Iain, there were some wonderful boats that never made the production line, but sadly I don't think I have enough hours in the day to build what I have planned, never mind boats that never were.

Jim, the gist of the Tyrrell story is that in the late 1950's/early 60's the RNLI invited various builders to design a suitable cruising boat, the idea being that the winning yard would get the build contract. Tyrrell's produced, as Neil says, a modern transom sterned hull which would have been fast(er) and very manouverable, however this proved to be too modern for the RNLI who insisted that no one would want to go to sea in it, and that it had to "look like a fishing boat", hence the eventual design. Also by the time this happened, it became apparent that steel was to be the material used, and so Tyrrell's, who only built in wood, had already lost out. Tank tests were done of the Tyrrell hull and the Oakley hull at Saunders Roe on the Isle of Wight, during which tests the 002 (Tyrrell) hull came out tops, presumably efficiency-wise (I don't think sea-keeping was a factor, and don't even know if that could have been tested for at that time). I think that Herd and Mackenzie may also have been involved in the supply of a design as Mr Tyrrell remembers them being present at a meeting at Yarrows, however I have never had this confirmed, nor have I seen any plans that they may have come up with. I am hopeful of getting a copy of the tank testing film at some time in the near future.
I have never understood why the RNLI decided to proceed with two very similar boats, but built to different lines as this must have involved a considerable and needless extra expense. Yarrows had calculated that with the longitudinally split engine rooms, the boats would have been unstable with one room flooded, so their MkII version had the engine rooms split athwartships, with a Z shaped bulkhead, the generator being ahead of the ***mins main engine in one room, and behind it in the other. Notwithstanding this 'discovery', when the time came to build 003 the 'unsafe' longitudinally split engine room design was retained.
Another strange feature of 001 and 002 was that although the hulls were provided with double bottom tanks, an inner hull separated from the outer by foam buoyancy, and numerous watertight bulkheads, it didn't seem to occur to them to make the wheelhouse watertight, and in fact it was designed to flood into the deckhouse from where it would drain down into scuppers in the hull side, presumably shorting all the (240v AC!) electrics and electronics on its way. I have never seen photographs of these scuppers in situ, as I presume like all these scuppers a lot of water would have come in, and then flooded the galley and chartroom decks with consequent corrosion problems and so you can see (on 002 at least) where the hull openings have been welded over. This may have been done at the trials stage. The only parts of the boat that leak are the wooden wheelhouse doors!
Broadsand is correct in that the more voluminous hull of 001 allowed better accommodation, although it has to be said that the accommodation arrangement on 003 was the best of the lot, albeit at the expense of aesthetics. Also on 003 there was no outside steering position, and as far as I remember there was only one access door to the deckhouse at the aft end, so access for the crew to the deck would have been less satisfactory. The chaps at Clovelly thought 001 was a drier boat than 002, but the Kirkwall crew preferred theirs. I suppose you just get used to something.
Hope not too many 'its' have crept into this short text!
Iain

Its, its , what is that Iain?

Seriously I am gratified that this photo has generated a whole lot of info and data, all of which would never have come to light without Ship Nostalgia

Its is the plural of it, as opposed to it's which would either be the possessive, or alternatively an abbreviation of 'it is'. Anyway, my test worked, and you got the name right!
Now back to serious matters... is it just me, or does the site work differently now? I thought it used to be that when a comment was added, the relevant picture moved back to the head of the list thereby making it easier to find recent comments by simply scanning the pictures.
Has it changed, or have I just had a senior moment?

I asked this same question a few weeks ago Iain, and was told that the pics that used to be on default to come back to the fore have now been changed without a default on them to do so, at the wisdom of someone, who I was unable to clarify.
I for one would like the photos to go back to the old system, please.
any moderator listening. pleeeeeeaaaase??

real nice boat this great engines sailed her from the west coast round to buckie before she got converted

Hello Boys,
just signed on to the site & found a nice picture of the "Gemini Explorer" ( of which I am skipper) as she is sailing out of Aberdeen to return to Buckie after completing a 2 days survey work from Aberdeen to Colliston surveyng Birds, & mamals. This survey statred in Feb. 2007, & we are contracted 'till Feb. 2009.
Waiting for weather window for this month, If you see us in the harbour please feel free give us a visit to catch up on the changes.

Young Spooner

Hi thereYoung Spooner, and welcome to the Clyde-class appreciation society! That sounds like a great job you have, getting to play with your boat all day, and have someone else pay the bills- I knew I'd got it wrong somehow!
I think you'll find a few more pics of your boat on this site, and I have a few myself taken before the first conversion, which I must post sometime.
John: still twitching a little as the fuel bill arrived yesterday, but taking some tablets for it so at least the sweating and nausea have subsided a little. May need to keep the toaster as it's all I can keep down at the moment!
Iain

Hi Iain & John,


fine tae hear ye, 003 is no bad for her age & hannels weel, still the original Gandiners : grane engines.
Need tae dee somthing tae pye the the mannies fuel bills: At least we hinna tae pye poll tax on her, nae like the hoose
Will hae tae get a richt look at the site & see fits a there. but wis that tane bi the photo O her gane oot o' Aberdeen, somebodys afa handy we the camera



Spooner.