Help Us Restore the Upper Deck

Help Us Restore the Upper Deck Above the Wheelhouse

The SS Explorer is more than a historic vessel and remains an important part of Scotland’s maritime heritage.
Launched in 1955, she was the first purpose-built fisheries research vessel in Scotland and spent nearly 30 years at sea, supporting vital research into fish stocks, marine ecosystems, fishing technology and oceanography.
Today SS Explorer is on the register of National Historic Ships and is one of the last surviving steam-powered research trawlers in the world.

Why This Repair Is Urgent

The upper deck above the wheelhouse has deteriorated and is no longer fully watertight. As a result, rainwater is leaking into the wheelhouse, radio room and Captain’s cabin, putting these important spaces at risk of further damage.

Our dedicated volunteers are working hard to prevent this, but to carry out the repair properly and safely, we urgently need to purchase:

  • Aluminium plate

  • Marine sealants

  • Protective coating materials

Without this work, water ingress will continue and cause increasing damage to the structure and interiors below, making future restoration more difficult and costly.

How Your Support Helps

Donations to this fundraiser will go directly towards restoring the upper deck, helping us to:

  • Stop water leaks into key historic areas

  • Protect original features and equipment

  • Safeguard the ship for ongoing restoration and public access

All work is carried out by a volunteer-led charity, and every contribution makes a real difference.

Be Part of the SS Explorer’s Future

By supporting this fundraiser, you are helping to protect an important research vessel and ensure she can be preserved, interpreted and shared with future generations in Leith.

Donate to the Facebook fundraiser:
https://www.facebook.com/donate/719690731168773/122146342826935220/

Together, we can make the upper deck watertight again and give the SS Explorer the care she urgently needs.