Additional information courtesy of Barry Banham and David Slinger
Technical

Official Number: 187863
Yard Number: 509
Completed: 1958
Gross Tonnage: 426
Net Tonnage: 139
Length: 137 ft
Breadth: 28 ft
Depth 14.25 ft
Oil Engine: 1000bhp 8 cyl by Mirrlees, Bickerton & Day Ltd, Stockport

History

26.10.1957: Launched by Goole Shipbuilding & Repairing Co Ltd, Goole (Yd.No.509) for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Fleetwood as SSAFA (Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association).
01.1958: Completed. First Fleetwood trawler fitted with a TV.
01.1958: Registered at Fleetwood (FD155). Basil Arthur Parkes appointed manager.
17.01.1961: Outward for the fishing grounds (Sk. Harry Pook); sixteen hands all told. In the early hours in heavy weather and a gale, stranded on rocks in Friesland Bay, Coll, Inner Hebrides. At 6.36 am. sent distress message which was received by Oban Radio and Fleetwood trawler PRINCESS ANN (FD) and Mallaig lifeboat responded but could not approach the vessel due to position. At 7.30am. distress cancelled as vessel although on rocks was not making water. Twelve crew pulled to safety by Coll lifesaving team and transferred to the lifeboat; skipper, mate, Ch Eng and radio operator remained onboard, but as the tide ebbed the vessel took a list to port and it was obvious that she was not going to come off. The four men were recovered by the lifesaving team and also transferred to the lifeboat which returned to Mallaig.
18.01.1961: Weather deteriorated and vessels pounded on rocks sustaining damage to shell plating, starboard side, lifeboat washed away, wheelhouse damaged and whole vessel flooded during more severe weather that followed.
07.04.1961: After ten weeks of work, weather permitting, vessel made watertight, pumped dry and with steam salvage ship PLANTAGENET (454grt/1939), Mr J. D. Outhwaite, Fleetwood Steam Trawlers’ Mutual Insurance Association Ltd and the surveyor, Mr G. Willey in attendance, attempted to refloat. Tide failed to make sufficiently and attempt abandoned.
18.04.1961: Successfully refloated by Metal Industries Ltd, steam tug METINDA III (593grt/1945) and beached at Tobermory to make ready for tow to the Clyde for docking and survey.
09.1961: At Glasgow completed Special Survey by Lloyd’s Register and classed 100A1 Stm Trawler following repair and restoration on the Clyde.
10.1961: Arrived Fleetwood.
1965: Sold to Parbel-Smith Ltd, Aberdeen. Basil A. Parkes appointed manager. Continued to fish out of Fleetwood.
01.1968: Homeward from Iceland grounds (Sk. Charlie Pook); mate Stanley Treece-Birch on watch with two hands. Hit by a very heavy sea which smashed the bridge windows, swept over the casing taking away fittings and lifeboat and causing the generator to trip out. Wheelhouse personnel knocked over and skipper trapped in his cabin by furniture which had been dislodged. Lighting restored but compass, radio equipment and other electronics damage by water. On emergency transmitter contacted trawler ARMANA (FD) (Sk. Harold Daniels) which had also left the grounds for home and was about five miles astern. ARMANA responded, guiding SSAFA back to Iceland and after twelve hours arrived Reykjavik for temporary repair.
09.03.1968: Having left Wyre Dock for the fishing grounds took the ground outside the lock.
1969: Transferred to Canada in a survey role.
1970: Returned to Fleetwood. Sold to Boston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd, Hull. Basil Arthur Parkes appointed manager.
18.01.1971: Inbound after a 14 day trip (SK. Harry Pook) in thick fog in collision with EDWINA FD162 (Sk. George Beech Snr.) Both vessels entered port safely.
1971: Sold to Heward Trawlers Ltd, London & Fleetwood. Robert P. G. Hewett appointed manager.
12.11.1972: Arrived Fleetwood (Sk. John Dunne), with extensive damage to the wheelhouse caused by heavy seas.
01.1973: On Iceland grounds, cable to trawl winch burnt out. HMS LOWESTOFT (P.No.F103) on Fishery Protection Patrol supplied cable and a team to repair which was completed in eight hours.
07.1975: Sold to Huxley Fishing Co Ltd, Lowestoft.
31.07.1975: Arrived Lowestoft. Fleetwood registry closed.
15.08.1975: Registered at Lowestoft (LT73). J. Leggett appointed manager.
04.11.1977: Registered anew following conversion to offshore platform standby safety vessel. Fishing registration closed.
07.1987: Sold to Liguria Maritime Ltd, Sittingbourne, Kent.
08.07.1987: Registered at Lowestoft as a 2nd Class fishing vessel (LT154).
12.07.1987: Sailed Lowestoft for Queenborough.
27.08.1987: Fishing registration closed. Broken up at Milton Creek, Sittingbourne.
06.11.1987: Lowestoft registry closed.

Click to enlarge images

SSAFA in drydock after stranding on Coll

Changelog
11/09/2016: Page re-published due to site problems.
25/02/2017: Image added.
26/03/2017: Added information and removed FMHT logo.
15/08/2017: Added an image.
19/10/2017: Added an image.
29/08/2020: Added an image.
20/05/2022: Added images.