Porte-class gate vessel
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Porte class |
| Operators: |
 Royal Canadian Navy ⁄ Canadian Maritime Command |
| Preceded by: | Battle class |
| In commission: | 5 December 1951 – 19 December 1996 |
| Completed: | 5 |
| Retired: | 5 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Boom defence vessel |
| Displacement: | 429 tons |
| Length: | 125 ft 6 in (38.25 m) |
| Beam: | 26 ft 4 in (8.03 m) |
| Draught: | 13 ft (4.0 m) |
| Propulsion: | 1 Diesel engine, 1 shaft 600 bhp (450 kW) |
| Speed: | 11 kn (20 km/h) |
| Complement: | originally 3 officers, 20 ratings; later expanded to 5 officers, 3 officers under training, 30 ratings |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
|
| Armament: | 1 x 40mm Bofors single mount (later removed) |
The Porte-class gate vessels were a class of boom defence vessel operated by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Canadian Forces (CF) during the Cold War.
The class derived its name from the gates of the French fortifications of Québec and Louisbourg and was designed by the RCN as a replacement for World War I-era Battle-class trawlers used to operate anti-submarine booms during World War II. The Porte class were used primarily as training vessels during the Cold War.[1]
Design and description
The Porte class were designed with the possibility of commercial adoption of the design by the Canadian fishing industry. The gate vessels were planned for use as auxiliary vessels during peacetime.[2] Of a trawler design, the Porte class were to operate the anti-submarine booms for harbour defence. They were also capable of being fitted for minelaying.[3]
The Porte class were 125 feet 6 inches (38.25 m) long with a beam of 26 feet 4 inches (8.03 m) and a draught of 13 feet (4.0 m). They displaced 429 tons fully loaded and had an initial complement of 3 officers and 20 ratings.[1][3] The Porte class were powered by one diesel engine driving one shaft creating 600 brake horsepower (450 kW). This gave the vessels a maximum speed of 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph).[3] The ships were armed with one 40 mm gun.[1]
Ships
| Ship | Original pennant number | Final pennant number | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Paid off | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porte Dauphine | YMG 186 | YNG 186 | Pictou Foundry Co., Pictou | 15 May 1951 | 4 Mar 1952 | 10 Dec 1952 | Dec 1995 | |
| Porte de la Reine | YMG 184 | YNG 184 | Victoria Machinery Depot, Victoria | 5 Mar 1951 | 28 Dec 1951 | 7 Oct 1952 | 19 Dec 1996 | |
| Porte Québec | YMG 185 | YNG 185 | Burrard Dry Dock, Vancouver | 15 Feb 1951 | 28 Aug 1951 | 19 Sep 1952 | 19 Dec 1996 | |
| Porte St. Jean | YMG 180 | YNG 180 | George T. Davie & Sons, Lauzon | 16 May 1950 | 22 Nov 1950 | 5 Dec 1951 | 31 Mar 1996 | |
| Porte St. Louis | YMG 183 | YNG 183 | George T. Davie & Sons, Lauzon | 21 Mar 1951 | 23 Jul 1952 | 29 Aug 1952 | 31 Mar 1996 | |
Service history
The first Porte-class vessel was ordered September 1949.[2] Porte Saint Jean and Porte Saint Louis were based at Halifax, Nova Scotia and Porte Dauphine, Porte Québec and Porte de la Reine at Esquimalt, British Columbia. From 1958-74, Port Dauphine was loaned to the Department of Transport as an environmental research ship on the Great Lakes.[1]
Citations
Sources
- Blackman, Raymond V.B., ed. (1953). Jane's Fighting Ships 1953—54. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
- Macpherson, Ken; Barrie, Ron (2002). The Ships of Canada's Naval Forces 1910—2002 (Third ed.). St. Catharines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing. ISBN 1-55125-072-1.