Message from the Deputy Chair of the Board “During this unprecedented time the Board of Directors have taken the decision to close the ship to the public and volunteers, although the security of the ship is still being monitored. I would like to reassure our members and volunteers that we are financially robust enough to be able …

A message from the deputy chair Read More »

The Citadel Arts Group living memory project are asking for people with memories and photos of the SS (FRV) Explorer to contact me either through lizhare@blueyonder.co.uk or through our web site. So far we have memories from 2 scientists- John and Doug Beverage, a cook and a galley boy, Terry Liddell so we need trawler …

A request from the Citadel Arts Group Read More »

https://www.thenational.scot/news/17830384.ss-explorer-seeks-help-tourist-attraction-plan/

Continuing my adventures in the lookshoory superyacht Síbín, I find myself in Kingston upon Hull, or ‘ull as the locals say. ‘ull is home to the Arctic Corsair, a motor trawler built in 1960 in Beverley. She is now a visitor attraction on the River ‘ull, and she is about to receive a massive cash …

Arctic Corsair Read More »

Yesterday I visited the above attractions in Grimsby.  These provide a bit of a template to a possible future for the SS Explorer. The Ross Tiger has been opened up internally to allow visitors a reasonably easy tour although she is not suitable for people of reduced mobility.       The heritage centre is …

National Fishing Heritage Centre and MV Ross Tiger Read More »

SS Explorer Preservation Society – Annual General Meeting 7 July 2018 Chairman’s Report Since my last update, given at last year’s AGM, many things of note have happened: One of our most important tasks is building the organisation in order that we can be seen as credible in the eyes of potential funders and we …

Chairman’s Report Read More »

SS Explorer Preservation Society – Annual General Meeting Saturday 7 July 2018 at 12 midday for a start at 12.15 Leith Docker’s Club, 17 Academy Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 7EE Agenda 1. Welcome & Introductions 2. Apologies for absence 3. Minutes of previous AGM 4. Matters Arising 5. Chairman’s Report – Andy Marjoribanks 6. Treasurer’s …

Annual General Meeting Read More »

I have been asked to publicise some events by the above organisation. Friends of The Maritime Heritage Trust Forthcoming Visits 30 June 2018 – Richmond Historic and ceremonial river craft and gentlemen’s yachts. The day will include behind the scenes visits and traditional boat trips on the Thames. Further details – meet at Richmond Bridge …

Friends of the Maritime Heritage Trust Read More »

Forth Ports hosted an open day at the docks today taking visitors on a tour of the port in vintage buses.  Never one to miss an opportunity, our chairman Andy organised for the buses to stop at the SS Explorer while he boarded and gave a short talk and passed out publicity material.  A guestemated …

Forth Ports open day at Leith Docks Read More »

…on the Explorer. We were visited by five people from Epoch Design (.co.uk) who were given a partial tour (due to their time constraints) and tea and bikkys. Mean while, in the fishroom, work continues to make a workshop space by the building of a workbench by our highly skilled craftsmen.     A wee …

A busy and productive day… Read More »

Today we hosted a couple of tours of the SS Explorer.  The larger group were procurement professionals from the Northern Irish, Welsh and Scottish governments.  And a net gain of three new members.   Tours are always available through info@ssexplorer.org        

Just came across this nice little drawing  

Some of the SS Explorer crew visit the Maid of the Loch. 

Today, Andy, Jim and Phil manned our stall at Leith market. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Colin, Emma and our newest member Alexander “Chen” Chenery got on with painting the fishroom. Top coat of the white pretty much complete. Green anti-slip deck painting to do. Duncan in the meantime continued repairs to the lavvy ashore …

Leith market and the fishroom Read More »

Today the society set out its stall at the Ship Ahoy event on board the tall ship Glenlee in Glasgow. Various exhibitors partook including model makers, Skylark IX, Falls of Clyde, Caledonian MacBrayne to name a few. Jim Charlie and I fielded a lot of enquiries. Time will tell if we get any new members …

SHIP AHOY!!! Read More »

Today George Slesser took a trip down memory lane visiting the Explorer. George served on Explorer as a scientist and he is pictured here in the lab and in the cabin he occupied.

…….one old and one not so old. Courtesy John Dunn.

Folks from the Granton Hub which we visited two weeks ago having a wee neb at the stokehold.

Charlie Blyth and Colin Williamson finished undercoating the fishroom today while Duncan topped up the daily use tank and manufactured a wheelkey.

Tonight Jim Duff and I went along to the Granton Hub where a talk was being given on William Speirs Bruce. A jolly good talk about a Scottish explorer of whom few people have heard. We took our publicity display and received a lot of interest with a dozen people signed up to visit the …

William Speirs Bruce @ the Granton Hub Read More »

A piece of stationery was discovered today hiding in a telephone and being used as insulation. A bit of Leith history. Menzies and Co. was a very old Shipbuilding business in Leith which was bought by Henry Robb Ltd. in 1963. In other news, Jim and Duncan fitted a new tarpaulin over the funnel to …

Menzies & Co. Ltd Read More »

Duncan and Jim working on making the monkey island waterproof. In the meantime I serviced the AC generator engine. After that worked on getting some undercoat on the fishroom.

Another mention. Thanks to Phil Harley.

We have long been aware that the money island leaks. It is an aluminium deck partially clad with wooden decking. The wood is rotten in places and corrosion in the aluminium is allowing water in. After the recent heavy snow followed by the diluvian downpour on Saturday, the ingress of water was seen to be …

In further news, the monkey island. Read More »

We are delighted and honoured to announce that Sir Andrew Cubie CBE has agreed to become a Patron of the SS Explorer Preservation Society. The list of Andrew’s past achievements and positions is too long to list here so I will ask the Scottish Cancer Foundation to help out. Sir Andrew Cubie CBE Welcome aboard …

Sir Andrew Cubie Read More »

Located in the captain’s cabin, this key cupboard has no longer any keys to store.

The original radar equipment as fitted to the Explorer when new is long gone having been updated probably more than once during her long career. Phil Harley has done some research for us and he believes that the Marconi Mk IV equipment shown was the original fit.

In a trawler as opposed to a research vessel the fishroom would take up much of the fore part of the ship and would be filled with ice and hopefully with fish at the end of a voyage. Explorer has two fishrooms, the port one is accessible only from the deck and is equipped with …

The Fishroom. Read More »

Andy and I needle gunning rust and paint from the fish room. It is intended that this space will become a workshop and storeroom. PPE or what?

[pdf-embedder url=”https://ssexplorer.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Bygones.pdf”]

Some photos by Andy of me disappearing down a hole to take some photos. Going. Still going. Aye going yet. Are we there yet? Just round the next corner. Gone.

Why Steam? The Explorer was powered by steam , because her operational requirements were more easily met by the use of steam. Yes diesel electric and straight diesel were around when she was being built, but neither could compete when it came to noise and vibration. A research vessel then as now has to be …

Why Steam? Further to my last, an update courtesy of John Dunn Read More »

Why was the Explorer powered by a triple expansion steam engine when contemporary trawlers were being powered by diesel engines? This is a question which has vexed us here at the SSEPS for years. A couple of bits of information have revealed themselves over the past few days which give rise to a theory. First …

Why Steam? Read More »

Herring larval surveys on Explorer One of the jobs which the Explorer did regularly throughout her service career were surveys in the North Sea and up and down the West Coast trying to determine the potential density of herring. It is almost impossible to overstate how important the herring was and indeed still is to …

Herring Larval Surveys on Explorer by John Dunn Read More »

As told by Jim Duff. A bit out of date but interesting if you like ships. To see the blog properly, click the pop out icon at the top right. [gview file=”https://ssexplorer.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/SS-Explorer-Preservation-Society.docx”]

First job of the day was Jim preparing sandwiches for our distinguished visitors. Muggins here spent a couple of hours removing corrosion from the smokebox prior to carrying out a boiler survey on Tuesday. Going by the condition of the smokebox, it doesn’t look good, but I shall dive inside on Tuesday armed with a …

A Busy Day on Explorer. Read More »

The crew of the SS Explorer would like to extend our thoughts and sympathy to the friends and relatives of Duncan MacDougall and Przemek Krawczyk who are missing after the Tarbert fishing vessel Nancy Glen foundered in Loch Fyne on Thursday 18th January.

Yesterday we welcomed George Wood who came all the way from Aberdeen by bus to visit the Explorer. His father was a Chief Engineer on-board. George tells us that when the ship was doing research on currents and tides the Explorer used to deploy buoys with tags on them. When they were subsequently gathered in …

George Wood Read More »

For around twenty years, the Edinburgh Dock in The Port Of Leith has been home to the SS Explorer. I suspect none of the volunteers on the SS Explorer realise how much the dock has changed over the years. I certainly didn’t. One of the potential plans for a permanent berth for Explorer was the …

Edinburgh Dock Then And Now And The Future. Read More »

Ship’s plans and drawings have been uploaded for the delectation of geeks and engineers and geeky engineers. Plans and Drawings

I came across this document during a trawl (gerrit?) of the internet for FRV Explorer stories. It describes one aspect of Explorer’s (And FRVs Clupea and Mara) research and although it contains some hard sums, there are also some pretty drawings. Enjoy. A Net Drag Formula for Pelagic Nets

Some cleaning and water damage repairs were carried out today but the main task was to clear the starboard fish room with a view to descaling and painting in the hope of converting into a workshop/storage area. It had developed into a bit of a dumping area for all sorts of rubbish. Some large pieces …

Tuesday 9th January 2018 Read More »

By Jim Duff [docxpresso file=”https://ssexplorer.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Radio-Room-Clock.odt” comments=”true”]

Topping up the diesel daily use tank was a laborious task involving 20 minutes on a semi rotary hand pump. Andy, our illustrious chairman was undertaking this task today when he noticed this. And this. So we fired up the harbour generator, opened the appropriate valves and gave it a go. And it worked! 20 …

Diesel Transfer Pump Read More »

Popped down to check the moorings given 50kt gusts off the berth. All secure. 👍

Contemporary photos Nerd album

I have finally got round to making a photo gallery. This is the first one of “In Service” photos. More will hopefully follow when I get enthused. Click here to see.

Festive buffet on the SS Explorer today courtesy of Jim Duff. Sorry to have missed this alcohol fuelled extravaganza. 🍷😜🤪

Our own John Dunn narrates this short documentary about the FRV Scotia’s, one of Explorer’s successors role in marine  research.      

Team Brass Monkeys pushing the cause of the SS Explorer in Leith Market.

It would seem that our venerable old lady was used to spy on the Russian navy in her day.   Commander John Ian Steven Obituary   We have it on good authority that signals intelligence was her primary role.   The 007 of the Northern Seas.

It would seem that our venerable old lady was used to spy on the Russian navy in her day.   Commander John Ian Steven Obituary   We have it on good authority that signals intelligence was her primary role.   The 007 of the Northern Seas.

Jim and Maggie busy cleaning the labs today.  I laid a bit more anti slip netting before skiving off for a tour of the Apache II pipe-laying vessel, one of our neighbours.  I think Explorer could pretty much fit in Apache’s navigating bridge.     After that back to help Charlie fit a lamp in …

Skiving Read More »

Liberated various items from the Vos Raasay and the Vos Islay which are being broken up in Leith Docks. Various light fittings, cleaning chemicals, lifebuoys and sundry other items. Thanks to Dale marine for allowing us to scrounge.

Must be close to a record with ten volunteers on the SS Explorer today.   A fair bit of cabin cleaning achieved today.   Also the port side ladder to the boat deck was welded on with our new welding machine.  The ladder has been awaiting this for more than two years!     At …

Ten volunteers today! Read More »

A link has been added to the bottom of this page to give a flavour of life on a contemporaneous Granton trawler. Check it out and thank your god that you don’t have to live that life.

Today we had a new carpet laid in the saloon which is now looking very plush.

Check out a new page with an article from the Press and Journal about the computer. The Computer

Some photos of a recent visit to the SS Explorer by a group of retired Salvesen mariners.

After hosting a visit on Explorer by crew members of the pipe laying vessel Apache II, they responded in kind by hosting a tour of their vessel.

Jim proudly surveys his concrete handywork as the battle against water leakage continues.

…..removed from the saloon pending laying of a nice new one.

……overhauling the starting air valve for the harbour generator.

    A wee poppy on the dockside. Also Explorer moved a metre north to keep new gangway clear of the Armco barriers.

Another cement box over perforated boat deck deck.  99% of water ingress now stopped  😀  

Courtesy Rob Newman.  Thanks to Chris Claydon.

Gangway to the boat deck kindly donated by the guys at Forth Ports.      

…the story of the SS Explorer on our media page.

Civil engineering on boat deck complete. Hoping for reduced ingress of rain water.

Caravan all packed up for the trip to Castle Fraser tomorrow.  First thing in the morning I’ll be picking up the newly designed posters and fliers that have been designed by Deborah Mullen     DEBORAH-MULLEN.COM Meeting up with Brian on Saturday to man the Explorer stand  and hopefully attract some followers and sponsors. Weather’s …

Bon Accord Steam Rally Read More »

A quiet Saturday on the Explorer.  Mooring lines a bit slack so tensioned up.     Inspection of the ship after this revealed serious water ingress from the recent rain into the mate’s cabin through the decklight.  The decklight has been removed along with the rotten wood in it’s cofferdam.  Covered up but fairly urgent …

Water damage. Read More »

A bit of time has passed since the last blog but things are progressing. The AC generator has been problematic with AVR issues eventually solved and then a persistent over speeding issue which is hopefully now solved. A lot of internal cosmetic work has been carried out by various members, including repairing the mess room …

A shorter gap Read More »

Most of the decklights have been refurbished and refitted making the ship a bit more weatherproof. AC generator has been behaving itself over the last four weeks so fingers crossed it is now reliable.  It was also recently serviced. Work is in progress to get the saloon up to standard with various bits of joinery …

A long blog gap Read More »

Director’s “Away Day” Whiteboards and scones and resolving the life of SS Explorer.

Forepeak ventilated and inspected. Approx 100kg of debris (corrosion and cement) removed. Tank filled with fresh water. Work started on securing hatch dogs.