Bulldog class survey vessel
Encyclopedia
The Bulldog class was a four ship class of survey vessel
in service with the Royal Navy
from the late 1960s until the start of the 21st century. Initially designed with service overseas in mind, they spent most of their careers off the British coast. A fifth ship was subsequently built to a modified design to support them in their activities. Decommissioned and sold off at the end of the 20th and start of the 21st centuries, they have continued in service as civilian vessels, with some being converted to private yachts and others entering other commercial sectors.
designs. All four ships were built by Brooke Marine
utilising merchant hulls. The resulting design was stable in a variety of sea conditions, and the class was considered to be good seakeepers, with an all-welded construction, a bulbous bow and a high flared forecastle. Anti-rolling tanks and twin rudders were also fitted. The ships used eight-cylinder diesel engines powering two propellers and were fitted with specialised echo-sounders, Marconi Hydrosearch sector scanning sonar and a variety of sonar and radar. In addition they carried two small surveying boats, fitted with echo sounders.
in the North Sea
from the 1960s onwards led to them spending most of their time engaged in survey work off the British coast. The increased demand for their services led to the Admiralty
ordering a fifth ship to a modified design in the 1980s, which became .
Fox was the first of the class to leave service, being sold to commercial interests in April 1989. Fawn was paid off in October 1991 and sold to interests in West Germany to become an offshore support vessel of the West African coast, and the China Sea
under the name Red Fulmar. Bulldog was paid off on 26 July 2001 and sold the following month for conversion to a luxury yacht. A major fire broke out while she was moored at Nelson
, New Zealand
and the conversion was not completed. Beagle was the last to leave service. She was paid off on 7 February 2002 and sold the following month to a yacht company at Poole
for conversion.
Survey vessel
A survey vessel is any type of ship or boat that is used for mapping. It is a type of research vessel.-Role:The task of survey vessels is to map the bottom, benthic zone, full water column, and surface for the purpose of:* hydrography* general oceanography...
in service with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
from the late 1960s until the start of the 21st century. Initially designed with service overseas in mind, they spent most of their careers off the British coast. A fifth ship was subsequently built to a modified design to support them in their activities. Decommissioned and sold off at the end of the 20th and start of the 21st centuries, they have continued in service as civilian vessels, with some being converted to private yachts and others entering other commercial sectors.
Design
The Bulldogs were designated as coastal survey vessels, and were a variant of the earlier Hecla-classHecla class survey vessel
The Hecla class formed the backbone of the Royal Navy's ocean survey fleet from the mid-1960s. Three ships, , and , were ordered in the early 1960s to replace the aging survey ships and ....
designs. All four ships were built by Brooke Marine
Brooke Marine
Brooke Marine was a Lowestoft-based shipbuilding firm. The company constructed boats and small ships for civilian and commercial use, as well as minor warships for the Royal Navy, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Australian Navy, Kenya Navy and United States Navy.The company was founded in 1874 as a...
utilising merchant hulls. The resulting design was stable in a variety of sea conditions, and the class was considered to be good seakeepers, with an all-welded construction, a bulbous bow and a high flared forecastle. Anti-rolling tanks and twin rudders were also fitted. The ships used eight-cylinder diesel engines powering two propellers and were fitted with specialised echo-sounders, Marconi Hydrosearch sector scanning sonar and a variety of sonar and radar. In addition they carried two small surveying boats, fitted with echo sounders.
Careers
They were intended to serve overseas in pairs, with four ships being ordered in the late 1960s: and ; and . Despite the original intention to use them overseas, the growth of the exploitation of the oil and gas reservesNorth Sea oil
North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid oil and natural gas, produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea.In the oil industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and the area known as "West of Shetland", "the Atlantic Frontier" or "the...
in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
from the 1960s onwards led to them spending most of their time engaged in survey work off the British coast. The increased demand for their services led to the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
ordering a fifth ship to a modified design in the 1980s, which became .
Fox was the first of the class to leave service, being sold to commercial interests in April 1989. Fawn was paid off in October 1991 and sold to interests in West Germany to become an offshore support vessel of the West African coast, and the China Sea
China Sea
The China Seas consist of the seas of the Western Pacific Ocean, around China:* Bohai Sea* Yellow Sea* East China Sea* South China SeaOther uses*China Seas , a 1935 American adventure film...
under the name Red Fulmar. Bulldog was paid off on 26 July 2001 and sold the following month for conversion to a luxury yacht. A major fire broke out while she was moored at Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the conversion was not completed. Beagle was the last to leave service. She was paid off on 7 February 2002 and sold the following month to a yacht company at Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
for conversion.
Ships
| Name | Pennant | Launched | Completed | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A317 | 12 July 1967 | 1968 | 21 March 1968 | Paid off on 26 July 2001 | |
| A319 | 7 September 1967 | 1968 | 9 May 1968 | Paid off on 7 February 2002 | |
| A325 | 29 February 1968 | 10 September 1968 | 4 October 1968 | Paid off in October 1991 | |
| A320 | 6 November 1967 | 1968 | 11 July 1968 | Sold in April 1989 |