HSC Beasac III (GH -2031)
ex Sure (GH- 9001)
Nicolas Lévy Collection
“Winchester Class” (SRN.6) Mk I Hovercraft built in 1966 by British Hovercraft Corporation, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, England (025) for Hoverlloyd Ltd., Ramsgate, England
Technical Data
- Length: 14.80m (overall)(1966), 17.80m (1972)
- Beam: 7.70m (overall)
- Height: 3.80m (overall on landing pads)
- Height : 4.57 (Landed)
- Skirt Depth: 1.22m
- Cabin Size: 6.62m (length), 2.34m (breadth)
- Cabin headroom: 1.83m (@ centre line)
- Weight: 10 tons
- Engines: Rolls Royce Marine “Gnome” gas turbine
- Power: 671kW/1050 bhp
- Speed: 52 knots (over calm water), 30 – 35 knots (average service)
- Endurance: 3.5 hours
- Operational Limits (Sea State): 1 – 1.5m
- Operational Limits (Beaufort) : 6
- Capacity: 38 passengers or 3 tonnes of freight
- Sisters: HC Swift (022)(GH-2010), HC Britannia (024)(GH-2011),+++
History
“The Saunders-Roe SR.N6 (also known as the Winchester class) is a medium-sized hovercraft primarily designed for passenger service”.
Nicolas Lévy Collection
March 1966: Launched for Hoverlloyd and named SURE.
April 6th 1966: Inaugural service between Ramsgate -Calais.
April 25th 1966: Carried President de Gaulle.
April 30th 1966: Full service between Ramsgate Harbour – Calais.
Nicolas Lévy Collection (all)
© Fotoflite (06/06/1966)
1967 (Spring): Two month trial period to determine “skirt wear”. The craft was then returned to British Hovercraft Corporation who chartered her to Hovertravel for use between Ryde – Southsea.
June 25th 1962: Whilst returning to British Hovercraft Corporation at East Cowes for maintenance collided with SR.N6 130. Minor damage to the bow.
1968: Sold to Pacific Hovercraft, Canada.
February 23rd 1969: Commenced service between Vancover – Nanaimo (Vancouver Island) service.
BC History YouTube Channel
1969: Service ceased and she was put to work on a seismic survey in the Beaufort Sea
September 1971: Pacific Hovercraft went into receivership and she was taken over by Northern Transportation.
January 1972: Returned to British Hovercraft Corporation who stretched and converted her to the designated name of SR.N6 Mk 6 “Twin Prop” or “Super 6”. Work done included lengthening, sides modified, tail unit modifications and single propeller replaced by twin propeller.
1973: Various trials and demonstrations together with evaluation by Inter-services Hovercraft Trials Unit (IHTU).
December 1974 – January 1975: Evaluation by Naval Trials Unit (NHTU)
May 13th 1976: Travelled under her own power to Amsterdam.
May 22nd 1976: Returned to Cowes.
August 1976: The upgraded Gnome engine was replaced by a standard one and she was used by Solent Seaspeed and Hovertravel on Cowes – Southampton service. She then continued as a demonstrator.
November 15th 1973: Carried Premier Wang Chen of China, on the River Thames, from Parliament
November 1981: At Portland carried out mine counter-measures trial then continued as British Hovercraft Corporations demonstrator.
1989: Having been converted by Hoverwork and Air Vehicles for use on hydro graphic surveys, sold to Eurosense-Belfatop, Belgium to carry out Benelux Government surveys of their coast from bases in Zeebrugge. She was renamed BEASAC III.
2002: Retired.
November 1st 2004: Flew from Belgium via Dunkerque and Dover to the Hovercraft Museum, Lee-on-Solent. Became the last ever gas turbine Hovercraft to cross the English Channel.
Nicolas Lévy Collection
© “The Ferryman” (both)
🆕 © Nicolas Lévy (Lee-on-Solent, 02/12/2023)
All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to thank: “The Ferryman”, Fotoflite, Mike Jackson and Nicolas Lévy for their assistance in producing this feature.
Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)
