SAS Walvisbaai

HMS Packington (pennant number: M1214) was a Ton-class minesweeper completed in 1959 by Harland & Wolff for the Royal Navy, but transferred before commissioning to the South African Navy as SAS Walvisbaai. The ship was decommissioned in March 2001 and was sold to the Walt Disney Company in 2003 to be used in the Wes Anderson film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

History
United Kingdom
Name: Packington
Namesake: Packington
Builder: Harland and Wolff, Belfast
Launched: 3 July 1958
Completed: 21 May 1959
Fate: Sold to the South African Navy before commissioning
South Africa
Name: Walvisbaai
Namesake: Walvis Bay
Acquired: 20 September 1959
Decommissioned: March 2001
Fate: Sold to the Walt Disney Co., 2003; later sold to private interests.
Panama[1]
Name: Mojo
Acquired: 2006
Status: In service
Notes: Converted to a yacht from 2006-2012
General characteristics
Class and type: Ton-class minesweeper
Displacement:
  • 360 long tons (370 t) (standard)
  • 440 t (430 long tons) (deep load)
Length: 153 ft (46.6 m)
Beam: 27 ft 7 in (8.4 m)
Draught: 8 ft 2 in (2.5 m)
Installed power: 2 × 3,000 bhp (2,237 kW) diesel engines
Propulsion: 2 × propeller shafts
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Range: 2,300 nmi (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph)
Complement: 32
Armament: 1 x Bofors 40 mm gun

Post filming the vessel was sold and was subsequently converted into a private yacht.

Design and description

The Ton-class coastal minesweepers were constructed with wooden hulls and almost all of their structure was made from aluminium to reduce their magnetic signature to aid sweeping magnetic mines.[2] The ships displaced 360 long tons (370 t) at standard load and 1,940 long tons (1,970 t) at deep load. They had a length between perpendiculars of 153 feet (46.6 m), a beam of 27 feet 7 inches (8.4 m) and a draught of 8 feet 2 inches (2.5 m).[3] The Tons were powered by two Napier Deltic diesel enginess, each driving one propeller shaft. The engines developed a total of 6,000 brake horsepower (4,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). They had a range of 2,300 nautical miles (4,300 km; 2,600 mi) at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) and had a complement of 4 officers and 25 ratings. The Ton-class ships were armed with a single 40-millimeter (1.6 in) Bofors and two 20-millimeter (0.8 in) Oerlikon light AA guns on a single twin-gun mount.[4]

Construction and career

Packington was launched by Harland and Wolff on 3 July 1958 at their Belfast shipyard.[3] She was transferred to the South African Navy before she was commissioned on 20 September 1959 under the name of SAS Walvisbaai. The ship was retired in March 2001 and sold to the Walt Disney Company in 2003 to be used as the R/V Belafonte in the Wes Anderson film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.[5]

Subsequently, she was sold to a private owner for $350,000.[6] In 2006 she began a lengthy conversion into a yacht in Dubai that saw her engines replaced by a pair of 1,750 bhp (1,300 kW) V-12 Caterpillar 3512B diesel engines, her deck renewed and her interior completely revamped. The work was completed by 2012 and the ship was renamed Mojo.[7]

Citations
  1. "MOJO". ShipSpotting. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  2. "Ton History". tca2000.co.uk. Ton Class Association. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  3. Moore, p. 401
  4. "Ton Technical Stuff". tca2000.co.uk. Ton Class Association. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  5. "Packington M1214". tca2000.co.uk. Ton Class Association. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  6. "Sold - Mine Sweeper". www.maritimesales.com. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  7. "Mojo yacht- Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries". www.superyachttimes.com. SuperYacht Times. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
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References
  • Du Toit, Allan (1992). South Africa's Fighting Ships: Past and Present. Rivonia, South Africa: Ashanti Publishing. ISBN 1-874800-50-2.
  • Moore, John, Captain RN, ed. (1981). Jane's Fighting Ships 1981–82. London: Jane's Pub. Co. ISBN 0-7106-0728-8.
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