A second digitised section of MT 40/36: Ministry of Transport papers on the Dynamo small-craft pool, special-service planning and claims procedure.
Source: The National Archives, Kew, MT 40/36 Pt 2. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
1 matching pages. OCR may contain transcription errors.
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T.O.9144/STN.6B. |
Unformatted machine-generated OCR for document page 161.
T.O.9144/STN.6B. The MOTOR BOAT and 1940. YACHTING SEA. ROAME rested in developing these markets. He states that vessel to the Admiralty at the outbreak of war and was has had 10 years' marine engineering and commercial serving aboard her. Another of her officers who was experience, speaks Spanish and is accustomed to com- reported lost was Surgeon Rear-Admiral J. R Muir, of piling sales literature in that language, the appointing Paignton, who was over 70 years of age. and training of local agents and other matters Bearing the unmistakable stamp of her designer, connected with overseas distribution. Norman Hart, Campeador V," which was built by I shall be pleased to place anyone who may be Philip's of Dartmouth, was a greyhound amongst motor interested in touch with my correspondent. yachts. She was not particularly large as wealthy How America is Preparing men's yachts go, being a 213-tonner with a length of 126 ft., but she had a speed of 14 knots. The most America is apparently learning a lesson from what unusual thing about her was the power plant, which is happening in the war. I understand that plans are consisted of a pair of Diesel engines with no fewer than being made for the building up of a fleet of motor tor- 16 cylinders each. These were Gleniffer units develop- pedo boats and anti-submarine craft on a scale which ing 320 h.p. each at 900 r.p.m. The whole installation might be expected from America when she really was an outstanding example of potted power"; the decides to do things properly. The Naval authorities main engines stood only about 3 ft. above the floor have at last realized that, with their long eastern and plating. western coasts, their only guarantee of safety is a pos- session of a very large number of boats which can pre- The "Tilikum" Again vent capital ships and submarines approaching too In April The Skipper" made some reference to closely to the shore. It is at least gratifying to us that the first big order for motor torpedo boats in America Capt. Voss's famous boat "Tilikum" and published should have been placed for craft built to the design an illustration. have heard from a correspondent in South Africa, who said that Capt. Voss once brought of an Englishman. the boat up by rail from Durban and exhibited her Yachtsmen's Big Reserve Force at the Wanderers Sports Group in Johannesburg. He Enormous enthusiasm, I hear, is being shown among adds that the Tilikum was not a built boat, but a yachtsmen in connection with the U.S. Coastguard dug out, similar to those seen in Madagascar and parts Reserve Force which has been established. In the New of Polynesia. My correspondent doubts if she could York district alone, which embraces the greatest part have stood upright in the water without her very large of New York and Pennsylvania and the States of New catamaran outrigger, which extended nearly from stem Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware, 400 well-equipped to stern on the port side, about 12-15 ft. from the gun- motor boats have been made available and 500 mem- wale. When Capt. Voss met with bad weather he tied bers have been enrolled in the 24 flotillas. It is down everything, and put out a very large canvas sea expected that before the end of the year there will be anchor over the bow. This sea anchor was exhibited a thousand men in this service. with the craft at the time. Under peace conditions the Reserve members assist in patrolling regatta courses, report hazards to navi- Dunkirk Recognition gation and generally aid in the work of the coast- guards. They also receive instruction in semaphore I saw a suggestion in a journal the other day that all of the small craft which were engaged in the Dunkirk signalling and Morse code work. They follow the work of the coastguards at close range, with visits to evacuation should have emblazoned on the bow or stern, Dunkirk, 1940." life-saving stations, lighthouses, and other activities in this branch of the service. Some recognition would certainly be appreciated, but If America were ever engaged in war, have no I think the time is not yet. Many of these boats will doubt that within the course of a few weeks she would have other activities to their credit before the war is over. have a force of many thousand motor boats suitable for patrolling her coasts. From Motor Boat Engine to Aeroplane Motor Mr. V. W. MacAndrew Hitherto, practically all of the high-powered If Mr. V. W. MacAndrew was indeed lost, as feared, engines used in motor torpedo boats have been when his motor yacht Campeador was sunk by a developed from the corresponding aeroplane engines, mine recently, Britain has been deprived of not only a the main examples being the Power-Napier, Rolls-Royce great yachtsman, but a great patron of the sport. Merlin and the Isotta-Fraschini types. The Thornycroft When I last met him, at the trials of Campeador engine is an exception. V" in August, 1938, he told me how pleased he was Now it appears that the position will be reversed. It with the progress of the artmouth establishment for was recorded in the Press last month that as the Ford the training of yacht hands, to which he gave such Co. had refused to produce Rolls-Royce aircraft engines valuable material and moral support. for this country, the Packard Motor Car Co. was asked Although an enthusias of sail and a most competent to do so. According to the New York correspondent racing helmsman-he scored many successes with his of The Times the engineers of the company state that 12-metre yacht Trivla in recent years-he did not the high-speed engines it (the Packard Co.) is now regard his motor yachts merely as convenient floating manufacturing for torpedo boats are capable of being residences, as some yachtsmen do, but took a keen developed into aircraft engines." interest in them. It will be recalled that the American motor torpedo " Campeador V boats built by the Higgins Industries Inc., illustrated The loss of Campeador V." is a heavy blow to the recently in The Motor Boat, are equipped with these people of the Dartmouth district, from which the crew Packard marine engines, and they are also being utilized was largely recruited. Mr. MacAndrew offered the in the Scott-Paine-designed craft being built for the U.S. Navy. Whilst these operations were being carried out we