RCAF Crashboat Black Duck

[ColinP]

Not quite Naval, but it was run by the navy for awhile, in Gray and yellow.

It was retired in 1986, donate to theVancouver Maritime Museum. I ran it for many years and estored it to RCAF colours. After I left she was neglected ad sank at he dock, she was given away for scrap.

A proper restore to her RCAF configuration would have required the removal of the canopy over the wheel, radar and mast.

[jim7966]

If these are the same ones there were two or three of these posted at HMCS Quadra on Vancouver Island when I was there from 1981-1983.

They were run by CF members and maintained by civilians.

Very fast from what I remember.

[ColinP]

Correct, these boats replaced the wartime crashboats that were built by the Canadian Power Boat Company based on the 70’ MBT. This design was a direct copy of the USCG 40’ cutters. There was about 13 built, this one took part in the Avro Arrow trials and started life at CFB Trenton, she was shipped by rail to the West Coast and she and her sister boat the Albatross served at Comox and Nannoose for many years, till they were replaced by 56’ fiberglass Canoe Cove boats also named Black Duck & Albatross.
The Air Force seaplane base in Vancouver also ran two boats of this class as well, named the Moorhen and the Mallard, these and the base were turned over to the new formed Canadian Coast Guard in 1964. The Mallard is still operating somewhere on Vancouver Island and at least one of the ex-MBT style boats is operating in Vancouver as a charter vessel. Also there are 2 old Fairmiles operating/operated out of Vancouver harbour as charterboats as well.

[astraltrader]

Not quite Naval, but it was run by the navy for awhile, in Gray and yellow.

It was retired in 1986, donate to theVancouver Maritime Museum. I ran it for many years and estored it to RCAF colours. After I left she was neglected ad sank at he dock, she was given away for scrap.

A proper restore to her RCAF configuration would have required the removal of the canopy over the wheel, radar and mast.


Colin - a great shame that after all the hard work you put in this fine little craft was allowed to rot away at the dock. :(

Could you please see my PM [private message] to you.

[John.Cowan]

I served at Marine Rescue, CFB CMOX 1981-84. The BLACK DUCK, and her two sisters HERON and FLAMINGO were incredibly tough, sturdy seaboats that were ideally suited for their role. I vividly remember practising sternboards in BLACK DUCK, attempting to berth stern first into the Marine Rescue float at QUADRA. The skills I developed there have served me very well in my career since then manoeuvering ships up to 50,000T. The Navy crew (the other two crews were civilian defence employees) srarted their 9 day shift on Saturday and we spent a lot of time fishing off of Cape Lazo. In order to slow BLACK DUCK down enough to troll for salmon, we would jam a fork over the kill switch, holding it partly out. The Marine section Engineer, Bob Waugh, routinely chastised me for this. Fond memories. John Cowan

[k225]

Colin I was so sad to here of Black Ducks demise in such a sad way, shows that perhaps donating to Museums won't always preserve history. A few shots from the 70's I believe of her.