HMS Sphinx was a Halcyon class steel minesweeper and was built by William Hamilton & Company Ltd at Port Glasgow and launched on the 7th February 1939. She was 245.0’ long, 33.5’ breadth and had a draught of 8.0’. She was powered by two Admiralty 3-drum water tube boilers, Parsons steam turbines constructed by J Samuel White of Cowes. The … [Read more...]
Loss of the G Koch
As the next January storm looks set to hit us this week, the story of the loss of the G Koch reminds us all of the tremendous forces nature can throw at us. Shipyard : Thomas Turnbull and Sons Ltd., Whitby (Yard No 104) Launched : 23.07.1888 Dimensions : 260.7' x 36.3' x 16.5' Tonnage : 1609 gt., 1202 nt. Engines : Triple expansion … [Read more...]
Loss of the Norval
145 years ago today the Greenock registered sailing ship Norval was wrecked on the south point of Insh Island around 10 miles south of Oban. The wooden ship was inbound for Glasgow from Montreal with a cargo of deals, battens and staves. The weather … [Read more...]
Scottish Shipwrecks launch
The forecast for today and into the weekend looks grim, gales and heavy rain. The picture alongside needs little explanation, a westerly gale and high tide, not at time to be caught out in open sea. Even with modern weather forecasting techniques and monitoring by satellites, wave buoys and alike, … [Read more...]
