SS Manxman - Going.. Going.. Sunk.

by Trevor Hoyland/Sail-World Cruising on 5 Jul 2008 Unless she can find a benefactor very quickly, she'll be consigned to a watery graveyard somewhere, and another link with the world's maritime history will be lost.

The current world economic climate seems to have finally spelled the end for the SS Manxman, which used to sail between Liverpool on the west coast of England and the independently governed Isle of Man.

A six year effort to save the old steam ship, currently laid up in Sunderland, had resulted in an American organisation taking an interest, even visiting to inspect the ship, commissioning a detailed survey with intentions to refurbish her, and it seemed that her future was looking rosy. However, the unnamed company has run into problems apparently caused by the economic slow-down.

She's been on the River Wear since 1997, and had been used as a floating nightclub after finishing her duties as a cross-sea ferry.

In 2006, thieves pillaged equipment from the ship after rowing up the Wear with a generator and cutting equipment.

The effort to save the ship has been an ongoing exercise in frustration and heartbreak. The Manxman Steamship Company was formed in 2002 to purchase, restore and preserve the vessel, but a £2.7million bid for Heritage Lottery funding was rejected in 2004. Following redevelopment plans for the local docks, she has even had trouble getting matching funding support from local council, or finding a berth where she can safely remain.

Chris Brindle, of the Manxman Steamship Company, reflecting the sadness of those who had put years of effort into the campaign, was quoted as saying: 'Our campaign has ended.

'After six years of hard work, match funding for our project was not forthcoming from the local authorities because of Peel Holdings' inability to provide us with a berth due to their plans to redevelop the docks – and of course the council backed the much larger scheme Peel were offering.

'Regarding the American bid, they were supposed to be making an offer by today but they are hampered by credit issues. I understand that some of their backers are finding it tough to get the funding.

'As for the ship herself, she is as far as I am aware intact and in a state where preservation is still achievable – but, with minimum maintenance, unless something happens this year she just will not be viable.'

If there's a benefactor out there with some dollars to contribute to preserving the planet's maritime history, here's a project well worth considering.