𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗠𝗖𝗔 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗗𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗞 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗥𝗘 
Since 2014 we have been happy with our isolation on the Blackwater Estuary, but now that repairs to Ross Revenge are needed and are indeed unavoidable, we have to enter the minefield of marine regulation and authority.
Years ago we just put a rope on the ship and towed her around as we pleased – and in all probability she could be taken to Hull as is – but the risks and penalties for doing this are enormous. Further no tug skipper would take us and our insurers would not cover the voyage.
On Monday two inspectors from the Marine & Coastguard Agency spent a long day on board, surveying the ship to ensure the vessel will meet towage certificate requirements when the time comes to move her. We were fearful of the outcome. In truth they were fair and reasonable. As ever is thus, the problems we were aware of were mostly ignored, while those we had not considered were highlighted. Some were mere common sense.
Now we have a work list to complete which actually is less extensive than we imagined.
On the same day Rob Langton, owner of MMS Ship Repairs of Hull, also visited the ship. Fortunately, Rob is a deep sea trawler fanatic, so to him Ross Revenge was like the Holy Grail and his presence reassured the MCA men that we really did intend to have the ship repaired.
Now Rob will create an itemised and costed list of all that he thinks should be done and in order of priority. The amount of work we could do of course will exceed our present budget, but it will influence and expand our amended approach to the National Lottery.
Meanwhile we continue to fundraise. If you would like to make a donation to our Ross Revenge Charity Dry Dock Appeal or enter one of our Crowdfunder Prize Draws please visit
🛟 𝔻ℝ𝕐 𝔻𝕆ℂ𝕂 𝕌ℙ𝔻𝔸𝕋𝔼 🛟
𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘: 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗛𝗨𝗟𝗟!
Ross Revenge is heading home! The former Grimsby trawler will now be moved to Hull for critical dry-docking and repairs after a weight issue scuppered plans to do the work in Lowestoft
The move to the MMS Shipyard in Hull will be a partnership with a team that specialises in North Sea trawlers
We have been liaising with the shipyard at Lowestoft since last year but they have now decided that, while we can physically get Ross Revenge into their dry dock, the vessel is too heavy for their facility. So, we are reverting to our original plan – Hull here we come!
The journey will take the ship up the River Humber and past its former home of Grimsby, where it served as a fishing trawler in the Ross fleet. Revenge will go past its sister ship Ross Tiger and fellow trawler Arctic Corsair, which worked the same fishing grounds back in the day
We are currently in talks with the MMS shipyard and the owner is very keen to take Ross Revenge. He is a trawler enthusiast and his men have carried out repairs on a number of Grimsby trawlers. He will be visiting the ship in the near future with the MCA inspector, who will be identifying any further actions needed to acquire a certificate of towage so that the ship can be moved
The cost of tugs to tow Ross Revenge to Hull is considerably more, but the dry dock there is huge and we will save a good amount of money without the need to hire inflatable flotation bags and divers to fit them so that the ship could get over the entrance of the Lowestoft dry dock
This has put the ship’s departure timeline back a little and we will be now running visitor trips in May. Meanwhile, our fundraising continues in earnest so that we can get as much essential work done as possible while the ship is out of the water. This is a one-off opportunity
➡️ Can you help us? You can make a donation if you wish or enter our Crowdfunder Prize Draws at rossrevengeofficial.com
Thank you for your incredible support so far. You are very much appreciated. We can’t do this without you 🙏
(Radio Caroline on Facebook)
PETER MOORE ANSWERS YOUR DRY DOCK FAQ
There are understandably lots of questions from listeners about dry docking Ross Revenge. Here Radio Caroline Station Manager Peter Moore answers to the most frequently asked questions:
𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒌 ?
The Lowestoft shipyard being unable to accommodate Ross Revenge has set us back a little. The MMS shipyard in Hull has suggested a date in the autumn. There is much to do beforehand, not least a visit from the shipyard owner on board to learn the nature of the job and our wishes
𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒌 ?
The least time possible as there is a daily charge just for being there. But no time can be put on the job until the water drains away and we see what we are presented with
𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒌 ?
This is unlikely. The Lowestoft yard made it clear that due to insurance, safety and security, only their own staff could be present. We would imagine the Hull yard will take the same view.
𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒈𝒆 ?
Sadly not. It may be that the ship will be towed with nobody onboard or at best two crew to check for leaks and operate pumps if required and to communicate with the tugs
𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒌 ?
Again no. Repairs must be done by professionals, and the yard makes its money charging for labour at an hourly rate and not letting volunteers work at no cost. Insurance stipulations also apply.
𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑬𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚?
Yes, our moorings will be marked and retained while we are away and our landlords will charge a concessionary rate while the ship is absent
𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 ?
This is the big and open question, there is no limit to what we could spend. Whether the ship is made a bit better, or a lot better, or almost like new, depends entirely on money, and marine heavy engineering costs plenty. We are not close to the ideal ‘like new’ option right now, but we hope to carry out essential repairs and maintenance to the hull and sea chests, and replace the rotting decks. The more funds we raise, the more work we can do.
𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗗𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗙 𝗔 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗦: 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗥𝗘 
This is a lot of money for which we take no credit – it has all been raised by YOU, through donations to our Ross Revenge charity and Crowdfunder, and by purchases from our web shop. Praise must go to our generous supporters and listeners. We are immensely grateful.
There is no upper limit to how much we could spend on Ross Revenge and our fundraising continues in earnest as we approach dry docking, which we hope will be in the spring. Simply put, the more money we raise, the more essential work can be done while the ship is out of the water.
We hope to get Ross Revenge into to the SMS Dry Dock at Lowestoft and we must hire a sizeable tugs for the journey. As the ship is too deep to enter dry dock without assistance, we are hiring specialist buoyancy bags and divers to fit them. When inflated the ship should be lifted enough at the stern to get her into the dock.
The priorities once in dry dock are sandblasting, repairing and painting the 220 ft hull and structure, servicing the sea chests, replacing the rotting lower wood decks with a hardwearing grid matting system and, if funds allow, replacing the rusting metal fore and aft decks – proudly repainting CARLOINE 648 AM on the aft deck. How much we can do depends on how much we can raise
𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 (𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲) 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
