Port Lincoln man Barney Williams was given the job of piecing together the history of the fishing boat from a folder of information stored at the local Department for Environment and Heritage office.

Using articles from old copies of the Port Lincoln Times, photographs of the boat, and talking to various owners of the boat and people who knew about the wreck, Mr Williams has produced a DVD documentary recounting its history.

Mr Williams narrates the story to 64 still photographs of the Sensation and the attempt to salvage the boat.

Sensation was anchored near Sudden Jerk Island, in the southwestern corner of the Coffin Bay Peninsula.

On Thursday, April 17, 1969, the skipper reported the vessel jarred three times on the bottom.

After starting the engine and pulling the anchor in, attempts to get the boat off the bottom of the sea failed.

The vessel rolled onto her side, a distress call was made and it flooded, filling the boat with sand.

An attempt by an Adelaide company - “Cawmed Trucking Company” to haul the boat from the beach was abandoned.

On January 5, 1971, another salvage attempt was made, however another high tide prevented its recovery.

Finally, on January 14, 1971, a tugboat in the area was contracted to pull the Sensation from the sand, into deeper water into Avoid Bay.

The Sensation had large drums attached to its hull and a huge sling placed around the vessel, which the tug pulled.

Today, the Sensation is working as a trawler from Ulladulla to Coffs Harbour in New South Wales.

Mr Williams said he learnt a lot from making the DVD, especially how the fishing boat was re-floated.

Anyone who would like a copy of the DVD can phone Brian on 8683 0427.

All money made from the DVD will go toward the Friends of the Coffin Bay Parks.