The SAAF Forum

Discussion on the SAAF and other southern African air forces.
It is currently 24 May 2013, 19:20

View unanswered posts | View active topics


Board index » The Forum » Navy and maritime

All times are UTC + 2 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 2
  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
  Print view Previous topic | Next topic 
Author Message
Dean
PostPosted: 20 Jul 2010, 11:59 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: 29 Jun 2004, 17:19
Posts: 4236
Cool. Thanks for the update. :smt023
Top
 Profile  
 
AllanRoy
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 14 Nov 2011, 19:38 
Offline

Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 22:08
Posts: 319
Mod: This thread has been split from the Seen in the Bay thread.


The Drakensburg on Sunday

Image
Top
 Profile  
 
Roger the Dodger
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 14 Nov 2011, 22:11 
Offline

Joined: 07 Apr 2008, 11:50
Posts: 2356
What's the story of the "bathtub toy" parked on Drakies' helideck?

I reckon the makers labels on the cranes will not survive the next round of polishing and painting.
Top
 Profile  
 
Eugene
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 14 Nov 2011, 22:18 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: 12 Feb 2011, 23:59
Posts: 3241
Location: 34º 05' 54" S 18º 22' 49"E
Roger the Dodger wrote:
What's the story of the "bathtub toy" parked on Drakies' helideck?


It's a Vredenberger.
Top
 Profile  
 
Doug
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 14 Nov 2011, 22:35 
Offline
Honorary Order of the Trommel
User avatar

Joined: 24 Sep 2009, 12:34
Posts: 926
Some lovely shots there Allan. There are also some pics of the Lilian Ngoyi on page 29 and Victoria Mxenge Page 16 respectively if folk are interested.

Now I know I am going to regret this Eugene......but what is " A Vredenberger"? Other than the pic of that bathtub? My guess is a lot of folk what to ask....but I shall be the fall guy! :lol:
Top
 Profile  
 
Eugene
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 14 Nov 2011, 22:43 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: 12 Feb 2011, 23:59
Posts: 3241
Location: 34º 05' 54" S 18º 22' 49"E
Doug wrote:
Now I know I am going to regret this Eugene......but what is " A Vredenberger"? Other than the pic of that bathtub? My guess is a lot of folk what to ask....but I shall be the fall guy! :lol:


IIRC they were initially acquired for the now defunct Marines and used to patrol rivers in northern Namibia. Some were also acquired by the Recces and used as workboats, diving tenders, etc. It's basically a commercial inshore fishing boat built by a yard in Vredenburg.
Top
 Profile  
 
Roger the Dodger
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 14 Nov 2011, 22:53 
Offline

Joined: 07 Apr 2008, 11:50
Posts: 2356
Eugene wrote:
Roger the Dodger wrote:
What's the story of the "bathtub toy" parked on Drakies' helideck?


It's a Vredenberger.


By Neptune you are correct! it is indeed a Vredenburger! You have sharp eyes for a has been sea dog! \:D/

Now why is it hitching a ride on Drakies? I hope it's being delivered to the SAN Museum.
Top
 Profile  
 
leading edge
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 15 Nov 2011, 01:09 
Offline

Joined: 20 Sep 2005, 16:12
Posts: 494
Eugene wrote:
Doug wrote:
Now I know I am going to regret this Eugene......but what is " A Vredenberger"? Other than the pic of that bathtub? My guess is a lot of folk what to ask....but I shall be the fall guy! :lol:


IIRC they were initially acquired for the now defunct Marines and used to patrol rivers in northern Namibia. Some were also acquired by the Recces and used as workboats, diving tenders, etc. It's basically a commercial inshore fishing boat built by a yard in Vredenburg.

Correct.
They were built along the lines of a fishing vessel commonly used along the West Coast. They could be armed. I've seen a 50 Browning mounted on one.
I didn't know they still existed.
Top
 Profile  
 
Doug
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 15 Nov 2011, 16:00 
Offline
Honorary Order of the Trommel
User avatar

Joined: 24 Sep 2009, 12:34
Posts: 926
Thank Eugene for continuing to enlighten us with your knowledge. I did feel you may come back and tell us how the Vredenberg was designed on a cig pack in a Wimpy bar...but now we know its application & role. Just love the rock 'n roll video clip of the Warrior Strikecraft at sea. Tough guys! :smt023
Top
 Profile  
 
Eugene
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 15 Nov 2011, 16:14 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: 12 Feb 2011, 23:59
Posts: 3241
Location: 34º 05' 54" S 18º 22' 49"E
Doug wrote:
ust love the rock 'n roll video clip of the Warrior Strikecraft at sea. Tough guys!


I put this clip together - purloined bits and bobs - to a SA Navy band soundtrack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7SU4jG1xCM Most of it was a Charl Pauw news item back in 1988.

As for the Vredenburger - it existed as a fishing boat hull long before the navy bought it. I just wish I can remember the name of the boatbuilder - I used to pass his outfit regularly but have forgotten his name.
Top
 Profile  
 
Eugene
PostPosted: 16 Nov 2011, 04:37 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: 12 Feb 2011, 23:59
Posts: 3241
Location: 34º 05' 54" S 18º 22' 49"E
Eugene wrote:
As for the Vredenburger - it existed as a fishing boat hull long before the navy bought it. I just wish I can remember the name of the boatbuilder - I used to pass his outfit regularly but have forgotten his name.


It's just come to me - Sachal - was the builder, at one time in the sixties arguably the world's leading experts in glass fibre fishing vessels. IIRC Sachal was formed by the amalgamation of three yards in the area. One of them was owned by someone my alzheimer-raddled braincell seems to recall as an old pal of my father's by name of Tully? or maybe Tallie?.

OK using that as a search criteria I found this in a 2009 document:

Quote:
SACHAL & STEVENS (PTY) LTD : Sadly this boatyard, situated at Vredenburg, near
Saldanha, is to be auctioned off this month, complete with moulds for boats ranging in
length from 8 feet to 80 feet. Sachal Glass Fibre Industries was started about forty years
ago by the late Alfred Tallie, a Maltese boat builder, together with his brothers and a
partner, Charles Hutchinson. For years the company built a range of GRP boats for the
local fishing industry and also the S.A. Navy and the Army (4 Recce Regiment). After
Alfred’s death the firm was sold to become Sachal & Stevens, a company employing
computerised hull fairing and other computer aided design methods. Boats built by the
Company are to be found at ports all around the coast and also in Antarctica,
Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Seychelles and at St. Helena Island.
Top
 Profile  
 
RICHARDG
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 18 Nov 2011, 21:52 
Offline

Joined: 18 Feb 2011, 20:18
Posts: 55
Location: Kommetjie
Here are a couple shots of a Vredenburger next to DKB at the 2010 Navy days, of interest how many were built? with what engine do they have.
ImageImageImage
Top
 Profile  
 
Eugene
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 18 Nov 2011, 22:27 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: 12 Feb 2011, 23:59
Posts: 3241
Location: 34º 05' 54" S 18º 22' 49"E
RICHARDG wrote:
Here are a couple shots of a Vredenburger next to DKB at the 2010 Navy days, of interest how many were built? with what engine do they have.


How many they finally got I do not know - but the initial requirement was for 9. Whether this included the ones for the Recces or not I am not sure. The engine was supposed to be an Atlantis diesel - basically a Perkins - but once again what they ended up with I do not know. My old man was involved in the project but died in it's early stages so what happened subsequently is guesswork on my part! I have never been interested enough to want to know more about them!

Many slip twixt cup and lip in shipbuilding. The Namacurra's, which my old man was also involved in, would initially have gotten V8 Mercury inboard-outboards - but the deal for a 100 of these through a Singapore dealer fell through at an advanced stage.
Top
 Profile  
 
AllanRoy
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 19 Nov 2011, 09:10 
Offline

Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 22:08
Posts: 319
Been trying to find info on the Vredenberger - it appears that at least one was donated to the Mozambique navy

I also found this photo
Image
Quote:
The Vredenburger type boat was used by the Navy's Marines to patrol the Zambezi River and other rivers in the operational area. A small rubber inflatable boat was often towed for investigation of the riverbanks.


Quote:
The South African Marines operated the "Vredenburger" along the mighty Zambezi River, during the Angolan war. She was armed with a 12.7mm machine gun on the bow and normally two 7.62mm machine guns at the stern.
Top
 Profile  
 
Eugene
 Post subject: Re: Seen in the Bay
PostPosted: 19 Nov 2011, 10:50 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: 12 Feb 2011, 23:59
Posts: 3241
Location: 34º 05' 54" S 18º 22' 49"E
AllanRoy wrote:
The South African Marines operated the "Vredenburger" along the mighty Zambezi River, during the Angolan war.


The marine base was at Katima Mulila in the Caprivi. They did patrol the bit of the Zambezi either side of the base but SWAPO activity had long moved from that area by then - the Caprivi was a hotbed when SWAPO operated out of Zambia but when they moved to Angola it was more productive for them to cross into Namibia at a place other than the Caprivi!

Image

A Vredenburger at the base at Katima.
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 2
  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Board index » The Forum » Navy and maritime

All times are UTC + 2 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group