Chief Pleas, Sark's governing body, is being asked to invest up to �1m to buy out its current owner and perform essential repairs.

One vessel, the Bon Marin, is suffering from engine problems, while the other, the Sark Venture, is scheduled for a major overhaul this winter.

The only link to and from Sark is by sea and the ferry carries about 55,000 passengers a year.