The masts of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory are being removed as part of a £42 million conservation project, marking a significant milestone in The Big Repair initiative.
Complex lifting operation underway
Starting on Monday evening, a 750-tonne crane will lift the mizzen (rear), foremast (front), and bowsprit (bow), placing them alongside the 18th-century warship at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. This follows the removal of the main mast in 2021, which was the first stage of the project.
Once all masts are removed, a scaffolding structure will enclose the ship, remaining in place until conservation work is completed in 2033.
Key moment for The Big Repair
Andrew Baines, executive director of museum operations for the National Museum of the Royal Navy, described the operation as a pivotal moment. "This is the first time Victory will have been without all her masts since the early 1890s," he said. "Our team has planned this step in meticulous detail, but we still have to work around factors like the weather. That's why we will carry out the lifts overnight, so we can work safely and without interruption for several hours at a time."
He added: "The operation itself will be impressive with a 750-tonne crane rigged on site for a week. We have learned a huge amount from the removal of main lower mast in 2021 and once all masts are removed and safely stored, we can begin the critical work of conserving them before their eventual return to the ship in 2033."
Precision and pressure
Stuart Sheldon, NMRN lead rigger, emphasised the significance of the task. "HMS Victory matters to people in a way few objects do. That brings real pressure, and it should. This lift is complex and it needs absolute precision. Putting the plan into action on the night will be a career highlight for the whole team."
Historical significance
HMS Victory, the world's oldest commissioned warship, served as Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar. It was on the ship's quarterdeck that Nelson was fatally shot by a French sniper on October 21, 1805. First floated out at Chatham in 1765, the vessel was moved to dry dock in Portsmouth, Hampshire, in 1922 after deteriorating condition.
