The Mincarlo trawler in dry dock at Small and Co in Lowestoft

She is the last of her kind that was once a sign of how strong Lowestoft’s fishing industry and fleet of trawlers were.

And now it is hoped the sidewinder trawler the Mincarlo will once again take to the North Sea and help educate people about Lowestoft’s strong fishing heritage.

But ambitious plans to turn the Lowestoft-built trawler into a museum and get her back out to sea again could depend on a new army of maritime-loving volunteers.

Owned by the Lydia Eva and Mincarlo Trust, the 51-year-old trawler, which was built at Brooke Marine, is gently rocking at her moorings at Heritage Quay in Lowestoft harbour.

The trust is now waiting to put in a £200,000 bid for lottery funding to set up an interactive museum in her and to get the vessel see worthy by 2016 at the very earliest.

However in order to fulfil the full potential of the last surviving fishing vessel built in Lowestoft with an engine made in the town, the trust is looking for volunteers to man her so they can show visitors around from May to October and also give her a bit of TLC by cleaning, painting and tidying her up.

Her sister ship the Lydia Eva, the world’s last remaining steam-powered herring drifter based at Great Yarmouth has about 25 volunteers which enable her to go to sea, while the Moncarlo only has three or four.

In order to drum up volunteers people are being asked to visit the Mincarlo on Monday, March 4 from 10am to see how they can help out.

Alan Bagley, chairman of the Lydia Eva and Mincarlo Trust, said: “If nobody turns up on March 4 then we would only be able to open her up once day a week because we do not have enough volunteers.

“That is why we are hoping March 4 will attract people who are interested in volunteers - we are short of numbers.

““Initially the tasks would entail cleaning, painting and generally tidying up. We are also looking for a team of voluntary guides whose job it will be to show visitors around the trawler from May to October.

Mr Bagley said the trust hoped to set up the interactive museum in 2014 and after £200,000 of restoration work she could take to he sea as early as 2016/17.

Following survey work at Small and Co in Lowestoft, the Mincarlo needs some hull work done and refurbishment and carpentry work on her accommodation area as well as setting up the museum.

The Mincarlo was launched at Brooke Marine’s yard in September 1961 and cost £75,600 to build her for W H Podd.

Her fishing career lasted 13 years, during which time she was among the top half dozen vessels in the 50 to 60 strong Lowestoft fishing fleet for catches. She was known as sidewinder because her nets went over the sides.

In 1977 she was converted into a rig stand-by vessel and was sold the to the trust in 1991.

For information on becoming a Lydia Eva and Mincarlo Trust volunteer call Mr Bagley on 01502 740402.