ARTHUR HARVEY LT27

Courtesy of Milford and West Wales Mercury

Official No:  376327  Port and Year:   Lowestoft, ? (LT27)

Description: Steel side trawler; single screw, motor.

Crew:

Built: Rotterdam, 1960

Tonnage: 66.49  grt  29.92 net.

Length / breadth / depth (feet): 66.3 / - / -

Engine: 287 hp.

Owners:   Launched as JACOMIEN 1960: Dutch owners.   c. 1977: D. Derek Sanders, Docks, Milford   c. 1983: D. Derek Sanders & Alan B. French, Milford.

Landed at Milford:  5 Jun 1978 - c. 1985.

Skippers: J. Donovan (1978); F. Reynolds (1978-79); James Brodie (1979-81)

Notes:

 Accidents and Incidents

From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 6th January 1978:

 

£50,000 REFIT FOR MILFORD TRAWLER

    A Milford Haven ocean tugmaster is investing £50,000 in re-modernising his 72 ft. trawler, the ARTHUR HARVEY.  "And if she does well I hoe to have two more like her," says 47-year-old tug skipper Derek Sanders, now home on leave from the Middle East where he commands a 3,500 tons tug on long hauls to the Far East and India.

    Mr. Sanders started his sea-going career as a deckie-learner on Milford trawlers 30 years ago.  Although he has worked as an international tugmaster for the last 17 years, he admits, "My heart is always in Milford trawlers."

    When he bought a 1962-built trawler a few years ago, Mr. Sanders named her the Arthur Harvey as a tribute to the trawler skipper of that name who, he says, enabled him to get where he is today.  "Skipper Arthur Harvey really gave me my chance to make good," says Mr. Sanders.  "I went from deckie-learner to Mate whilst serving with him and it was he who paid me to sit for my certificate.  "I can never forget what I owe to him."

 

ENGINE TROUBLE

    Mr. Sanders' small trawler had had considerable engine trouble and her owner decided that he was prepared to make a major new investment in Milford's fishing industry and go-ahead with a full-scale re-modelling and re-powering scheme.

    Just before Christmas the Arthur Harvey was towed from Milford Docks by the Plymouth-based Plymgarth, owned by Tory [sic, for Cory] Ship Towage.  She was called in because a tug from Milford's own Cory Ship Towage fleet could not be spared to be away from the port.

    The trawler was towed down round the Lizard to the South Devon port of Dartmouth where she is now berthed at the Phillips' shipyard.  There, in the next 21 months, the Milford vessel will be transformed into a far more powerful, up-to-date fishing unit.  Her present 10 tons engine will be replaced by a French Baudouin and fitted with a sophisticated Kort nozzle which gives 25 per cent more power.  With 320 hp developing to 400 hp, the Arthur Harvey will have the same power as trawlers twice her size, plus a fuel range of 18 days.

    The trawler will also be fitted with a stern towing hook, enabling her to tow her warps over the stern and give more efficiency when working in strong tides.  "This is an idea of mine adapted from my experience of towing with tugs," explained Skipper Sanders.

    The Arthur Harvey will also be fitted with a fire sprinkling system, radar, a new S.S.B. radio, new echo-sounder, a 55-channel VHF and a new winch.  Her bridge will also be lined with formica.

.............

    "I hope to have the new-look Arthur Harvey at sea in charge of Skipper Johnny Donovan by the middle of March," says her owner.

.............

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 12th May 1978:

 

BOOST TO MILFORD FISHING INDUSTRY

    After a £50,000 re-engining and improvement the trawler ARTHUR HARVEY was due to sail from Dartmouth on Thursday on her way to re-join the Milford Haven fleet.

    Her arrival around the 22nd of the month will give a desperately needed boost to the local fishing industry which this week has experienced some of the effects of a fleet reduced to just six ships as a result of the recent closure of the Hubert Jones' trawler firm.

    Because of the reduction in the port's catching power, no fish was landed at the port on Monday and Tuesday, the fishmarket standing ominously idle.  Two vessels, both owned by Norrard Trawlers, landed catches on Wednesday, but no more is expected until next week when four vessels are due to return with catches.

.............

 

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From a local newspaper, probably the West Wales Guardian of Friday 20th August , 1982:

 

    Milford-based inshore trawler, the "Arthur Harvey", found herself at the centre of a sea drama off Worms Head on Friday 13th.  Both the lifeboats from Tenby and Mumbles were launched and an R.A.F. helicopter from Brawdy was placed on full alert.  As the vessel, 65 feet long, drifted close to rocks after her engines had broken down, the weather was raging a full force nine wind.

    Tenby lifeboat, the "Henry Comber Brown", reached the " Arthur Harvey" first, and took the 60 ton vessel in tow, but the strain on the 30 ton lifeboat ripped out her stern safety rails and damaged her stern bollards.  The tow was then undertaken by the Mumbles lifeboat which took her to the safety of Oxwich Bay.  The "Arthur Harvey's" sister ship, the Saundersfoot-based "Blaedd" then towed her into Swansea docks where she underwent repairs.

    The damage to Tenby lifeboat was inspected by an R.N.L.I. surveyor on Saturday and according to lifeboat secretary at Tenby, Mr Eric Bancroft, the "Henry Comber Brown" is ready to put to sea again.  The lifeboat's stern bollards have been reinforced and the damaged safety rails completely rewelded.

    The "Arthur Harvey" is owned by fish merchant Mr Derek Saunders, of Wellington Gardens, Hakin.  The Skipper of the "Arthur Harvey" is Mr Tony James.

 

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From the West Wales Guardian of Friday 13th December, 1985:

 

    Mr Morgan Howells, managing director of the Milford Haven marine firm D. V. Howells & Son, confirmed this week that his company has purchased the sixty foot "pocket trawler", Arthur Harvey. The trawler, formerly owned by two local men, Mr Derek Saunders and Mr Alan French, has been laid up in Milford docks for some time and was sold by the High Sheriff.   Mr Howells said, "I cannot say yet what use the vessel will be put to by my company, but she had been decommissioned as a fishing vessel and there are no foreseeable plans to return her to fishing".

 

 

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