Can you buy an ex Navy Minehunter? We just did! | Episode 1
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- Episode 1: Join us on an extraordinary maritime journey as we unveil the story behind our bold purchase of two ex-Australian Navy Minehunters! These robust vessels, once vital in naval operations, are now set to be reborn as luxurious superyachts. 🚤✨
In this video, we dive into the fascinating details of our ambitious project, from acquiring these historic vessels for a remarkable deal to the monumental challenge of towing them over 3,800 nautical miles-from Newcastle, in Australia, to Cebu, in the Philippines.
This is a journey of innovation and maritime adventure like no other... and we own 2 (ex) military vessels!
🔗 Subscribe to follow the transformation of these vessels step by step!
💬 Comment to share your thoughts on this incredible project or ask questions about the journey.
Highlights:
⚓ Behind-the-scenes of the epic tow operation across oceans
🌟 Our vision to rebuild these vessels into high-end superyachts
#SuperyachtTransformation #ExNavyVessels #OceanTow #MaritimeAdventures #NewcastleToCebu #tuglifevideos #boatrestoration
I have passed these two ships so many times in Newcastle and wondered what would become of them. I am so happy that they will have a new life going forward. I am looking forward to following them progress and can.t wait to see their re-birth. Well done
Thank you! We're excited about giving them a new life too.
Same.
I was involved in the strain gauge testing and analysis of the sonar domes when they were being built.
If I recall correctly, (it was a few years back and my memory is aging), I was also involved in some follow-up work with the engines on these vessels.
Until recently, I would see them berthed Carrington and wished I had the funds to do turn one into a super yacht.
Then recently, they disappeared.
I wondered where they went.
Now I know.
Good luck with your project.
I hope my dreams turn into your reality.
I will follow your progress,looking forward to it.
@@richarddouchkov9453 Thank you - sounds like we share the same dreams for these vessels so looking forward to making those dreams a reality!
@@richarddouchkov9453 Thank you! If they ever return they'll certainly look different!
I'm glad you were able to purchase these vessels. It's much better than turning them into a coral reef.
we totally agree, these vessels are way to nice to let just the fish play with it😂😂😂. keep on following and lets see what the end result brings.🤪🤪🤪👍👍👍
All the best with the Mega Yacht conversion. I managed the maintenance and configuration on the Huon Class minehunters built by ADI/Thales from 1999 till 2021 and also did the first “extended layup” of Huon and Hawkesbury and their reactivation shortly after
Hi David how interesting and sorry for the late reply.( I only figured out about these comments earlier this week. I am sure you have some cool stories to tell. Hope you keep on following our story, and if you have some good stories to tell then feel free😂😂😂
@@DavidThompson-cx4ix the Huon hull was layed up in Italy the rest at Carrington.
I worked on similar ships in the ‘90s. You will probably find that a lot of the heavy fixtures (the hawse pipe, and the anchor protection plates etc.) are made of phosphor bronze. They do seem to have the brownish tinge to them. This is for its anti-magnetic properties. Don’t throw it away, it’s extremely valuable stuff! With the GRP hulls they should last for a very long time. Good luck with the conversion.
There is indeed a lot off material on board that will last forever. We got our hands on a piece off hull, soon we can show you the thickness, it's insane😂😂.
@@peterlumsden5248 pretty sure all the piping is copper bronze. It’s been a long time but pretty that’s correct.
I wish i was 30 years younger i spent 4 years on US navy mine sweeps.
Mine sweep/hunter hulls of the US navy were three layers thick wood with two layers of rubberized canvas in between.
All non-magnetic fitting.
You should look into removing the degussing system for copper scrap.
The controller should have been in the pilot house and there should be cable loops in all the water level compartments.
And there should be twice the copper cables that are really needed in case one of the loops gets damaged.
We would run our sweeps/hunters. over a degussing field on the harbor floor and make adjustments to bring our signature down to as close to zero as possible
wow that's some great and interesting info, I feel an episode from Kerry coming up about the difference in sweepers and hunters, all very interesting stuff. We hope you keep watching👍👍👍
Wow that is just awesome. As a former member of the RAN and having served on minehunters since their introduction into the navy it is great to see they will have another life. Subscribed to see how it all goes.
Aw thank you @tigamica350 - it's been truly heartwarming to hear from people such as yourself that served on these vessels and as a member of the RAN. Hope you enjoy the following episodes as we tour the vessels and begin the transformation!
A big project. I hope that you are successful. As an retired tug boat skipper, may I suggest a couple of things? It's probably too late to change now, but a shaft-drive tug would have been more fuel efficient than Z-pellers for a long voyage. Secondly, there has to be sufficient weight in the towlines so that they form a catanary to prevent shock-loads if the towlines become taught. Anyway, I hope that all goes well, and I wish you success and fair seas.
how great to read your reply, the boats are safe in the Philippines but you are totally right, it was indeed not the right tug for the job,lesson well learned. thanks again and hope you keep on following us👍👍🙏🙏
HMAS Hawkesbury and HMAS Norman, Huon Class minehunters decommissioned in 2018 for anyone interested.
Those are them @jakeminogue !
Woods Hole used to use a mine sweeper for oceanographic studies as it has a wooden hull that doesn’t interfere with electronic equipment. I made several trips with Scripps on Woods Hole’s mine sweeper.
Interesting - thanks for sharing your experience!
The whole time I was waiting for a tour! 😢 Hope to see one soon, followed as this is just AWESOME! Living the dream!
There's a tour uploaded now @hunyesmith03 - hope you've found it. We've uploaded 2 "Look Inside" episodes so far and more coming. Thanks!
Fascinating initiative. I am the Designer/ Constructor of these ex-Australian Navy Minehunters; and original co-founder of Intermarine shipyard in Italia and Savannah USA. Over 74 variants of these Minehunters have been built in composite materials to NATO standards for over 15 Navies world-wide including 12 for Italia, 12 for U.S Navy.
Contact me if I can be of any assistance.
I worked on a reproduction mine hunter in Tarpon Springs Fl. It was built in Pensacola if IRC, I was the electrician wiring it up. This was just after wiring a 154' Casino boat. It was owned by the McIntosh found. They made a 28 room Alaskan cruise boat out of it with a half dozen Boston Whalers for excursion purposes.
I was invited to come along, but I wasn't ready to uproot.
Wow! What an awesome story. We love these boat transformation stories
How cool that you got in touch! We're still on the tow journey with them right now but we definitely will be in touch. We're fascinated by their design and construction and I'm sure you'll have valuable knowledge and insight that will be helpful. Thank you so much! @michaeltrimming1141
Weren’t these Minehunters designed off the Italian model. Under that premise you aren’t the designer at all
Too bad they couldn't say one word about this in the video.
Such a ballsy move. Good for you and hope all goes well in the future for you
thanks Peter, we hope you keep following us.
So many questions after 8 short minutes. Can't wait to see the videos to follow!
it's only the start, we will definitely try and give you over time as much info as we can and we hope you will enjoy the ride👍👍👍
Having sailed on both... OMFG. This is hysterical.
hahaha great to hear you sailed on both You have old pictures,would be great to see,cheers.
Brave move.... I must Congratulate you on your Vision and determination......
thank you, plenty off people think it's a silly move😂😂😂, we hopefully prove them wrong😂😂
Is the vessel old Navy surplus that you started video on. Was it a Torpedo recovery craft, or used for that purpose in its life 😊 I have seen and been on 72-foot Torpedo Retriever that was built in 1966, used to watch them as a child on Hood Canal Washington State USA when the BANGER Navy base was just weapons storage and the Canal had a 3-D underwater test range with State of the art computing for the 1960s. 😊 it was so much fun watching these Torpedo Retriever chase small fishing boat and people that ran their outboard during a test. The Retriever would power up their big 12 cylinder DD engines ( even the Navy vessels would SHUT their diesel OFF during TESTS) the Retriever would chase after the powerboat with a RED becon flashing and the old school coaster SIRENS 🚨 blaring. 😊 it made my summers on the Canal so incredibly fun to watch all the Torpedo or Navy ships just doing equipment checks. Was that a Torpedo Retriever at one tie, just asking. Thank you
thanks for sharing your great story. the vessels we purchased are mine hunters though. we hope you keep on watching👍👍👍
Unreal adventure will be following you all the way good luck
Hahaha thats great to hear, I am sure it will be a few years that you can follow us😂😂😂
wow. what a huge undertaking. make lots more videos.
Thanks - it’s definitely a big one! You’ll see lots more videos as we get this thing going.
Huge potential with those two platforms. Can't wait to see how you do it. Cheers.
Cheers! We're really excited about the potential too
ha you guys are crazy, love it, see you in Philippines, both our vessels are sailing Timor Leste to Raja to Cebu
Hahaha seeing these replies only now, yes we were getting bored, keep us posted and looking forward catching up buddy.
Wow, super exciting Frank. Congrats 💪
ja kees dat houd me van de straat😂😂😂
Proper solid ship, mate. Take care of her and she’ll take care of you.
we will definetly do more then our best. Thank youuu
I simply find this project unbelievable! Best of luck!
Thanks @justinsdreamart - hope you'll subscribe and follow to the end! It will make the project more believable ;-)
Good looking hulls, best of luck with your project they could end up as fine looking leisure boats.
fingers crossed,we will do our best to make them nice😂😂😂. keep watching 👍👍👍
not gonna lie gonna miss these 2 vessles, been on both not served but a tour through work :)
Hahahahaha@jarrodclark1616 we probably know where you work ;-) At least Huon is still there, right?
Fantastic project, good luck. Looking forward to your next posts.
we have some more to watch, hope you subscribed and enjoying them.
very impressive Frank !!
ja ja hij is leuk he.
Had to click , as ive spoken a couple of times to a guy living on a German mine sweeper in Shoreham UK, he saw it in Spain for sale , did the purchase and got it back home , regardless of origin these things look awesome .
Thanks @mariebaxter473 - that's awesome - does he also have a youtube channel because we'll follow that! Very cool!
@@TheOneironautLife Not sure , he had it as a live on music studio the last time we spoke, will ask him more in the summer , Got chatting to him , as im a welder and like to see these things have a good home .
Thanks for an adventure I never expected to encounter. Hope to get a complete tour of the ships soon and some updates of the routine required to keep bilges pumped out and lights shining on the tow. Just amazed.
Thanks @carlwest859 - we've finally got a couple of videos that take you on a tour of the inside of the minehunter vessels! Hope you continue to watch as we will continue to share compartment by compartment... the vessels are too big to fit on one video!
Amazing, what an adventure!
thank youuuu, the real adventure starts with the rebuild though😂😂😂
There are projects and then there is this..... incredible! Good luck fella and how exciting "subscribed"
😂😂😂, yes it is indeed a bit off a project, ah well they said I was crazy before, great that you subscribed🙏🙏
This is so cool. This has been my dream since serving in the Navy
You are more then welcome to come and give a hand though, we have plenty off work to do the coming years, hahaha.
Your so fortunate and brave i wis i could have been a part of this
fortunate or silly, lets see how many headaches it will bring. Keep on watching and time will tell hahahha.
epic and good luck with the project
thank youuu🙏🙏
Love the Dolphin showing up at 5:48. Great project, I Love workingstyle super yachts
Ha @lupodimare1234 - we're so happy you noticed that! It was such a beautiful coincidence that dolphins came to see the vessels out of Newcastle. Felt like a dream. Kerry got so emotional about it she was crying - but only with relief and happiness! The dolphins were the perfect 'sign' that all would be ok with the tow voyage 😃
Welcome to the Philippines 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭👍👍👍
Thank you kindly @interislandtv9721 - it's a pleasure to be here and we hope to share more of our journey in the Philippines as we progress. Beautiful country!
This is so awesome what you are doing. These vessels will have another life and live on. Subscribed. Can't wait to watch the journey your on.
Thanks for the subscription @davidwolff8903 - we see you following along which is great! We'll keep sharing the journey so hope you continue to enjoy!
God I sleep so much better with the rocking of the sea and the drone of safety and security humming away faithfully. We treat the heart of the ship with tenderness and care because if you take care of your ship your ship will bring you home safely. Safe travels my brothers.
Thanks @kitaberserker555 - let's get some stabilizers installed on these babies and then you're guaranteed a better night's sleep!
@ what?!?!?!? Blasphemy.. that takes all the fun out of it. Sleeping isn’t sleep if it isn’t sporty out. 😂😂😂
I’ve been bucked from a top rack more than once.
@@TheOneironautLife if you guys need a deck hand I have a twic card in hand and passport card but I can expedite the book. I’ve been to the arctic circle numerous times, I’ve been to the diomedes on a National science foundation trip, I’ve been to the tip of the Aleutian Islands and sailed the pacific. I’ve worked for NOAA, NASA, University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Washington, DOD, Etc etc. i am a galley chef but I will do whatever it takes to get the job done and I had the opportunity to have some amazing experiences inside and out of the kitchen. I have tons of sea time but no AB. I’ve had offers to go to Antarctica and so much more. I’ve tried to build a reputation as someone that when you think who do I want on my crew ? The first name should be mine. My job as chef is to make sure the crew is taken care of above and beyond because that is who in turn makes the passengers feel taken care of. I’m your biggest cheerleader and I will not let the mood fall flat. I take my work and my position very seriously safety is above and beyond my highest priority and if I won’t do it myself I would never ask you to do it .
Wow what a journey. Towing this is a major exercise
@1super that was indeed an adventure on it's own🤣🤣🤣, they are safely in the Philippines now though💪💪💪
What an endeavor ! Too bad you couldn’t save the SS United States! I’m very happy you are taking on these two projects and hate seeing these man made pieces of history turned into beer cans. I just subscribed for your adventure.
Good luck from Alaska.
Thanks for the subscribe @ronjones1077 - and sad to hear that the SS United States didn't get rescued! Awesome that you're watching from Alaska!
I've always had thoughts of turning an old naval vessel into a home on water if I were rich. something like a decommissioned carrier, destroyer, or something in between. I know a carrier would be insane and practically impossible due to its sheer size but more into the destroyer size would be great to convert areas into living quarters etc and still be mobile. I got to experience living on a much smaller vessel for a couple months back in the early 2000s when I lived in Italy. it was a 1974 model 48ft Otam yacht with twin Catapillar 326 diesels docked in the Arno River just up from the Med Sea. best sleep of my life. even though it was cramped at times I loved it. it would be very nice to have a ship big enough to cruise out to international waters and drop anchor to live. never have to deal with any governments except for local stuff dealing with property where I'm going to build a workshop and store my cars. only come in to dock when I wanted to work on my car projects and resupply. have friends come out to stay and relax, fish, and dive etc. one can dream I guess
Hahaha that sounds indeed very cool and dreaming is free, Keep on following us, hopefully we can make a part of our dreams come true as well by finishing them off.
Hey Frankie. Looks like an amazing adventure you're on again. Gonna be watching this one for sure. Aidy 👍👍.
@life_uncharted hey buddy, me as non tech guy only see your reply now🤣🤣🤣, anyway keep on following, it's going to be busy but a great end product and remember, if you are bored you can always come to the Philippines🤣🤣🤣
Cebu, Philippines. Some good tradesmen, talented there.
yeb indeed, we do hope to get good handymen from all over the Philippines though.
What a great project! Cant wait for updates on this.
Thanks @alfonso_111 - happy to hear you like the project and hope you'll subscribe to keep following the journey as it unfolds
Back in the 90s, I worked for a company that provided a lot of components for these minehunters. We designed and built a magazine system that stored explosive charges that were used to destroy mines. The racks were made from foam core kevlar and all metal parts were stainless steel or aluminium.
Ha! @matthewffs that's super cool. There's actually a few racks left on the vessel. We'll have to film in them in upcoming episodes and then you can you tell us if those are the ones! Exciting stuff!
@@TheOneironautLife I saw your episode where you went into the explosive locker, but that was just shelves, not the system we designed. Our system were made of L-shaped racks, with pneumatic actuators to move the charges out of the racks onto a pneumatic elevator that delivered the charges to the deck. It took up quite a bit of space.
Extraordinary venture...good to watch and I wish you all the best.
Thank you so much! I hope you watched and enjoyed the last few videos aswell👍👍👍
Wow! All the very best of luck with your project. Please, please 🙏 keep the videos coming.
we will do @big-irish-git - thanks for the good wishes! Please subscribe to see more!
Looking forward to watching.
great to hear, we have plenty to come over the coming years, hopefully you subscribed so you don't miss any.
I’m ex-sailor! Love to be in your shoes! Best of luck!
Yeb I hear you, for sailors it's indeed like walking in a candy store on these vessels. We hope you keep on following us, there is a lot more to come.
Leuk idee gast, veel succes 😃👍.
@@Tjalie-j6i beetje laat maar bedankt hoor👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏
Looking forward to seeing the progress 😎
Thanks buddy, it's gonna be a long journey 👍
Early 2000 I worked for Peterson Builder Inc. they built several wooden minesweepers for the US Navy. They were stationed at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas. They were wooden hull ships. We did all the warranty work at the time.
Wow @gradymcnutt2247 - what an experience! These are all fibreglass (GRP) hulls but we've heard the Thai Navy built some from wood too.
SWEET! John Wayne had an old USN Minesweeper that he converted into a yacht. I think Wayne's boat was 140'.
i Know right, good old John had not only the best music but obviously also a great tatste
Looking forward to see the progress of the Future Super Yacht. Thanks for sharing. Subscribed.
thanks for subscribing, we are by far professionals but great to hear you like our story🙏🙏
this is a dream come true. so awesome. well done. all the stress will be werth it. this is so cool. carnt wait for updates. awesome work
Thank you @hellreavernz1739 - we're probably adrenaline (or cortisol?) junkies... a little bit of stress is good for you, right? Thanks for following - hope you subscribe so you don't miss an episode!
this is one heck of a story. please keep filming,
Will do @kasm10 and we need to edit faster too but happy to hear you're enjoying the videos. Please subscribe and then you don't miss out on any episodes!
I subscribed because I must follow along this journey with you. Looking forward to future progress!
Thanks for subscribing @niradnagrom2356 ! We hope you enjoy the future content too!
My brother served on one of those boats. Not those particular boats but a sister (kind of) in the Royal Navy. HMS Atherstone. Did some mine clearing in the 1st Gulf War just of Kuwait.
Nice @dingbatell01 - not sure we'd enjoy serving on one of these in a military situation! Nice vessels but for sure not easy when you're serving on one in the Navy! Respect.
@@TheOneironautLife Getting a draft on a "small ship" as these were classed was a dream draft when I served. During peace time they rearly left local waters so you could pretty much get a full nights sleep every night. My brother was on one during the first Gulf War and had to clear mines off Kuwait for an amphibus landing by the US. This was of course a fake to try and get Iraq to believe the main attack was going to be by sea, which is wasn't. One story he told me was that they had a US commander that was very keen on shelling Kuwait City but the Commodore of the RN mine clearing fleet (4 or 5 sweepers) told him that they had not cleared that area. He decided not to take the advise and went in anyway, hitting a mine and damaging his ship.
For the last 8 odd years, I have lived on & looked after an ex German Navy Minesweeper in Cape Town Harbour. Built in 1956 with an LOA of 45.5m & a beam of 9m, it was donated with 5 others to the South African Navy, who then sold the batch to the current owner. One was sold, 4 were scrapped & this is the last one left. It looks similar to your vessels. Unfortunately, other than being used in 2015 for the movie L Odyssey about Jacques Cousteau, it has been laid up with one blown main engine for about 20 years.
This is awesome @garyherbert-g5g - what a story! It's a shame it's laid up for the last 20 years or so with a blown engine. Hope the owner manages to recover it but happy to hear you're taking care of it in the meantime.
Succes ermee, ik blijf volgen
Any plans to post a video of your vision for these as yachts? I’d love to see renderings or even just sketches, with a discussion of your intended uses etc. This is a very exciting project - subscribed for more!!
Thanks for the subscribe and hopefully you've seen the episode now shared on the plans (episode 5 in the playlist we think!)
Jaques Custeau's calypso and John Wayne's yacht wild goose both minesweepers built in Seattle Washington during WWII
This is soooooo interesting. We're big fans of Jacques Cousteau and grew up watching many of his documentaries/movies. Will have to look into John Wayne's yacht more too. Sounds like our kind of thing! Thanks for sharing @doncritzer2798
Awesome project old mate. Best wishes for the future .
@crustyolcoot6646 thank you, we will do our best, keep on watching🤪🤪🤪
Treat them right, Small boat crew for life
indeed, keep on watching and you will see we treat the babies right.
Jacque Cousteau's Calypso was an ex US Navy minesweeper. I'd say he showed you can do some pretty amazing things with that type of ship.
We couldn't agree with you more.
Kijk nou, he Frank wat leuk. 😎
hahaha ja leuk he, maar geen idee van wie dit bericht komt, hahaha
Quite the adventure and endeavor!
Thanks @fnln544
Very nice boats Mr 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you, they hopefully will be even nicer in a few years time. We hope you keep on following the journy.
Nice , can't wait to see how they turn out
keep on watching and we hope we don't dissapoint you.
We see on AIS your vessel and the MV Rupe. Are the 2 towed vessels transmiting AIS and if so I assume they have class B AIS.? Good luck in the Vitiaz Strait tonight and I hope the dreaded 3 knot current is favourable.
oly have seen these comments now, thanks for your message and as you hopefully have seen, we made it safe to the Philippines💪💪💪
They look like a pair of ex_Royal Navy Hunt class mine hunters. Good luck with turning them into luxury yachts.
That's indeed what they were @joemerican5781 - we probably need that luck so thanks for the good wishes and hope you'll subscribe to follow the journey!
Totally cool, great video!!! Subscribing for sure!!!
Cheers @budlopes - happy to hear you're subscribing! Thanks a lot!
Just subscribed looking forward to seeing your journey
All the best from England
Thanks for subscribing @jamarie1972 - we'll keep posting!
John Wayne owned a 136-foot yacht called the Wild Goose, which was originally a U.S. Navy minesweeper named USS YMS-328. Built in 1943 in Seattle, the wooden vessel was initially used for minesweeping operations in the Aleutian Islands during World War II.
Thanks for the great info, I have seen that beautiful vessels a few times, loving it. I hope we can do something similar with these, keep on following us and lets see what we can do to turn these 2 into something amazing.
Looking forward to your adventures building.
plenty off videos to come, we will try to keep you busy Jeff.
Good luck, stay safe
Thank you very much @johnolphert - we will do our best. Appreciate the good wishes!
I know nothing about boats but they look in decent condition! There's so much (nearly 100%) wastage in the military I love to see people abe to buy and reusing old boats trucks helicopters etc. Well done.
Thank you very much @mrbutuz and indeed... so much waste... but not anymore! We'll make sure these babies shine again 😊 Subscribe to follow how we do it!
i like that sea adventure, im a marine Engineer 🇵🇭
Great! Thanks @interislandtv9721 - happy to hear you enjoyed the video. Stay subscribed for more!
When you said Newcastle, I thought, hold on. I've not seen any of these boats. Then I realised you're in Austrailia.
Ah yes, Newcastle in Australia. It gets confusing. Kerry hired a car while we were in Newcastle and what a mistake - she ordered it in the wrong Newcastle!
Fantastic !!!!!
Thanks @simonevans343!!
I enjoyed watching your video. I subscribed to your channel and I'll be following you as you reconstruct these beautiful ex Navy boats to your dream come true.
Thank you @rb67mustang - great to hear you subscribed. Hope you enjoy the dream unfolding before your eyes here on RUclips!
There is a boat in Morrow Bay called The Admiral. It's an old Brittish mine sweeper and it's all aluminum.
It's a sportfishing boat now and sounds and smells like an RTD bus.
Is that California @tedroy? We've learned that minesweepers and minehunters are a different thing (after calling these minesweepers for months!)
Good video 👍🏾
Thanks @chippog7272 - very much appreciate your comment and hope you'll subscribe to see more!
These are local to me in Carrington! Been named Nemo and Dory!! This is really cool
Ha @jordanwasley5388 - yes! That was Kerry's idea because we needed to give them names and couldn't think of anything 😂 Frank suggested 'Donald' and 'Duck' for a moment but Kerry did the registration documents and 'Nemo X' (because Nemo was unable) and 'Dory' became the names... at least for now. 😂😂😂
The actor John Wayne had an ex United States Navy Minesweeper, it was his most prized possession.
correct. Love is a burning thing, hahahha
They look like old Sandown class. Not sure. If they are, great little ships ideal for super yachts or Oceanic Survey vessels.
They're Huon class @gavin1506 , very similar but I think Huons were the Australian version
Wow thats amazing
Thanks @outdoormatt2177 - hope you've subscribed to follow the rest of the madness! Hahahaha
what an awesome project - i would so love to be involved with something like this, stripping out all the old military junk to make room to become a stunning superyacht - i hope you will be videoing all the future works
i was a big fan of Jacques Cousteau, and the old wooden mine sweeper Calypso and her sad checkered history, i believe she has now been transferred to Greece for rebuild after she was stripped bare in France and storage bills mounted, so i am really looking forward to your venture here, its so interesting
Keep on watching, we have a lottt to share the coming years hahaha.
You look like a child in a sweet shop 😂. Best of luck with this massive project and I hope it all goes well for you.
I'm hoping to get a 17 or so fishing boat but still saving 😆
Ha! You nailed it - it's just like that. Frank on a Minehunter = child in a sweet shop 😂
Thanks for the good wishes and hope you'll stay subscribed to see the whole project unfold
Sounds like something I would like to do, so instead I subscribe and follow along on your amazing project.
Probably a cheaper way to fulfill one's dreams @warren-e9y ! Thanks for subscribing and hope you enjoy the rest of the project!
Wow, Well I'll be stuffed.
I've seen these in Newcastle.
Wondering what they were doing & what was happening
Looking forward to their future
Cheers
Hahaha great to hear, great to hear you will follow us, we will have plenty to share the comming years.
So cool. What were the Navy designations?
Good luck with your project/adventure, can i ask ,are all ex navy vehicles purchaced sold minus the engine and drivechains? thanks and Cheers
Thanks @lgmuTu1 - to be honest, we're not sure but it has been our experience so far so we're guessing so
I live in Sydney and just retired. I would have loved to have helped on the passage. André
Hi Andre sorry for the late reply, only see all these messages now, hahaha, what a shame, do you have any papers, who know, there might be more to come hahaha
I see similar craft mothballed in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and often think how fantastic they would be as yachts. I just can’t imagine that after you tow them for two weeks, refit engines, drives and interiors that there’s any profit left, but what do I know?
We'll soon find out but should be do-able... subscribe and follow along to find out @scootchels ! We won't know until we try!
Damn when i seen these ships decommission, i had the idea of how cool would it be to buy 1 of these!
Hahaha @montys420 sorry if we beat you to it!
Gaaf avontuur 8:46 Frank! 😍 succes en ik blijf het zeker volgen groetjes Marlieke
dank je meid, dan zorg ik dat ik je niet teleurstel ok, hahaha.
Wow man congratulations on the purchase of those Aussie Minehunters good ships they were will be fascinating to see them transform into luxury yachts will they also be fitted with an optional-extra auto cannon for self defence against pirates.....AARRRRRRR!! 🇦🇺
Haha thanks! You know, you might be on to something with that auto-cannon idea!
John Wayne’s yacht was also a converted minesweeper
@c3aloha - this is coming up a lot in the comments. We're intrigued and definitely going to check it out. Very interesting!
So that’s where they went to I use to look at them both every day on my walks
Ha @dantheman22787 - you've probably passed us on those daily walks if you're following the path along the creek towards Nobby's Head and back... we walked it most days when he had the chance to get our steps in!