HMAS Shoalwater (M 81)

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History
Australia
NameShoalwater
NamesakeShoalwater Bay
BuilderCarrington Slipways
Launched20 June 1987
Commissioned10 October 1987
Decommissioned14 August 2001
FateDecommissioned
General characteristics
Class and typeBay class minehunter
Displacement178 tons full load
Length101.7 ft (31.0 m)
Beam29.5 ft (9.0 m)
Draught6.6 ft (2.0 m)
Propulsion2 Poyaud 520-V8-S2 diesel generators, 650 PS (478 kW)
Speed10 knots (19 km/h)
Range1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement14 (3 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar: Kelvin Hughes Type 1006 navigational
  • Sonar: Atlas Elektronik DSQS-11M hull-mounted mine-hunting
Armament2 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns
NotesTaken from:[1]

HMAS Shoalwater (M 81), named for Shoalwater Bay in Queensland, was a Bay class minehunter of the Royal Australian Navy.

She was built by Carrington Slipways at its Ramsay Fibreglass facility in Tomago, New South Wales, launched on 20 June 1987 and commissioned on 10 October 1987. During her sea trials, Shoalwater travelled to Townsville where a number of charges were detonated around the vessel to test her tolerance to underwater explosions. Shoalwater performed above expectations during these tests.[2] For the duration of her service with the RAN, Shoalwater was assigned to HMAS Waterhen in Sydney, where the Navy established a Mine Warfare Systems Centre ahead of the Bay class ships entering service.[2]

Shoalwater was decommissioned on 14 August 2001.[3] She and sister ship HMAS Rushcutter were sold in 2002 for service in the Persian Gulf.[3]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Sharpe, Richard, ed. (March 1996). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1996-97 (99th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. p. 29. ISBN 0-7106-1355-5. OCLC 34998928.
  2. ^ a b Odgers, George (1989). Navy Australia, an illustrated history (4th ed.). Sydney: Child and Associates. p. 199. ISBN 0-86777-390-1.
  3. ^ a b Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-59114-955-2. OCLC 140283156.

References[edit]