Old 797 | National Historic Ships

Registration number 1513

Status Registered

a12admin

Previous names

MFV 797

Details

Function Fighting Vessel

Subfunction Patrol Boat

Location Staines

Vessel type Admiralty MFV

Current use None

Available to hire No

Available for excursions No

Construction

Builder Wallasea Bay Yacht Station Ltd, Rochford

Built in 1945

Hull material Wood

Rig None

Number of decks 1

Number of masts 2

Propulsion Motor

Number of engines 1

Primary engine type Diesel

Boiler type None

Boilermaker None

Dimensions

Breadth: Beam

15.02 feet (4.58m)

Depth

6.00 feet (1.83m)

Length: Overall

50.00 feet (15.25m)

History

OLD 797 was built as a patrol boat by Wallasea Bay Yacht Station Ltd. in 1945 and operated under official number 307687. She has a wooden hull and her current engine is a Perkins.

From 1969 to 1974, she was owned by Dr John William Hay ('Jack') Elder, a well known GP in Annan, Scotland. He dragged her out of the mud and completely restored her, giving her the name OLD 797. He used her to cruise around the Scottish Western coast and isles, sailing her as far as St Kilda, the Outer Hebrides and Norway. For a while, he chartered her, based in Ardfern, close by Oban and he employed a skipper for this work. In later years, she was sold to the sea scouts who were then merged with a land based scout troop. During this time, her condition deteriorated.

The current owner is refitting her afloat, based in Staines on the Thames.