HMAS Bass

HMAS Bass (GPV 902) was an Explorer class general-purpose vessel of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), serving in a range of capacities from 1960 until 1994.[1]

MV Bass moored off Ballast Point in 2012
History
Australia
Builder: Walkers Limited, Maryborough, Queensland
Laid down: May 1959
Launched: 28 March 1960
Commissioned: 15 November 1960
Decommissioned: 17 December 1982
Out of service: 1994
Status: In civilian service
General characteristics
Class and type: Explorer class general-purpose vessel
Displacement:
  • 207 tonnes standard
  • 260 tonnes full load
Length:
  • 90 ft (27 m) between perpendiculars
  • 101 ft (31 m) overall
Beam: 22 ft (6.7 m)
Draught: 8 ft (2.4 m)
Propulsion: Diesel twin screw, 342 shaft horsepower (255 kW)
Speed: 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Complement: 14
Armament: .50 cal machine guns fitted as required

Design and construction
Main article: Explorer class general-purpose vessel

The Explorer class was a two-ship class of general-purpose vessels built for the RAN.[2] The ships had a displacement of 207 tons at standard load and 260 tons at full load.[2] Bass was 101 feet (31 m) in length overall, had a beam of 22 feet (6.7 m), and a draught of 8 feet (2.4 m).[2] Propulsion machinery consisted of GM diesels, which supplied 348 shaft horsepower (260 kW) to the two propeller screws, and allowed the vessel to reach 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph).[2] The ship's company consisted of 14 personnel.[2] The ship's armament of light weapons (two .303 Bren guns) were only fitted as needed.[2]

Bass was laid down by Walkers Limited of Maryborough, Queensland in May 1959.[3] She was commissioned into the RAN on 15 November 1960.[3]

Operational history

From 1963, Bass operated with the coastwatchers organisation.[2]

By July 1967, the ship had been assigned to Hobart for hydrographic survey duties, and for service as a training vessel to the Royal Australian Navy Reserve Port Division based there.[2] She continued in this role until June 1982, when she was replaced by the patrol boat HMAS Ardent.[4] In July, Bass relocated to HMAS Waterhen, to provide navigational training to personnel at that base.[2]

On 17 December, Bass was formally decommissioned, but remained in service as Waterhen's training vessel.[2] In October 1985, Bass was reassigned to the Darwin Port Division of the Royal Australian Navy Reserve.[2]

In 1994, Bass was paid off and sold.[1] The vessel entered civilian service as MV Bass.[5]

Civilian owners have included Sydney Harbour and foreshore identities, John Giddens, Jeff Devine and Danny Black.

References
Citations
  1. Wilson, Royal Australian Navy 21st Century Warships, p. 37
  2. Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 46
  3. Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, p. 47
  4. Gillett, Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946, pgs. 46, 86
  5. "HMAS Bass". RAN. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
Bibliography
  • Gillett, Ross (1988). Australian and New Zealand Warships since 1946. Brookvale, NSW: Child & Associates. ISBN 0-86777-219-0. OCLC 23470364.
  • Wilson, Michael. Royal Australian Navy 21st Century Warships: Naval auxiliaries 1911 to 1999 (including Defence Maritime Services). Profile No. 4 (Revised ed.). Marrickville, NSW: Topmill Pty Ltd. ISBN 978-1-876270-72-8. OCLC 223731505.
  • MV Bass - Website following the restoration of the vessel
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