Chance to live and work on the Yorkshire coast as two tourist boats with a proud history of saving lives come for sale

Owned and recently renovated by Heath Samples, both vessels are moored at Scarborough harbour and each comes with a proud history of saving lives.

The Regal Lady, built as a pleasure cruiser in Great Yarmouth in 1930, took part in Operation Dynamo, which evacuated Allied troops from the beach at Dunkirk in 1940 as the German army advanced and opened fire.

She managed three perilous crossings and rescued 1,200 soldiers. Now registered as a national historic ship, she is a member of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships.

She was later requisitioned by the Navy and taken to the Clyde to collect American troops from huge cruise liners and take them toshore.

After the war she returned to life as a pleasure cruiser, first serving in Scarborough in 1954 and taking tourists out on the bay.

Mr Samples, who once served as a skipper and then captain on the 84ft boat in Scarborough, bought her in 2019 and carried out an extensive refurbishment.

He said: “A friend of mine owned the boat and did passenger trips for 31 years and I bought her with the idea of restoring her and turning her into a floating museum telling the story of Dunkirk.

"It's been a real labour of love.”

While still seaworthy at the age of 93, the sturdy vessel is now permanently moored in the harbour offering “The Dunkirk Experience” and is a successful tourist attraction, which is also used as a bar and for events.

The Regal Lady has three decks with a bar, customer toilets and seating plus a 20-seat cinema playing footage that tells the story of Dunkirk.

Also on board are items of memorabilia, including uniforms, medals, photographs, letters, gas masks, and a camera from a Spitfire aircraft.

The mooring also has the benefit of offering seating on the pier for up to 60 people.

Mr Samples says: “There aren't many Dunkirk little ships left.

"There were 800 that went across and now there are less than 80 left in existence.

"It’s been a privilege to have a piece of that history.”

Visiting Regal Lady is free and money is made selling drinks, snacks and souvenirs.

Mary Gabriel, the second vessel that comes as part of the sale, is a retired lifeboat which Mr Samples also served on as crew.

Over its years in action as a lifeboat it saved 42 lives.

It started life as a fishing boat and has been fully renovated and now offers 15-minute trips.

Newly restored, she has seating on deck for up to 12 passengers and comes with a galley kitchen and further seating inside.

“She is really popular and very poignant. Quite often when we tell the story of its life-saving days, there are tears,” said Mr Samples, who is selling his boats to devote time to his latest venture, an online gaming business.

For any landlubbers who don’t know how to sail, Mr Samples is offering tuition on how to sail the Mary Gabriel as he is a qualified instructor.

He said: “The boats have been a fantastic lifestyle business and an opportunity for someone to leave the rat race and live and work on the coast.

“The income is good and should see them recoup the cost of buying within a few years.”

Both boats are for sale as one business with Nationwide Business Sales for offers over £400,000 and bring in a net profit of £80,000 per year, says the company.

Simon Burbridge, head of sales and marketing at NBS says: “Both boats operate from Easter through to October and during the day only and so there is a significant opportunity to utilise Regal Lady for events and private functions throughout the year. Both boats are seaworthy and can be relocated to any part of the world.”

For details visit www.nbscorporate.com