Trials for Heros

The last two Hero class mid-shore patrol boats were undergoing trials today.
CCGS M.Charles M.B. set out from the Coast Guard base at the Bedford Institute and spent the day in Bedford Basin. Number eight in the series, it underwent builders trials in June and was handed over to the Coast Guard.

M.Charles at anchor in Bedford Basin, with a RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflable Boat) alongside.

Captain Goddard M.S.M., the ninth and final boat, was launched in May and has spent the summer in Halifax Shipyard, but moved to the trials berth at pier 9C September 19. This morning it also went to the Basin, then this afternoon put out to sea. Late this afternoon it headed inbound as far as Middle Ground, then put about for sea again.

Captain Goddard turns to head outbound again and pours on the speed.

Both boats are to be stationed on the west coast, and will be dry transported there by heavy lift ship late this autumn.

.

M.Charles M.B. - another nighttime launch

To coincide with the highest available tide,  the CCG Hero class patrol boat M.Charles M.B. will be launched about midnight tonight.

This morning workers turned the vessel on the turntable to align it with the launchway.

.

Hero rollout

The penultimate Hero class patrol boat rolled out of the Module Shop at Halifax Shipyard yesterday. Since the names of the boats were originally announced, there have been some changes in the actual names, and this craft is one of them. The namesake of Nitinat hereditary chief Martin Charles, was originally to have been named simply M.Charles however this was soon modified to correctly note that he was awarded the Medal of Bravery and the official name of the boat will be CCGS M.Charles M.B.

M.Charles M.B. sits on a crib work frame just outside the module ship. Construction machinery in the foreground is working on demolition of the old pipe shop foundation, and the start of the new shipbuilding hall. 

In fact seaman Charles was awarded two Medals of Bravery, one by the Canadian Coast Guard and one by the United States Coast Guard, for his efforts during a Search and Rescue mission in 1976. His boat, the Bamfield lifeboat, based on Vancouver Island went to the aid of a sunken fishing vessel and rescued two crew members. A USCG helicopter, which had rescued another crew man crashed nearby and the Bamfield boat turned back and rescued the USCG crew and the fishing boat survivor.   

.