DARK Class-Survivor?
Printed From: BMPT Forum
Category: General Discussion
Forum Name: Where Are Those Boats Now
Forum Description: Tell everybody where those old boats are
URL: http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=248
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 7:55pm
Topic: DARK Class-Survivor?
Posted By: d-zine
Subject: DARK Class-Survivor?
Date Posted: 05 December 2006 at 2:40pm
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I have seen the following boat advertised in the USA and described as- Ex Saunders Roe Patrol Boat, built 1958 in metal (Aluminium) Length 74ft(inc dive platform) width 19ft. Could she be either Dark Scout or one of the aluminium Dark's built by SARO for the export market. I have looked at the photo's and compared them to the Archive images on this site and to my eye they look very similar - what does every body think? If she is an ex Dark the superstructure is completely new. Image 1 -"SCUBA DOO"
IMAGE 2-BOW The Bow thruster is a recent addition, but the line of the bow and the chin look right.
IMAGE 3 -Twin Props and Rudders
IMAGE 4 - Transom and dive platform
------------- Advance - Runaway Quickly , Runaway Quickly |
Replies:
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 05 December 2006 at 3:03pm
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Hello D-Zine This may be a scoop!! I'm not too sure of the image with the Bow Thruster though - does the paint below the Chine match the other shots? regarding Dark Scout - she was course built in 1958 - but I understand that she was eventually used as a Target (not sure though yet) regarding the other alloy Dark's, several were sent around the world and it is supposed that the lone Japanese Dark (PT9) may have been shipped to the States after disposal in 1972. ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 05 December 2006 at 9:17pm
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Hi D-Zine and Pioneer Looks good to me too except for the last pic, surely the Darks did not have that tumblehome aft, rather a straight line fom chine to deck? It may be a distortion from a camera lens though. Fingers crossed. Not as pretty as a Vosper RTTL MKIA though... Rgds,Christian. |
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 05 December 2006 at 9:51pm
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Hello Christian Yes, you are right - well spotted - unless that is a camera distortion it will prove that we can't uncross our fingers just yet. As for beauty - eye of the ..etc etc - but I agree who would want a "pointed box" - a very noisy and uncomfortable boat' Rgds ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: d-zine
Date Posted: 05 December 2006 at 11:23pm
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Pioneer, Christian Did Saunders Roe build any other type of patrol craft during this period. I must admit that I came across this ad by accident as I was trying to find information on the Saunders Roe built RTTL Mk2's. I will e-mail the seller to try to find out a little more. So far as the picture of the bow thruster goes ,I think that the angle that the picture was taken at has distorted the angle of the chin. ------------- Advance - Runaway Quickly , Runaway Quickly |
Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 06 December 2006 at 2:30pm
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Hi Pioneer and d-zine The last photo IS distorted, look at the ladder. The extra 2'4" of LOA is probably the diving platform and the missing 5" of beam probably a result of removing the Deltic's exhaust outlet mouldings. The build year is only off by a year for it to be Dark Scout, an easy error to make, and as far as I can see Dark Scout was sold in 1961. I think it is certainly a Dark, but possibly an export boat like the ones sold to Burma (were the Finnish ones aluminium too?). Rgds,Christian. |
Posted By: d-zine
Date Posted: 06 December 2006 at 3:09pm
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Christian, The date of build is listed as 1957 not 1958, I must of been having a senior moment. I am waiting for a response from the selling agent. She is currently located at Port Canaveral, Florida. ------------- Advance - Runaway Quickly , Runaway Quickly |
Posted By: Pioneer
Date Posted: 06 December 2006 at 3:29pm
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Hello all I am not 100% convinced just yet (pessimist by nature I'm afraid). The Burmese Darks were of riveted alloy construction (there is a good shot of what is thought to be T201 in Dark Histories) also the Exhausts had no tear drop moldings that may well have given the extra 6 inches if they had been removed. Dark Scout was indeed of welded alloy construction and does fall into the time frame (launched 28th March 1958) but I am still trying to get at some records that were on my old computer - I'm not too sure whether the Jap Dark was 'riveted' or 'flush welded' - the Finnish boats were of composite construction - Saunders Roe completed an experimental craft for the Canadian Navy that bore a slight resemblance to the Dark Hull but was mounted on Hydrofoils - Bras-d'or (not to be confused with the later Hydrofoil of the same name) - the Saunders boat not in commission very long. ------------- Pioneer - Forum Moderator |
Posted By: northeastuser
Date Posted: 06 December 2006 at 6:10pm
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The picture of the bow thruster above shows a metal bracket fixed to the stem. This bracket is fixed over a metal spreader plate. The picture of T201 also shows a similar bracket. Add a chine rubber over the bottom part of the spreader plate and you have what is essentially the same as in the picture above of the bow thruster.What do you guys think? |
Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 07 December 2006 at 1:56pm
| Phil Simons confirms Dark Scout had Caterpillars fitted in 1979, as did Scuba Doo. I think there can be very little doubt now. |
Posted By: mprints
Date Posted: 22 September 2011 at 8:46pm
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Dark Scout was the only all welded aluminium Dark build by Saunders-Roe to my knowledge. I suspect the one for Japan was not welded and may even have been composite as per the British Darks and Finnish 'Vasamas'. You need to check the hull construction internally to see if it's welded aluminium. From these later photos of Scuba Doo she certainly appeas to be welded from the shrinkage wrinkles of the hull skin over the frames and along the horizontal seams. Dark Scout originally carried the typical Dark side protection 'wedges' but uniquely had transom exhausts unlike her older sister with side exhausts. If this is a survivor with any hint of ever having side exhausts she can't be Dark Scout. Saying that, I'm begining to think she could just be the last Dark after all. Pioneer may have other reasons to doubt it, so only a thorough inspection will help decide.
------------- Dave Mills |
Posted By: mprints
Date Posted: 09 September 2013 at 6:54pm
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I've had another look at my last message and realise that I didn;t mention the Burmese FPB's . There were five of them T201 to T205 and they were all riveted aluminium hulls to prevent marine worm attack in tropical waters according to what my father Vic Mills in the SARO drawing office told me when I was just a lad. The hull below the chine was flush riveted and above the chine dome or mushroom head riveted. The photo of the Scuba Doo bow thuster clearly shows welding of the hull sheets to the stringers and is just like P1120. Note also this standard Dark Class bow bracket that also looks very much like that on Scuba Doo.  ------------- Dave Mills |
Posted By: mprints
Date Posted: 09 September 2013 at 7:01pm
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Note the 'wedge' on the extreme right of the photo as per standard 'Dark'. Scuba Doo may be narrower by the thickness of these, hence the variation in beam mentioned earlier. Hope this helps (or confuses)? Dave.  ------------- Dave Mills |
Posted By: Christian
Date Posted: 16 January 2014 at 1:19pm
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Vasama 1 is apparently located at a boatyard on Lake Saimaa in Finland; http://personal.inet.fi/koti/juha.karhu/LAIVAKUVIA/Vasama_1.jpg" rel="nofollow - http://personal.inet.fi/koti/juha.karhu/LAIVAKUVIA/Vasama_1.jpg http://www.maritimeforum.fi/index.php?topic=9508.0" rel="nofollow - http://www.maritimeforum.fi/index.php?topic=9508.0 ------------- |