Converted Admiralty HL(D)

SOLD

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Dimensions

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Engines

The engine onboard this boat is a Foden FD6 diesel engine. This 2 stroke diesel will cruise all day at around 7 knots and give you a range of around 1400 nautical miles and if required, the boat can reach 10 knots.

The engine is a two stroke diesel with ported sleeves for inlet and overhead exhaust valves. The engine crankcase, cylinder liners and heads are all made of cast iron. The water cooling is fresh water cooled by raw sea water through a heat exchanger, this also cools the lubricating oil.

The beauty of these engines are that they last forever if looked after properly, and this is quite easy to do. Simply make sure there are no airlocks in the cylinder heads and keep the lube oil and fuel clean. This boat is fitted with a 10 micron oil filter system, fuel water separator, two fuel pre-filters [100 micron], and two main fuel filters. The engine is fitted with extra venting cocks on the cooling system to verify the system is free of air.

The potable water capacity onboard is 143 gallons so with plenty of fuel and water onboard, you can cruise extensively offshore if required.

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Construction

It is believed that this boat was originally ordered by the Royal Navy in 1956, to a standard HL(D) design and specification, from Dickie’s of Bangor. The Navy used a system of numbering HL(D)’s according to the year and a sequential number.

The sequential numbers were often to be found on the bows and / or transom of these vessels, in the case of this boat though, no such markings have been found on the bows. The transom is clad with a sheet of duralumin, presumably to provide additional strengthening for the rudder and propeller guard, so a number may be under the sheet.

Dickie’s of Bangor suffered a major fire in the 1970’s, and records of vessel built in the previous decades were allegedly destroyed. From information supplied by a previous owner, who purchased her from the Navy, it appears that for many years she was used at Drake’s Island in Plymouth in connection with training the Royal Navy’s Clearance Divers. A quantity of lead ballast weights, as used by Naval Clearance Divers, were found in the bilges and in lockers.

The original layout, that was common to all HL(D)’s, comprised a large saloon forward, equipped with a solid fuel stove located under the small wheelhouse. The saloon was some 18 feet long and fitted with bunks. Access to the saloon was via two hatches alongside the wheelhouse and the engine room was reached via hatches in the upper deck. Aft of the engine room a further cabin area was accessed from the back deck, via a sliding hatch in the roof and a half height door.

The conversion from her original layout was undertaken principally to provide comfortable and spacious living accommodation. The conversion allows for extended cruising, or permanent liveaboard use.

The hull is constructed from double diagonal teak on oak, with oiled silk between the teak layers. The main deck is teak, covered with paint impregnated canvas. The superstructure itself is made of steel and comprises of the wheelhouse, 6m long and 2.5m wide, with an “L” shaped settee, dining table and access to forward and after cabins.

The wheelhouse structure was built to provide a comfortable viewing and dining area, as well as for housing the vessel steering and navigation controls. The whole compartment is wood panelled throughout, with insulating material between the panelling and the steel.

The main deck is fitted with guardrails 1m high, with entries each side that can be closed off with chains. There are two wooden rubbing strakes running the length of the hull on each side. The upper strake is fitted with a “D” section rubber moulding for additional protection.

Abaft the wheelhouse is a small sun deck, with guardrails. The guardrail has a mounting bracket for storage of an outboard motor. The lower after deck has seating aft and on the port side.

The steering cylinder can be accessed from the aft seating, and if hydraulic steering fails, the rudder can be operated by a tiller at the lower after deck position.

The fore deck is equipped with a cradle for the tender dinghy. The dinghy is launched and recovered by a crane, the boom is raised and lowered by a hydraulic ram. The dinghy lifting bridles connect to the crane wire, this is wound on a winch. The dinghy is normally propelled by a Honda outboard. A pair of oars is carried for dinghy propulsion, as back-up if the outboard motor fails.

The crane is designed to withstand a 250kg safe working load, and has been tested to 150kg static load. The main anchor with a chain rode of over 50m in length is a 25 kg CQR. The CQR is deployed and recovered with a Simpson Lawrence windlass. The windlass has a self tailing capstan drum, in addition to the gypsy. A spare “Fisherman’s” type anchor is stowed adjacent to the wheelhouse.

There is a gas locker with stowage for two 13kg propane bottles, located forward of the wheelhouse. This also contains an isolating valve on the gas piping.

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Accomodation

This boat is ideally aimed at being 5 berths in 3 cabins; the main guest cabin, forward cabin and aft cabin.

In the main guest cabin there is a double bunk with two reading lights above the bunk. There are two cupboards and a locker for stowage of clothes and other gear as well as shelves for the stowage of loose gear. This cabin benefits from having a forward heads compartment and is fitted with a mirror cabinet, washbasin, toilet and shower. The toilet is flushed with fresh water that is stored in a 55 litre holding tank. The holding tank is emptied either by hand pump or electric pump. The electric pump can be switched to pump the bilges in an emergency, by means of a 3 way valve.

The forward guest cabin is fitted with two single bunks, each bunk has a reading light above. There is shelf and storage space by the bunks for additional storage.

The aft cabin is fitted with a single bunk, small settee and a desk. There is a reading light above the bunk and the aft heads compartment is accessed via the cabin, and is fitted with a mirror cabinet, washbasin, toilet and shower. This toilet however, is flushed with sea water and discharges direct to sea.

Navigation Equipment

The helm position on this boat will have you feeling like you are at the controls of an aircraft carrier as there are so many displays on offer, all within easy reach.

The navigation equipment onboard includes:

• Garmin GPS
• NASA VHF (DSC)
• NASA Wind Speed & Direction
• NASA Fluxgate Compass
• Raymarine Radar
• Seafarer 7000 Echo Sounder
• Chart Plotter (Laptop with navigation software)
• Chart table 1200mm x 800mm with storage for charts under

As well as these instruments, you also have full engine instrumentation including:-

• Battery Monitor – shows voltage of 3 battery banks, charge / discharge amperage of domestic bank and amphours remaining.
• Main Engine Hours Run
• Main Engine Oil Pressure
• Main Engine Oil Temperature
• Main Engine Cooling (Fresh Water) Temperature
• Gearbox Oil Pressure
• Exhaust Gas Temperature With Alarm
• Main Engine Start Key Switch
• Main Engine Throttle / Gear Control
• Main Engine Stop Control (Fuel Rack)
• 24 Volt Instrument Power Switch
• 12 Volt Instrument Power Switch
• Instrument Light Switch
• Instrument Light Dimmer
• Anchor Light Switch
• Navigation Lights Switch
• Foghorn Switch
• Engine Room Bilge Pump Switch (this unit has a Wavestream Filter [the filter captures oil and repels clean water] and has audio and visual warning when running – thus the operator will not be able to ignore it )

Disclaimer

The details of this vessel is offered in good faith but cannot be guaranteed. Nor can we warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.