Divers survey North End Shipyard gates ahead of the arrival of Arctic Corsair

Divers have been surveying the lockgates at North End Shipyard prior to the arrival of Arctic Corsair later this year.
Alexandra Wood
By Alexandra Wood
Published 7th Feb 2023, 16:45 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2023, 16:48 BST

Dredging took place on the ebb tide to clear the area around the lockgates so the inspection could take place on Tuesday.

The divers were then lowered into the muddy water of the River Hull so they could make a visual inspection of the lockgates.

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The Arctic Corsair, the sole survivor of Hull’s once-mighty distant water, sidewinder fishing fleet, will move into the dry dock in the Autumn, alongside a new visitor centre as part of the £30m Hull Maritime project.

Date: 9th November 2021. Picture James Hardisty. The Arctic Corsair, a deep-sea trawler, built in 1960, that was converted to a museum ship in 1999. Is temporarily berthed in dry dock at Dunston’s shipyard on William Wright Dock in Hull as she start her restoration project. Pictured Ken Knaggs, Water blaster and painter for Dunston's Ship Repairs Ltd based in Hull power washing the hull whilst she is in dry dock.Date: 9th November 2021. Picture James Hardisty. The Arctic Corsair, a deep-sea trawler, built in 1960, that was converted to a museum ship in 1999. Is temporarily berthed in dry dock at Dunston’s shipyard on William Wright Dock in Hull as she start her restoration project. Pictured Ken Knaggs, Water blaster and painter for Dunston's Ship Repairs Ltd based in Hull power washing the hull whilst she is in dry dock.
Date: 9th November 2021. Picture James Hardisty. The Arctic Corsair, a deep-sea trawler, built in 1960, that was converted to a museum ship in 1999. Is temporarily berthed in dry dock at Dunston’s shipyard on William Wright Dock in Hull as she start her restoration project. Pictured Ken Knaggs, Water blaster and painter for Dunston's Ship Repairs Ltd based in Hull power washing the hull whilst she is in dry dock.

People will be able to go inside the trawler and see the crews’ cabins and also climb down into the dock to see her out of the water and appreciate her true scale for the first time.

The North End Shipyard is where the HMS Bounty – of Mutiny on the Bounty fame - launched as the Bethia in 1784.

John Bacchus Dyke, whose father owned the shipyard, wrote the haunting music for Eternal Father, which is still the US Navy Hymn and probably the best known Navy hymn in the world.

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It is also where the Alexander was built which was part of the First Fleet to Australia.

A dredger has been clearing silt in the River Hull to allow divers to inspect the lockgates at North End ShipyardA dredger has been clearing silt in the River Hull to allow divers to inspect the lockgates at North End Shipyard
A dredger has been clearing silt in the River Hull to allow divers to inspect the lockgates at North End Shipyard

Currently the Arctic Corsair is at Dunston Ship Repairs on William Wright Dock undergoing restoration.

The work to prepare the dry dock for its new role is costing the taxpayer £1.5m. Hull Esteem has been appointed the delivery partner to the council and is working with supply chain partners Spencer Group.

Related topics:River HullPeople