Vigilance has been saved from the breaker’s yard several times in her life. Built for a hard-working life of 10 to 15 years, she is now 97 years old, and has survived the end of her life as a working fishing vessel, service as a barrage balloon mooring during World War 2, a devastating fire, many years as a lived-on houseboat and restoration project, and numerous ownership and management changes.

Today Vigilance is in Stirling’s Yard, Number One Slip in Plymouth – the world’s oldest active covered slipway, and birthplace of Nelson’s flagship Foudrayant – undergoing her most comprehensive restoration to date.

Over the next few weeks we will be posting the story so far, starting with her journey to Plymouth in October for works to commence, and showing highlights of the work as it has progressed. Once we are up to date, we will post weekly bulletins, generally on Mondays, as the refit continues towards its conclusion in the summer of 2024 – and Vigilance’s much anticipated return home to Brixham.