An iconic sailing barge - seen in Whitstable and Faversham - which helped return soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk needs a new engine to keep it running for another 30 years.

The skipper of the much-loved Greta, Steve Norris, has lost nearly a whole sailing season due to the coronavirus pandemic - which he relies on to raise vital funds to keep her going.

He is looking to replace both the gearbox and engine to make her "run smother and cleaner".

"The past three sailing seasons haven’t been too bad because the weather has been so nice," the 60-year-old said. "I keep trying to do something different to raise money for the barge.

"But the engine I have currently came out of a combine harvester - it’s fairly old, a 1978 one. The gear box is a 1980s' one.

"It is reliable enough but it is noisy, smoky and smells a bit at times."

Greta is a Thames Sailing Barge built in 1892 used for transporting cargo on the River Thames and the Thames Estuary.

She carried ammunition, beer, grain, malt and building products.

Although she no longer carries cargo, she still works to provide Thames Sailing Barge day trips from Whitstable harbour.

The sailing season is usually from spring till late summer and during the winter months she is moored at Standard Quay in Faversham.

The year started well when she was the surprise but runaway winner of an award by Classic Boat magazine in March.

She was also set to feature in the special events planned to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation.

Greta is the oldest Dunkirk Little Ship still sailing and would have been the only sailing barge taking part this year.

Mr Norris added: "The money I had put aside for a new engine, I had to use to live on and keep it going.

"She is a very well-known barge around these parts."

He is now looking to raise £13,000 to keep her going for another 30 years.

The Whitstable Gazette's shipping reporter Charles Traill said the barge has had a frustrating year.

"As well as being reliant on a gang of volunteers to help with winter maintenance, skipper Steve Norris depends on the summer charters to raise the funds needed to keep Greta maintained and sailing.

"As can be imagined, a 128-year-old lady does need a lot of expensive care.

"One of the main projects which has had to be postponed has been the purchase and fitting of a new engine.

"So all in all Greta has been hit quite hard this year and for an old lady who has now survived two world wars and a pandemic, the good sailing weather is a bit of frustration for all concerned."

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