Crowds see Hull’s Arctic Corsair leave berth after 20 years for new life

Large crowds gathered on the quayside yesterday to see Britain’s last surviving distant water sidewinder trawler move from its location on the River Hull for the first time in 20 years.
Crowd gathered to see the country's last surviving distant water sidewinder trawler, Arctic Corsair, move from its current location on the River Hull for the first time in 20 years.
 Picture: Les Gibbon/Hull News and PicturesCrowd gathered to see the country's last surviving distant water sidewinder trawler, Arctic Corsair, move from its current location on the River Hull for the first time in 20 years.
 Picture: Les Gibbon/Hull News and Pictures
Crowd gathered to see the country's last surviving distant water sidewinder trawler, Arctic Corsair, move from its current location on the River Hull for the first time in 20 years. Picture: Les Gibbon/Hull News and Pictures

Arctic Corsair, like other sidewinders, dropped its trawl nets over the side, with its ropes, or warps, suspended from gallows. The craft became a museum ship 20 years ago, and is now to undergo restoration before beginning a new life as the centrepiece of a heritage attraction at the regenerated North End Shipyard, which will also see the transformation of Hull’s maritime museum and dock office chambers, and the conservation of the Spurn Lightship.

Former trawler skippers Vic Wheeldon and Ron Wilkinson were among those watching today’s operation, which saw two tugs manoeuvring Arctic Corsair down the River Hull, along the Humber estuary and into temporary storage at Alexandra Dock.

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Pete Forytaz, a former crew member on the ship, said: “I’m looking forward to the next stage of the project. The day she returns to the River Hull to take her place in the North End Shipyard will be a beautiful sight.”

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