8/30/2023 0 Comments Naval actio madagascar refitThe Flotilla sailed from Singapore on 13 November 1939 but split up en route and consequently the ships did not all reach Malta at the same time. Vampire and Voyager (I) arrived at Singapore on 21 October 1939 where they were joined on 29 October by Stuart (I), Waterhen (I) and Vendetta (I). It had been intended to base the destroyers at Singapore for a period of training but, while the Flotilla was still at sea, it was decided that after a brief stop at Singapore it should proceed to the Mediterranean. The Flotilla was under the command of Commander Hector Waller RAN, in Stuart (I). The same day Vampire and Voyager (I) departed Fremantle to join company at Singapore. On 14 October 1939 Stuart (I), Vendetta (I) and Waterhen (I) departed Sydney for Singapore, proceeding via Darwin and Lombok Strait. Thereafter, until the outbreak of World War II, in September 1939, Vampire operated as a unit of the Australian Squadron in home waters. On 12 November 1938 Donovan handed over command of the destroyer to Lieutenant Commander John Walsh, RAN. She paid off the following day into C Class Reserve and remained based at Westernport until when she recommissioned under the command of Lieutenant Commander Jack Donovan RAN. Vampire recommissioned at Sydney on 14 July 1936 for the voyage to Westernport where she arrived on 17 July to replace Tattoo as a tender to HMAS Cerberus (Flinders Naval Depot). ![]() After some minor plating repairs, the vessel received a fresh coating system.Vampire alongside HMAS Cerberus (Flinders Naval Depot) Westernport, Victoria, circa 1938. ![]() The boat’s bottom, topsides and pilothouse were stripped to bare metal. Other upgrades in the pilot launch refit included new Norsap 1500 pilot seats, new windows, three new doors to the pilothouse and four new hatch covers. To accommodate the new engines, the shipyard modified the launch’s engine beds, hull frames, exhaust systems, cooling and fuel system piping. In addition, the pilot boat received a new Seastar Optimus steering system and a new Northern Lights 12 kW generator. The engines turn new 5-blade Bruntons propellers via Twin Disc MGX-5136A “Quickshift” gears. With more than 50,000 operating hours, the 53-foot all-aluminum pilot boat’s twin 600 bhp Caterpillar 3406E engines were replaced with a new pair of Caterpillar C18, EPA Tier 3-compliant diesel engines, each delivering 670 bhp at 2,100 rpm and a top speed of over 25 knots. “After 19 years of hard work, the vessel was showing some wear and tear but she still had a lot of life left so it was definitely worth re-investing in her,” said Peter Duclos, Gladding-Hearn’s co-president and director of sales. Pilot boat returns to Gladding-Hearn for repower after 19 years of continuous service California ports awarded $1.5 billion in state infrastructure upgrade grants.VIDEO: Responders to Port Newark RO/RO fire report “considerable progress”.VIDEO: Liebherr crawler cranes go to work on Gulf dredging projects.GLDD awarded $157.4 million Freeport Harbor Channel contract.Corps awards dredging contracts worth over $100 million.Damen Cape Town delivers versatile plow tug.HaiSea Marine pours concrete for floating tugboat base.Marcon: CARB puts a crimp on tug sales into California.Moran Towing orders two new 80 tonnes bollard pull harbor tugs.San Francisco Bar Pilots take delivery of new Camarc 22.Blasting restrictions ahead at New Lock at Soo.New underwater sill will counter salt water creep up Mississippi River. ![]()
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