16' Fast Motor Dinghy-'Skimming Dish"

[werik]

Hello out there. I bought my first boat this spring, not really knowing what she is. _ FMD 5383.built -1953 by Bushnells , Wargrave Oxon. Now I have got most of her history via the BMPT- thankfully. I know of their one and another on HMS Belfast. However I really love the restoration, and would like to find if any more are still out there.
Mine was fitted with a Coventry Climax KF4 engine , and never assigned to a ship but kept in Naval reserve, till decommissioned in 1962.
I'd be glad to hear from anybody's experience with them. She's a wee beauty. I lam a Scot and live in SW France, so will play on the Charente and on the sea around Rochfort and La Rochelle.
At present she is engineless , and missing tank and instruments. . . .nothing insurmountable. . . . . . I still have to give her a suitable name.

[Batstiger]

Congratulations I wish you luck with your project. Here's a pic of what you will be doing on completion.

Bob.

[werik]

Thanks for the pic. . . . .now I see why some fitted a windscreen!
cheers. . . Erik

[Batstiger]

Erik, they were great little boats. I coxswained one on the Termagant 1953/54 smashing when going flat out but when you came alongside and shut the throttle the bows used to drop right down and you lost steerage way. Until you got used to this little quirk and made yourself look a complete idiot things were a bit awkward. Be warned! It wasn't too bad if you had a couple of passengers stood up in the stern. Captains of various destroyers always wanted the fastest Skimmer so it was quite a competitive job.

Bob.

[Grosser Kreuzer]

Bob,

I've always been intrigued but what speed could the "skimmer" achieve "flat out." They had all disappeared by the time I joined the RN (or at least, I never saw one), so the type has something of the "mythical beast" quality in my eyes.

Thanks.

PS The early versions were fitted with a canvas screen up forrard and not the wind shield shown in the picture.

[Commodore Armiger]

Do we need 2 threads about this subject, fascinating as it is?

[benbow30]

Regarding the skimming dish our skipper on the Contest in58/59 in the med. tried water sking with ours and on occasions she got waterlogged
Benbow30

[HMS Bergamot]

g tank and instruments. . . .nothing insurmountable. . . . . . I still have to give her a suitable name.

I've given this some thought. Given your location, and the type of vessel, I would like to suggest......

wait for it.....


La écumoire

Well, there you go, what do you think?

Regards,

[werik]

I'm sorry not to have been in touch for a while. The work has carried on non-stop since then though and she is beginning to look like a 'proper ' boat .
I'll send you some pics for your interest. . . .I don't know how to get them onto the forum. . .I always seem to get it wrong !
Anyhow. . .she will be named - ' Dragonfly'.
I am now struggling to envisage installing the engine I bought. It shouldn't be so hard. . it's just that I am a complete beginner with boats.
I bought a Gray Marine Express 4-140 petrol engine and box which is about the same size and power as the original diesel one.
In the Admiralty specs they allowed a choice of petrol or diesel , and as this is the same age, I think it should be acceptable.
I discovered that we are 4 so far. . . .mine. . . . .the one on 'Belfast'( which is one of the same batch as mine from Bushnells). . . .the 'Dainty' of the BMPT and recently another at the West Wales Marine Heritage society. That's not a lot out of 954 .
Anyhow some pics for you. . . of---'Dragonfly'

Hope you approve !. . .
I'm still researching all sorts of things to get it right so any contacts will be very welcome
Cheers. . .Erik

once again I failed to get my pics into the message !--some day !

[John Odom]

We are waiting for the pics!

[Batstiger]

Here you are John I have just received them.

Hello again Bob,
I'm sorry not to have been in touch for a while. The work has carried on non-stop since then though and she is beginning to look like a 'proper ' boat .
I'll send you some pics for your interest. . . .I don't know how to get them onto the forum. . .I always seem to get it wrong !
Anyhow. . .she will be named - ' Dragonfly'.
I am now struggling to envisage installing the engine I bought. It shouldn't be so hard. . it's just that I am a complete beginner with boats.
I bought a Gray Marine Express 4-140 petrol engine and box which is about the same size and power as the original diesel one.
In the Admiralty specs they allowed a choice of petrol or diesel , and as this is the same age, I think it should be acceptable.
I discovered that we are 4 so far. . . .mine. . . . .the one on 'Belfast'( which is one of the same batch as mine from Bushnells). . . .the 'Dainty' of the BMPT and recently another at the West Wales Marine Heritage society. That's not a lot out of 954 .
Anyhow some pics for you. . . of---'Dragonfly'

Hope you approve !. . .if you want to put that into the forum - that would be nice.
I'm still researching all sorts of things to get it right so any contacts will be very welcome
Cheers. . .Erik





Regards, Bob.

[Don Jensen]

Does anyone have a photo of a skimming dish,I was coxwain of one of these whilst serving. Iam now writing my life story and would like to include a picture.
Harveybon2

[qprdave]

I have moved the request for the Skimmer picture to this thread and removed the post from Bob directing the member to here

You will find a picture in Post #2

qprdave

[John Odom]

A real beauty Werik! Be sure to send pictures when she is waterborne!

[tim lewin]

Dear all on this thread, some time ago i posted a whole spread of shots of the restored skimmer aboard Belfast, poss in a Belfast thread? if you want them again, or more, please PM me and i would be happy to oblige.

As a child I remember riding in the skimmer from HMYB and Corunna vividly; by the time my father got back to sea again 4 years later the Gemini had replaced the skimmer, now that you could waterski behind! it was also a handy lilo for jack to sunbather on if some of the air was let out, in Urchin it lived on the quarterdeck.
tim

[tim lewin]

The Belfast boat pics are posted under RN skimmer on 04 Dec 2007...
tim

[tim lewin]

i should add that if you want more and greater detail just let me know, its no trouble to take them i am usually there at min every 10 days.
tim

[Batstiger]

Why can't people leave things alone?
I answered the question that Don posed, surely that was sufficient without going to all this trouble?
Moderators nowadays tend to jump in just for the sake of it.

Bob.

[alanandbren]

Why can't people leave things alone?
I answered the question that Don posed, surely that was sufficient without going to all this trouble?
Moderators nowadays tend to jump in just for the sake of it.

Bob.

with you on that one Bob.

[tim lewin]

here is the thread posted 3 years ago