| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| St. David (ex-Suffolk Monarch) | M07 | Cubow, Woolwich | 1972 // 1978 | returned 1984 | |||
| Venturer (ex-Suffolk Harvester) | M08 | Cubow, Woolwich | 1973 // 1978 | returned 1984 |
|
Displacement standard, t |
382brt |
|
Displacement full, t |
|
|
Length, m |
36.8 wl |
|
Breadth, m |
8.90 |
|
Draught, m |
3.90 |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
2 Mirrlees-Blackstone EWSL8M(A) diesels |
|
Power, h. p. |
2000 |
|
Max speed, kts |
11 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil 95 |
| Endurance, nm(kts) | |
|
Armament |
mechanical minesweeping gear |
| Electronic equipment | nav. radar |
|
Complement |
24 |
Project history: To combat the threat from deep-laid mines (mainly to submarines) the RN chartered two commercial stern trawlers in 1977 and four more in 1978, using them with their original crews, but with naval mine warfare specialists on board. These 'Highland Fling' exercises showed that sweep wires could be operated at far greater depths than had been thought, and so a new concept of Extra-Deep Armed Team Sweeping (EDATS) came into being. Special depth-keeping gear allows the sweep wire to follow the contour of the sea-bed, and the depth is believed to be well over 300m. Explosive cutters are attached at 90m intervals.
In 1978 two trawlers were chartered from Small & Co of Lowestoft for manning by RNR crews from the South Wales and Severn Divisions. They had been successful as sweepers but power-generating capacity fell far short of naval requirements.
Modernizations: None.
Naval service: No significant events.
St. David 1978
© Ivan Gogin, 2016