A famous Plymouth boat has been pulled from the depths of Sutton Harbour after a dramatic sinking left its owner devastated and nearly £5000 out of pocket.
The St Annes, famous for its hand-painted mural celebrating Plymouth’s coast and skyline, suddenly sank on Friday evening as crowds looked on from the Barbican.
The vessel was decorated by local artist and veteran Kevin Preston, and had become a floating landmark for the city.
Neal Stoneman, who also owns the historic 19th-century St Anne’s House, said he was “heartbroken” after receiving a call telling him the boat had sunk. He said:
“At around 8pm, I got a call out of the blue telling me our boat had sunk.
"We’re absolutely heartbroken. It’s gutting to think this might have been preventable."
The St Annes has now been raised and moved to Laira Wharf. A specialist team from Commercial Diving and Maritime Ltd carried out the delicate operation, using enclosed lift bags and high-capacity pumps to refloat the submerged vessel.
Director George Gradon explained how the lift was completed. He said:
“We fixed enclosed lift bags below the surface with rigging and pumped air from the surface to inflate the bags and that overcame the negative buoyancy.
"Once the gunnels and scuppers were above water, we applied salvage pumps to remove the remaining water.
"About eight cubic metres of compressed gas, equivalent to eight tonnes of lift, were used to bring the St Annes to the surface.
Mr Stoneman said he was frustrated that no one contacted him in time to intervene. He said:
“Staff at the Sutton Harbour lock said they couldn’t reach me as they couldn’t locate my contact details in time.
“Had I been told earlier, I might have been able to do something.”
The exact cause of the sinking is still under investigation. Mr Stoneman believes a leak in the stern tube may have slowly allowed water to build up over several hours, eventually overwhelming the bilge pump. He said:
“She’s out of the water and we are still trying to ascertain how it occurred.
"We are quite confident the boat will be salvaged and on view for everyone again.”
Originally built in 1961 and transported from Wales, the St Annes quickly became a standout on the Plymouth waterfront thanks to its detailed mural.
Artist Kevin Preston painted the hull with local landmarks including the Hoe, Jennycliff, Tinside Lido, Mount Batten and Plymouth Sound.
Mr Stoneman also owns the Grade II listed St Anne’s House, a Victorian landmark that inspired the boat’s name. He said he remains committed to restoring the vessel, which he sees as part of Plymouth’s artistic and maritime identity. The boat is now awaiting a full condition report before any repairs can begin.
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