channel in Rye without an engine as late as 1948!
1950s Engine fitted, with twin shafts leaving the stern post and rudder intact.
1991 Sold and eventually abandoned on the foreshore at Dungeness.
2000 Wreck salvaged by the Excelsior Trust as it was considered sufficiently intact and historically interesting enough to be worthy of restoration back to her original sailing condition.
When completed this interesting vessel will make the powerful lug rig available to sailors who want to widen their experience.
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Exhibition: Historical Fishing Vessels
Exhibition: The Excelsior Trust's Historic Vessels
CONCRETIAN on the slip.
CONCRETIAN on the slip at the Excelsior Yard, Lowestoft, in 2005 having been sunk for 55 years.
WILLIAM McCANN, formerly CITY OF EDINBORO
CITY OF EDINBORO as the charter vessel WILLIAM McCANN after her return to the British flag
CITY OF EDINBORO on the slip
CITY OF EDINBORO on the slip at the Excelsior Yard. The man is 6 ft. tall which illustrates her great size. She has a typical Victorian counter stern.
EXCELSIOR under full sail
EXCELSIOR under full sail consisting of Jib, Jib topsail, Foresail (smacksman term), Mainsail, Main topsail, Mizzen sail, Mizzen Topsail.
ESTRALITA proposed appearence
An elevation and sail plan of ESTRALITA RX8 showing her rig as built, and how she will appear when completed.
