Wellard Built for Earl Steam Fishing Co by Cook Welton & Gemmel
Original Name EL Capitan GY 450
07/1938 went to Crampins Steam Fishing Co
10/1939 Requisitioned as A/S Name unchanged
Joined the 21st A/S Strike Group, Took part in the Norwegian Campaign
02/1942 Loaned to USN
10/1942 Returned and was transferred to the South African Station.
1945 Returned
1946 Acquired by Crampins registered as GY 300
My Grandfather sailed on the Wellard for 3 months in 1946 as a deck hand,before being reunited with her in 1950
20/04/1950 to 18/09/1950 Signed on as a 3rd hand
25/01/1951 His next trip with the Wellard signed on again as 3rd hand until 16/05/1951
06/12/1951 but as a deck hand until 24/04/1952
18/05/1952 His last time with the vessel until 11/10/1952 again as deck hand
She was one of 6 sister boats named after well known Race Horses of that period. When it was sold to Crampins the companies policy was to name the trawlers after Cricketers with all names having 7 letters
After being returned in 1942 she had undergone work on the engines and someone left a hammer in one of the cylinders so when it was started up it smashed the engine which took quite some time before being repaired and ready for sea.
It had been noted by various skippers that she was terrible at being handled at sea being unstable
Her Details Are
- Official Number
- Admiralty Number FY137
- Dimensions 173 X 28.6 X 14.6
- Quarter deck 89′ Fo’scle of 37′
- Engines 135 NHP, Triple Cylinder 15″, 25″ & 42″ x 27″
- Boiler 1 SB 220lb Spt, Producing 12.8 Knots by Amos & Smith.
- Funnel yellow C on Blue band between yellow and black top
- Hull black with white line red boot topping