Aberdonia | National Historic Ships

Registration number 516

Status Registered

adminnhs

Details

Function Leisure Craft

Subfunction Yacht

Location Chelsea

Vessel type Yacht - Motor

Current use Private use

Available to hire No

Available for excursions No

Info required Yes

Construction

Builder Thornycroft, J I & Co Ltd, Hampton

Built in 1935

Hull material Wood

Number of decks 1

Number of masts 1

Propulsion Motor

Number of engines 1

Primary engine type Diesel

Boiler type None

Boilermaker None

Dimensions

Breadth: Beam

11.28 feet (3.44m)

Depth

4.59 feet (1.40m)

Length: Overall

47.97 feet (14.63m)

History

ABERDONIA is a motor yacht, built in 1935 by Thornycroft at Port Hampton. Her hull is carvel built of Burma teak and her engines are twin Ford diesels. Between 1940 and 1946 she was requisitioned by the Navy and renamed NAVIGATOR. She took part in the Dunkirk evacuation and is thought to have made four trips to the Dunkirk beaches. She continued her war work as a patrol boat, working with minesweepers and taking sealed orders to waiting convoys. She was narrowly missed when a German bomber attempted to crash into the ships as he went down into the sea. Wreckage hit the starboard side, and 30 years later, her owner found scorched timbers during restoration. She has been in private ownership since 1946 and is moored in Chelsea Harbour Marina.

We are lacking information on this particular vessel. If you have any information on this vessel past or present, please contact us.

Key dates

1935 Built as Gentlemans Yacht by Thornycroft at Port Hampton
1940/1946 Commandeered by Royal Navy and renamed NAVIGATOR. Took part in Dunkirk evacuation and later worked as a patrol boat
1946
Reverted to private ownership
2012
Vessel selected for Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant on 3 June 2012

Sources

Christian Brann, The Little Ships of Dunkirk: 1940-1990 (1989) pub: Collectors Books Ltd
Dan Houston, Classic Boat (August Volume 146, 2000, pp36-40) St George's Crossing