# Yarmouth Navigator



## sailorbear (Aug 12, 2009)

Hi there, can anyone provide me with information on the MFV Yarmouth Navigator, particularly her history and what finally happened to her?

I sailed on her in 2000 on a delivery trip from Portland to Portsmouth.

All I know abouth her is she was built in WW2, was used in the D Day landings, was for a while a navigation training ship for the RCT army fleet based at Gunwharf, was operated by the RMAS then Plymouth Training, and then was bought by a private individual (McGuire I think) and the last I heard of her she sank in plymouth?

Would be interested in any information and photos!

Regards Tony


----------



## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

sailorbear said:


> Hi there, can anyone provide me with information on the MFV Yarmouth Navigator, particularly her history and what finally happened to her?
> 
> I sailed on her in 2000 on a delivery trip from Portland to Portsmouth.
> 
> ...


Unfortunatly as you have indicated I believe that this vessel recently sank taking a Crewman with her after he went back on board to collect some of his gear. She was at one time a very smart looking boat and was moored at Dartmouth but in recent years started to look rather forlorn and was being taken by her new owner's to be refitted when the incident happened.


----------



## sailorbear (Aug 12, 2009)

Unfortunately you are right, she did sink and believe it was actually her skipper that went down with her!

As for looking forlorn, she certainly was that! When I crewed on her in 2000 she was in a terrible state (pictures below) but the hope was that she would be restored in Portsmouth, but after that I lost touch with what was happening to her?

I do remember her working out of Gunwharf at HMS Vernon in Portsmouth in the 1980s when she was being operated as a navigational training ship by 20 Maritime Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport and was at that time a neat and tidy little ship.

I am at present making a collection of all the ships I have served on in the form of an album for each one with photos and histories and vessel details, hence the post. Hopefully someone out there has moreinformation and pictures that would interest me?

Regards to all 

Tony


----------



## davidships (Nov 3, 2007)

The cir***stances of her sinking in January after arriving in Cattewater Harbour are still being investigated by MCA/MAIB (and the coroner). A tragic case of misadventure, it seems - the captain Robert Tallack (whom I knew quite well, and was characteristically doing a favour for a friend in bringing the YARMOUTH NAVIGATOR round from Dartmouth to Plymouth, where her restoration was to have been undertaken) was seen to have returned to the sinking vessel to retrieve his gear.

The vessel was raised in February - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-12535747. It is reported elsewhere that she will be broken up.


----------



## trevorpearce (Dec 24, 2011)

Hello there

I was her Engineer at Gunwharf Portsmouth with 18Sqn RCT for some years.

Despite rumours she was a minesweeping which are NOT CORRECT she was built specifically as a training craft fror the Royal Army Service Corps In my day she was pristine and to see he in Dartmouth as a near wreck was to say the least a very sad day indeed. She spent her working life training soldiers of 20 Maritime Regiment RCT travelling often to Holland Channell Islands ans various other destinations within a week or two cruising of her Portsmouth Base. I have a very large Black and White Photograph of her and her consort Yarmouth Seaman (Also I believe now in a state) and based at Watchet (Further info welcome) but as this is too bi g to easily copy it presents a problem if you would like it I will try to photograph it. I have many memories of this old girl which used to be a pig to drive. A massive wheel that one trew hard over ond hard astern to get her alongside. (I notice this was gone in the later pictures) If I can be of help in any way on this or anything else to do with the fleet let me know
Yours Aye
Trevor Pearce


----------



## Brian McCarthy (Jul 21, 2005)

Trevor, I was in 20 Maritime in the 70's and did some training on her. I also took over as engineer for a weekend for a big NATO exercise. Her Mirlees was new then but had trouble starting the 3cyl Lister gennies. Was sad when I heard she had sunk. She had a 'friends of' site on Facebook


----------



## pcresser (May 11, 2009)

Hi Sailerbear there is a photo of her in Torquay harbour in my photos.
Pcresser.


----------



## george bailes (Aug 9, 2015)

Hi All

I have read with great interest the posts regarding the Yarmouth Navigator and can mirror some of Trevor`s comments.

She was a 90 ft converted MFV

I was a seaman on her for about 20mths in the 60 s in between Merch deep sea trips and she was based in the Gunwharf Porsmouth which was alongside HMS Vernon .

I was one of a five man crew.The skipper`s name was Smith ,previously a Grimsby trawler skipper.The 1st mate was Frank Bourne from Plymouth,engineer was Gordon Porter from the I O W, Walley from Portsmouth and myself.

We were issued with Navy blue jumpers which had RASC in red across the chest also Navy style square neck tee shirts and cap ,the later I can only remember wearing once.

When we weren`t out I may of spent the day with a chip hammer and a pot of white paint or on a hot day get pull aloft on a Bosun`s chair to paint the mast and top up my suntan.

I had thought at times with the Main office being on the opposite quay, staff looking across and thinking how many coats of paint does that mast need ?

Most of our trips were to the Channel Islands, the north coast of France , Rotterdam, various uk coast destinations and many times to Dartmouth On some trips we took Army officers from Sandhurst on navigation courses.They took over when our skipper gave the ok but he still had overall command.I would usually be on the wheel.

Re: the wheel,I agree Trevor ,it certainly was a pig to throw especially in a heavy sea.I spent many hours at that wheel.

On return trips with just the crew HM Customs would follow us into the Gunwharf before we could tie up and that could have been at 3am . In their wisdom they cut our duty free allocation by half because at times we did a Channel Island run twice a week.

In the Gunwharf at that time apart from us was the ex MFV Yarmouth Seaman,three or four lighters and a couple of motor launches.At times an LCT would come in and less frequent the Mull which used to come down from,yes you`ve guess it The Isle of Mull.

Trevor , Did they ever fix the shaft gland ? the engineer was for ever stripping it down.


Happy Days for sure, and they paid me as well.

Regards
George


----------



## trevorpearce (Dec 24, 2011)

*yarmouth navigator*

Lots of happy memories here bit of an old post but I have a nice photo that people may like showing boat The Yarmouth Seaman and Yarmouth Navigator


----------



## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

So indeed do I Trevor, taken at Dartmouth. One of my lads was at Colerne with the R.A.O.C. the R.C.T. also had a River Class Launch there on a cradle.


----------

