# Canadian Navy Tugs



## Scatari

Greetings all!

My first time posting a thread ... so please be gentle if I have done it wrong!

In the late 1950s the Royal Canadian Navy built a class of three ocean-going tugs to service the fleet. They were named "St Charles" (ATA 533), "St Anthony" (ATA 531) and "St John" (ATA 532). 

"St. John" was sold out of naval service in 1972, while her sisters remained in service with the navy for several more years.

I am attempting to determine the fate of these three tugs *after their **naval service *and would very much appreciate any information which anyone could furnish.

Thanks in advance!


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## A.D.FROST

Scatari said:


> Greetings all!
> 
> My first time posting a thread ... so please be gentle if I have done it wrong!
> 
> In the late 1950s the Royal Canadian Navy built a class of three ocean-going tugs to service the fleet. They were named "St Charles" (ATA 533), "St Anthony" (ATA 531) and "St John" (ATA 532).
> 
> "St. John" was sold out of naval service in 1972, while her sisters remained in service with the navy for several more years.
> 
> I am attempting to determine the fate of these three tugs *after their **naval service *and would very much appreciate any information which anyone could furnish.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


(Miramar)ST.CHARLES r,n 94 CHEBUCTO SEA,ST.ANTHONY ?,ST.JOHN r/n72 DOLPHIN X founded 28.11.80


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## Nova Scotian

Welcome to the site Scatari;

I remember the St Charles from my brief time with DND in the late seventies. She was with the CNAV service for a few years after that before being sold to Secunda Marine. I never sailed on her but I believe she was a real pig in a bad sea. 

Cheers


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## Scatari

Many thanks for the information Mr Frost

At the risk of being a nuisance, would you have any information as to the cause/location of the "Dolphin X" sinking in 1980? 




A.D.FROST said:


> (Miramar)ST.CHARLES r,n 94 CHEBUCTO SEA,ST.ANTHONY ?,ST.JOHN r/n72 DOLPHIN X founded 28.11.80


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## gwynne

any photos of the ex canadian naval tugs st johns class


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## goelette

St.John became Dolphin X in 1972 and did some work towing old ships to Spain for scrap e.g. 1974: James Pickands from Quebec, arriving Santander in June and from Quebec with the tandem tow Wyandotte and Huron arriving Santander 20 Oct. In 1975 she towed the Amvourgon from Halifax to Santander arriving May 29.
In 1976 she and Stephan Jantzen towed the Tula (ex Metula) the first VLCC to be scrapped, from Brunsbuttel to Santander.
On November 27, 1980 she was towing a barge from Labrador, when she sank. The barge was saved by the supplier Janie B which was nearby. Details are very skimpy on this incident. 
St. Charles, as Chebucto Sea, was sold again in 2009 and renamed Matterhorn by new owners associated with Miller Shipping/Midnight Marine of St.John's, Newfoundland. I believe they may have found some work for her, but she has spent most of the time laid up.
St.Anthony, which spent its navy career on the west coast of Canada, and was in much better condition when sold, was in California in 2011 and for sale again.
All three were plagued by a complex gearbox and controllable pitch prop which did not stand up well to commercial service. The gearbox was the cause of extensive damage to Chebucto Sea when it failed and the tug ran aground. It may also have been behind the loss of Dolphin X. I assume the tug was overrun by the barge when its gearbox failed.
I will post photos shortly.


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## Scatari

MANY thanks for the information goelette - nice to know what happened to these vessels

Would appreciate any photos you could post - gwynne had asked for some a few days ago ... unfortunately as I am new to the site, I haven't yet figured out how to post the photos I have and, more importantly, which I am allowed to post taking copyright etc., etc., into consideration!

Again, many thanks


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## Gerry Johnson

*Canaidian Navy Tugs*

Hi there. I was one of the original crew members aboard CNAV St Anthony. I was employed at HMCS Dockyard Esquimalt on the west coast, where the crew was chosen to be shipped via train to Halifax NS in February 1957 to bring the St Anthony to the west coast. We did all the ships workup in the area of Halifax harbour called Bedford Basin, which took approx 6 weeks. The trip to Esquimalt took approximately 29 days with stops made at Kingston Jamacia and then through the Panama Canal stopping at San Diego CA. As mentioned in an earlier post the ship had problems relating to the wheelhouse command of the transmission where it would not answer correctly. Hence we ran aground in the Canal Zone and also put a very large V in "A" jetty at HMCS Dockyard in Esquimalt. As also noted the tug had a very wet stern deck and was not a very comfortable ship in rough waters. If you ever down at a beach and the St Anthony was nearby you could always hear the thumping of the 16 cyl opposed piston Fairbanks Morse Diesel engine. Last I ever heard of the St Anthony is she was on the sales dock in Seattle WA, listed through International Yacht Sales. Some of the other CNAV vessels I sailed on were CNAV Heatherton (sister to CNAV Clifton) CNAV Laymore (cargo) and CNAV Oshawa (research). On a much sadder note if you Google NAMU BC (a little town up the west coast) there in some of the photographs you will see what has happened to CNAV Laymore. After leaving Navel service she worked the coast for a number of years as the "Chilcotin Princess" then left as a derelic hull in Namu BC.


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## Scatari

Gerry Johnson said:


> Hi there. I was one of the original crew members aboard CNAV St Anthony. I was employed at HMCS Dockyard Esquimalt on the west coast, where the crew was chosen to be shipped via train to Halifax NS in February 1957 to bring the St Anthony to the west coast. We did all the ships workup in the area of Halifax harbour called Bedford Basin, which took approx 6 weeks. The trip to Esquimalt took approximately 29 days with stops made at Kingston Jamacia and then through the Panama Canal stopping at San Diego CA. As mentioned in an earlier post the ship had problems relating to the wheelhouse command of the transmission where it would not answer correctly. Hence we ran aground in the Canal Zone and also put a very large V in "A" jetty at HMCS Dockyard in Esquimalt. As also noted the tug had a very wet stern deck and was not a very comfortable ship in rough waters. If you ever down at a beach and the St Anthony was nearby you could always hear the thumping of the 16 cyl opposed piston Fairbanks Morse Diesel engine. *Last I ever heard of the St Anthony is she was on the sales dock in Seattle WA, listed through International Yacht Sales*. Some of the other CNAV vessels I sailed on were CNAV Heatherton (sister to CNAV Clifton) CNAV Laymore (cargo) and CNAV Oshawa (research). On a much sadder note if you Google NAMU BC (a little town up the west coast) there in some of the photographs you will see what has happened to CNAV Laymore. After leaving Navel service she worked the coast for a number of years as the "Chilcotin Princess" then left as a derelic hull in Namu BC.


Thanks for this Gerry ... and welcome aboard.

Do you by any chance remember when you saw St Anthony listed for sale?

On a personal note, do you by any chance remember a John Taylor ... he was my uncle and spent many years in CNAV *Songhee*, running between Pat Bay and Comox in the late 1950s?


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## Scatari

It would appear that* St Charles* days may be numbered:

http://tugfaxblogspotcom.blogspot.ca/


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