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[raflaunches]

Hi everyone

After flicking through some pictures of Royal Navy ships I found a picture of HMS Protector, I have always wanted an Antartic patrol vessel  that was different to the Endurance as a future project.
Any way I started doing my research and I have found about several different hull dimensions for the Protector, obviously they can't all be correct.  The HMS Protector association state that the length is 348ft x 36ft, but my Jane's book gives the length as 345ft x 50ft.
I know she was originally built as a net layer for the fleet in 1936 before being rebuilt in the 1950's but I can not imagine the ship yard cutting down the beam by 14ft.  Without buying some NMM plans priced as they are does any one know the correct dimensions?
Thanks.

Nick B

[DickyD]

Wiki gives      Length:   346 ft (105 m)    Beam:35 ft (11 m)

World Naval Ships Forum gives      length of 345 feet, and beam of 35 feet,

Dont know if this helps.

[TailUK]

I ran into a similar problem with the dimension of my TID tug.  Turns out one dimension was given as length between perpendiculars and one for overall length.

[farrow]

I would go with Jane's, as they do research their info very thorough and have a close connection with the RN. Also as a net layer she would most probably have a wide beam for the stability required to do her required designed task, RMAS Arrochar was a cargo vessel and she was 365ft long by just over 41ft  beam if my memory serves me right, so 50ft beam for a net layer is not excessive.

[raflaunches]

Hi Dodes

That's exactly what I thought, I just could not imagine Jane's getting it so wrong.  The picture I found had a liitle bit of info which mentioned that the ship was very 'beamy' compared to most ships of similar length because she was a net-layer.
I suppose that the only way to find out for certain is to get the plans from the National Maritime Museum, now where did I leave that second mortgage...

Thanks to TailUK and DickyD for your help too.

Nick B

[farrow]

Sorry made a boob, Arrochar was 265 feet in length.

[pugwash]

just to confuse the issue more my 55-56 Janes gives o.a. dimensions as 338ft x 50

Geoff

[farrow]

The query over length can be put down to the modification of the bow as built she had a working apron on the bow, which later in on was removed and she was given a standard raked stem bow with bowboards.

[raflaunches]

Hi Dodes

Thanks for the info, that explains everything about the difference in length quoted in all the references
Now just got to find out about the beam differences.

Regards

Nick B

[tonyH]

Hi Nick,

Try the HMS Protector Association www.hmsprotector.org who give 35ft as the beam. 


Tony

[farrow]

I have a book published in 1938 called "Ships of The Royal Navy" by Francis E. McMurtrie, A.I.N.A. . The Protector was built under the 1938 programme, she is a modified Guardian without the photographic cabin aft, a lighter armament and a higher speed. It critically says " Owing to the great beam in proportion to the length the funnel appears to be placed to the off side when viewed from a Bow  angle". The dimensions given is 310 (p.p.) x 50 x 11.5 feet. I would say that having worked with MoD Mooring Salvage vessels over several years, knowing the weight and strains in laying a boom net, I for one would step aboard her with a 38ft beam for this work she would be unstable. Perhaps after build she was pinched in ice flows in the Antartic!

[tonyH]

Sorry Nick, didn't read your first post properly

The Clydebuilt database also gives 50ft beam.

Tony

[raflaunches]

Hi Dodes

Thanks for the info, regarding HMS Protector.  It is always interesting how ships are planned and modified from original designs.  The only book I could find that had any info about her was British Anti-torpedo warfare also by Francis McMurtrie but recent prices on amazon and auction sites are around the £100+ region! I like a good book but I could not justify paying that much or a book with only 200 pages in it!

At least the hull dimensions are starting to match up with other info I have been told, still I can't understand why the protector association website states the beam was 35ft, might contact them in case they know something we don't but like mentioned earlier I can't imagine 15ft being removed from the beam, it would be easier to build another ship from scratch than modify one to that extreme!

Hi Tony

Don't worry about it, I do it all the time too!
Thanks for confirming the beam with the Clydebuilt database, it's all coming together slowly now.

Regards

Nick B

[deadbeat]

To add a little more confusion half my books show a beam of 50ft and another two books say 53ft. She went into refit in 1955 for ice strengthening, flight deck and hangar added and a remodelled bridge and other A&As. Whether these added to the beam is not clear, the photos in my books do not show much modification to the sides, but I suppose a slight flight deck overhang could have added a little to the overall beam!

[raflaunches]

Hi everyone

Just received the feedback from the NMM plans section regarding the HMS Protector.
I will send off this week for the hull lines, profile and deck layout plans, soon I will have the answer to the problem. Just require a bank loan to pay for it now
I have bought many plans through them in the past and I have to say that if you want something that good its worth paying for, now I have to work out what to built next.
Regards

Nick B

[raflaunches]

Hi everyone

I have just received the plans of HMS Protector from the NMM at Greenwich after remortgaging everything I own!
It has answered the problem I started with regarding the hull dimensions and it goes to show that all the info we have on the beam is wrong.
The hull beam is 52ft 10inches!!! So she is wider than any of us thought.
The plans are drawn to 1/48 scale making the hull length in this scale 7ft 1inch, 13inches wide and 8 1/2 inches deep!
I would love to build to this scale but after building HMS Gnat to 1/32 scale which is 7ft 3inches long oa we have decided the safest bet would to build her to 1/72 scale so I can use my 1/72 Westland Whirlwind helicopter kits that have been stashed away for so long, and so we can actually carry her
My dad is very interested in this ship, his eyes lit up when he saw the shape of the hull, so he has decided to built it in the near future, probably when I am away in the deepest south Atlantic. So expect to see a build log soon.
Regards

Nick B