40 Years Ago - Brave Challenger

[petem]

In this months MBY there is a mention of a Brave Class military powerboat commissioned for a greek businessman. Is this a reference to 'Brave Challenger' that is moored at Gosport? I have come across this boat a few times in magazines. Does anyone know who owns it now? Is it ever used?

 

[byron]

During Fleet Review (1977?) Myself and four other Greek Captains were guests aboard Greece's representative vessel.
She was literally brand spanking new and still undergoing her shake-downs. Possibly this is the craft you refer to, but she was built for the Greek Navy. Capable of circa 54 knots (a secret at the time) she has since seen some active service protecting some unpopulated Greek Islands from maritime incursions by the Turks trying to lay claim to them.

©2001

 

[Guest]

Re: Brave heap in Lymington

This this was is Lymington for years until recently. Gas Turbines, very military appearance, dk blue wooden hull as far as I can remeber. Is it getting fixed up, as someone said?

 

[stuartw]

Re: Brave heap in Lymington

There is a boat very similar to that description at Haslar Marina- on a hammerhead berth. Dark blue- military looking-never goes out, but I have seen somebody on board. Incidentaly- it looks to be a wooden hull , as you can see the planking lines.

 

[Guest]

Re: That\'s the one

Somebody said it was being fixed up. Berthon sold it a year or so ago.

 

[jfm]

Are you sure about Berthon.....?

I've seen it on the hammerhead berth in Haslar last year (navy hull, navy superstructure), with people on it, but not at Berthon, at least not in the last few years (our boat's at Berthon so I'm there a lot). Unless it was tied up to the river bank north of the Berthon lifting cradle, between Berthon and town quay, and I just missed it cuz I don't sail that little stretch much?

JFM

 

[Guest]

Re: Are you sure about Berthon.....?

That Blue beastie in Haslar belongs or belonged to Vosper Thorney Croft it probably never goes anywhere as the thing runs on aviation fuel !

 

[Guest]

Re: yup, but a while ago...

end of E pontoon at Lymington aka Berthon, but not in the last year. Probly erm 2 years ago , and for a while. Definitely a nutty Berthon-style boat. "are you a bit rich and very mad? Yes? How about a 60 knot military-style wooden boat? Or an aero-rigged 80 foot sloop? Or some otyher weird stuff?" etc etc

 

[jfm]

Re: Berthon... PhD in marina plans

Ah ok, it prob left just as I took up residence at berthon. There's some pretty big stuff at the E end. The aero-rig 80 footer is quite nice close up, had a good look at it, nice interior too. But not sure about the rig. It looks that not-nice combo of very heavy and very high. Still for sale, £650 I think eek. A couple of the J class's are booked into Berthon, will arrive mid July and get a bit worked on by Berthon before the August events

Anyway, i can understand someone knowing marinas, but how comes you know the LETTERS of every pontoon in every marina on the South Coast (or on the planet)?

JFM

 

[Guest]

Re: master of trivia

The aero rig is Fly, in berth E1. The SL88 is on Pontoon D in PS with the shot taken looking north-north-east. But I was in the solent last weekend...