Photographed against the river wall in St.Valery-sur-Somme on 8 August 2013 Somme II is a now retired Buoy handling vessel laid down by Auroux of Arcachon in 1949.
Although post war shortages of steel resulted in her original all metal design changing to oak and larch on a steel frame she was launched in 1950 and delivered to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme for the Department of Lighthouses and Beacons in August 1950.
She was decommissioned in 1999 when she was replaced by a newer vessel, to avoid her being scrapped she was bought by a trust who have restored her.
Propulsion is via two engines, the main engine is a Baudouin DG3 150hp diesel engine powering a 800mm propeller with auxiliary power originally being provided by a 12hp gasoline engine. In 1954 the auxiliary engine was replaced by a Couach NC4 45hp gasoline engine, this engine was again replaced in 1965 by a Couach DX6 engine and finally by a Baudouin 4D106 65hp engine.
Although post war shortages of steel resulted in her original all metal design changing to oak and larch on a steel frame she was launched in 1950 and delivered to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme for the Department of Lighthouses and Beacons in August 1950.
She was decommissioned in 1999 when she was replaced by a newer vessel, to avoid her being scrapped she was bought by a trust who have restored her.
Propulsion is via two engines, the main engine is a Baudouin DG3 150hp diesel engine powering a 800mm propeller with auxiliary power originally being provided by a 12hp gasoline engine. In 1954 the auxiliary engine was replaced by a Couach NC4 45hp gasoline engine, this engine was again replaced in 1965 by a Couach DX6 engine and finally by a Baudouin 4D106 65hp engine.
Somme II was specially designed for navigating in the Somme Bay, channel and port of St Valery as well as off the coast. She has a length of 17.5m, beam of 5.8m and a shallow draft of 1.48m. For nearly 50 years the vessel moved the buoys and maintained 14 km of shipping channel to safely allow commercial vessels to enter and leave the bay.
Her original crew consisted of a Captain, Engineer and 3 sailors.
Somme II was classed as an historic ship in 2000.
Her original crew consisted of a Captain, Engineer and 3 sailors.
Somme II was classed as an historic ship in 2000.
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