A 100-year-old former Royal Navy steam cutter (SC26) that saw action at the Battle of Jutland aboard the cruiser HMS Falmouth will return to the port this week.

It will arrive on a lorry at Ponsharden where it will be launched before being towed to Flushing.

A small team of enthusiasts based in Falmouth have acquired the vessel from the Maritime Workshop with the view to completing the restoration of this historic boat in Falmouth.

Peter Visick, Christopher Perkins, Robin Taylor and Tim Parr are now on a mission to complete the restoration and give the cutter a permanent home in the port. The cutter will be taken to the Falmouth Boat Construction boatyard at Little Falmouth for some repairs.

One of the volunteers, well-known yachtsman Peter Visick said: “A trust has been acquired, with the hope that funds can be raised to make the vessel fully operational by mid 2014, the 100th anniversary of the commencement of the World War I. The hull has been examined and, considering its age, is in very good order. It will, however, need some repairs and a complete fit out. The establishment of a website will now follow and, as funds are raised, the refit will commence. The work will be recorded and shown on the web."

The steam engine is in a very poor state but has been dismantled and patterns of all the components made and new castings obtained. Work has started on rebuilding the new engine. The boiler is beyond repair but drawings exist and quotations for a new one are being obtained.

Once operational the vessel will be regularly steamed around the harbour during the summer months so that members of the public can see the historic vessel and even take trips on her. She will also be available for charter and it is hoped to use her for training.

Ordered by the Admiralty in June 1910 from the Rowhedge Ironworks Co, Steam Cutter 26 was delivered on January 16 1911 and allocated to HMS Falmouth.

The hull is wood, of double skin construction (strong and light) 35ft long x 7ft 8ins beam with a moulded depth of 4ft 3½ins ( 10.77m x 2.36m x 1.3m ) The machinery is a 32 indicated horse power compound steam engine with a coal-fired boiler, operating at 130 psi.

Steam Cutter 26 was one of the boats salvaged after HMS Falmouth sank off the coast of Yorkshire.

She was then allocated to HMS Cricket and finally to HMS Pandora. Put up for disposal by the Admiralty in November 1928 Steam Cutter 26 had a variety of owners before being saved by The Steam Launch Restoration Group in 1977.