Woles: Wooden what seen here in Hout Bay South Africa

Monday, 6 March 2017

Wooden what seen here in Hout Bay South Africa

This came in a few days back, I thought it was another converted and German Mine sweeper, maybe it is?

We had some conversions going on here a few years back, German boats sold to Japan I think, then bought and converted in the Simonstown naval dockyard for service work in Nigeria.

http://www.blogspot.co.za/2011/02/storm-petrel-by-another-name.html

Any ideas?

Here is a well qualified comment from a master marine engineer,

Roy,

I can only assume as you did that she is an ex-minesweeper if constructed of timber. The low open deck aft is another signature feature of a minesweeper.

It’s possible that she is one of a large number of ex-naval and other craft that have been pressed into commercial service for security / anti-pirate patrols and escort duties in east and west Africa – Nigeria as you mentioned. She looks to be in good condition.

The fact that she’s in Hout Bay means that she must have already been cleared-in at Table Bay or some other SA port.

Any identification markings, flags, etc, on her? Is she shut-down and on shore-power or is she running her generators?

Roy

It was only by the next day did I find out the ship was part of a filming production ( i know the name ) and was by then flying a French national flag.