HMS Bulldog (A317)

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Bulldog
Builder	Brooke Marine, Lowestoft
Launched	12 July 1967
Commissioned	21 March 1968
Decommissioned	26 July 2001
Identification	IMO number: 4902907
Fate	Sold August 2001 for conversion to luxury yacht Damaged in a fire in May 2004 in Nelson, New Zealand Conversion not completed
General characteristics
Displacement	1,050 tons 1,160 tons maximum
Length	189.6 ft (57.8 m) o/a
Beam	37.5 ft (11.4 m)
Propulsion	Four × Lister Blackstone ERS8M diesels producing 2,640 hp (1,970 kW) Coupled to two shafts fitted with cp propellers.
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h)
Range	4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement	39

HMS Bulldog was one of four Bulldog class hydrographic survey ships of the Royal Navy. She was built by the yacht builder Brooke Marine and launched in 1968.

Displacing 1088 tons and with a top speed of 15 knots, the ship was known for both her attractive lines and excellent sea keeping. Her pennant number was originally A317 but this was changed in 1998 along with that of other survey ships to an H-prefix (for Hydrographic — S for survey already being in use for submarines) to emphasise that they were survey ships rather than naval auxiliaries. She was finally decommissioned on 26 July 2001. She was sold in August 2001 for conversion into a luxury yacht. She was damaged in a fire in May 2004 whilst at Nelson, New Zealand due to the incompetence of the company Nalder and Biddle and the conversion was not completed. Last heard of she was under tow to Brisbane Australia to be scrapped.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
• A model of HMS Bulldog