Sooner or later everything turns up on eBay and thus I wasn’t even slightly surprised to see the former Irish Lightship “Penguin” listed for sale on the site last month. Priced at a cool £180,000 there have been no takers as yet. See details below. Main photograph of “Arctic Penguin” at Inveraray Pier © Gordon Hatton
From the eBay listing:
Fancy a lifestyle change? Iron sailing ship. Amazing conversion opportunity to have your own three masted schooner sailing ship or static house boat.
99.93′ x 24′ Beam x 11′ Draft. Iron Shell and Floors, Steel Framing.
Built originally as the Light Vessel “Penguin” in 1911 a role in which she served until 1966;
During the 1980’s she was converted to sail – her two foremasts being added and of course the Kelvin diesel engines.
Since the mid 1990’s she has operated as a museum and café. The museum and café have operated very successfully to the end of the 2010 season.
The Museum Directors have a flexible approach to the vessels future and are happy to assist potential new owners to perhaps have the vessel remain where she is currently berthed.
As a Registered Museum with a trading history she may be in a position to attract grants and funding.
Currently laid out with a welcoming gangway entrance, customers may choose to buy a museum ticket or just- takeaway and stroll or of course be guests of the cafe, sitting comfortably in the deck house or in dry weather on the sheltered foredeck, a purchaser of the museum should if they so wish continue to operate the cafe within the ship, it is the current intension to include all fixtures and fittings provided the asking price is offered:-furthermore we are assured the ship/museum has Argyll and Bute planning permission to operate where she lies, continuation to lie at the pier would be by negotiation with the piers owners who we are assured would be unlikely to unreasonably withhold such permissions.
Museum guests may explore the topsides of the ship from forecastle and forepeak to the afterdeck steering position and the raised aft saloon, while below decks the “For’d Tween Deck” provides the principal exhibition space, aft of this the full width machinery space could be considered the “Main Tween Deck”, aft of this is the athwartship cinema:-aft again is the mostly original Masters Cabin then aft again to the rudder flat and afterpeak, these areas are currently used to the full with public access and interesting displays.
Filmwork on and around the Ship has provided income and interest- she has featured in the Onedin Line and many films since.
Alan Villiers book about buying and sailing the “Joseph Conrad” 57,000 miles is relevant to anyone wishing to re-rig the Arctic Penquin as both ships bear a striking similarity.
Whatever or wherever your interest in this valuable ship may lie please contact us for further information.
Further information on the vessel can be found at http://www.inveraraypier.com/ under heading – Arctic Penguin.
No reasonable offer refused may also part exchange Property/Boats/Cars? Open to suggestions.
Asset Management Argyll Ltd
247 Argyll Street
Dunoon
Argyll and Bute
PA23 7QT
United Kingdom
