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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 .
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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?
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!! 🇦🇺
I’d either make them passenger ships or fishing vessels. What is stopping them from moving under power? I wouldn’t imagine they would have a reason to remove the propulsion
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 😆
52m won't make much of a megayacht but will make a pretty decent mid-sized superyacht. A great choice to go to a Philippines shipyard after seeing some recent conversions into explorer/expedition yachts around this size that are simply to die for like CKlass Nautica. There must be a good market for really functional but classy superyachts for exploring the World, not sitting off ports in the Med at anchor, the "white boats" that ooze finery, glamour and luxury, drunken parties for a few days for the really privileged, easy to sink or damage in a squall..
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!
The whole time I was waiting for a tour! 😢 Hope to see one soon, followed as this is just AWESOME! Living the dream!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 .
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
Love the Dolphin showing up at 5:48. Great project, I Love workingstyle super yachts
This is so cool. This has been my dream since serving in the Navy
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
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.
Cebu, Philippines. Some good tradesmen, talented there.
So many questions after 8 short minutes. Can't wait to see the videos to follow!
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.
I simply find this project unbelievable! Best of luck!
not gonna lie gonna miss these 2 vessles, been on both not served but a tour through work :)
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.
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.
ha you guys are crazy, love it, see you in Philippines, both our vessels are sailing Timor Leste to Raja to Cebu
Wow what a journey. Towing this is a major exercise
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.
Such a ballsy move. Good for you and hope all goes well in the future for you
Extraordinary venture...good to watch and I wish you all the best.
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
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.
Brave move.... I must Congratulate you on your Vision and determination......
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
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.
Hey Frankie. Looks like an amazing adventure you're on again. Gonna be watching this one for sure. Aidy 👍👍.
Huge potential with those two platforms. Can't wait to see how you do it. Cheers.
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.
Having sailed on both... OMFG. This is hysterical.
SWEET! John Wayne had an old USN Minesweeper that he converted into a yacht. I think Wayne's boat was 140'.
I’m ex-sailor! Love to be in your shoes! Best of luck!
Wow, super exciting Frank. Congrats 💪
Welcome to the Philippines 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭👍👍👍
What a great project! Cant wait for updates on this.
Unreal adventure will be following you all the way good luck
There are projects and then there is this..... incredible! Good luck fella and how exciting "subscribed"
Wow! All the very best of luck with your project. Please, please 🙏 keep the videos coming.
Looking forward to watching.
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.
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!!
Fantastic project, good luck. Looking forward to your next posts.
Awesome project old mate. Best wishes for the future .
Good looking hulls, best of luck with your project they could end up as fine looking leisure boats.
Amazing, what an adventure!
this is one heck of a story. please keep filming,
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.
wow. what a huge undertaking. make lots more videos.
Treat them right, Small boat crew for life
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.
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.
I subscribed because I must follow along this journey with you. Looking forward to future progress!
Nice , can't wait to see how they turn out
Looking forward to seeing the progress 😎
Looking forward to see the progress of the Future Super Yacht. Thanks for sharing. Subscribed.
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.
These are local to me in Carrington! Been named Nemo and Dory!! This is really cool
epic and good luck with the project
very impressive Frank !!
Just subscribed looking forward to seeing your journey
All the best from England
HMAS Hawkesbury and HMAS Norman, Huon Class minehunters decommissioned in 2018 for anyone interested.
Quite the adventure and endeavor!
Your so fortunate and brave i wis i could have been a part of this
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.
They look like a pair of ex_Royal Navy Hunt class mine hunters. Good luck with turning them into luxury yachts.
Good luck, stay safe
They look like old Sandown class. Not sure. If they are, great little ships ideal for super yachts or Oceanic Survey vessels.
Leuk idee gast, veel succes 😃👍.
Looking forward to your adventures building.
Totally cool, great video!!! Subscribing for sure!!!
Jaques Custeau's calypso and John Wayne's yacht wild goose both minesweepers built in Seattle Washington during WWII
Sounds like something I would like to do, so instead I subscribe and follow along on your amazing project.
When you said Newcastle, I thought, hold on. I've not seen any of these boats. Then I realised you're in Austrailia.
i like that sea adventure, im a marine Engineer 🇵🇭
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
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
Kijk nou, he Frank wat leuk. 😎
really looking fwd to how this turns out. What LOA and Beam are the vessels ?
Good luck with your project/adventure, can i ask ,are all ex navy vehicles purchaced sold minus the engine and drivechains? thanks and Cheers
The actor John Wayne had an ex United States Navy Minesweeper, it was his most prized possession.
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?
Very nice boats Mr 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Fantastic !!!!!
Succes ermee, ik blijf volgen
I live in Sydney and just retired. I would have loved to have helped on the passage. André
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!! 🇦🇺
I’d either make them passenger ships or fishing vessels. What is stopping them from moving under power? I wouldn’t imagine they would have a reason to remove the propulsion
John Wayne’s yacht was also a converted minesweeper
I served on those back in the day! Not a comfortable ride when the swell gets up!
So cool. What were the Navy designations?
Wow thats amazing
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 😆
52m won't make much of a megayacht but will make a pretty decent mid-sized superyacht. A great choice to go to a Philippines shipyard after seeing some recent conversions into explorer/expedition yachts around this size that are simply to die for like CKlass Nautica.
There must be a good market for really functional but classy superyachts for exploring the World, not sitting off ports in the Med at anchor, the "white boats" that ooze finery, glamour and luxury, drunken parties for a few days for the really privileged, easy to sink or damage in a squall..
Good video 👍🏾
What were the boats originally powered with? Why did they remove the propulsion systems from these boats?