SOUTHERN SPRAY

1925 Bygget som hvalbåt SOUTHERN SPRAY av Smiths' Dock & Co for regning av Southern Whaling & Sealing Co Ltd. (N. C. Watt), Dunedin, UK. Sjøsatt 21/05-1925. Overlevert i juli. Registrert i North Shields, UK.
Skroget på SOUTHERN SPRAY og SOUTHERN WAVE hadde en epokegjørende ny skrog design. De var de første som hadde krysserhekk og fritthengende ror. De gjorde 14 knop på prøveturen. Man regnet at en hvalbåt med krysserhekk gjorde en knop bedre fart enn den tradisjonelle.
I fangst sesongen 1925/26 hadde man om bord, til prøve, en bakladet kanon av Bofors fabrikat. Skytter og fangstbestyrer Lars Andersen var skytter om bord.
Samtidig var en kanon samme type, av Kongsberg fabrikat, til prøve på hvalbåten CHR. NIELSEN. Dette var første gang en bakladet hvalkanon var i bruk i Sydishavet.
I tillegg var det første hvalbåt med oljefyrt kjele. Dette ble gjort om fra kull til oljefyring under byggeperioden.
Deltok i fangsten i sesongen 1925/26..
1936 Registrert med Port Stanley, Falklandsøyene som hjemmehavn. Britisk flagg.
1940 Rekvirert i mars av engelske marinen (RN) for krigstjeneste.
1941 Kjøpt av Salvesen i september, fremdeles under engelsk militær kommando.
1945 Tilbakelevert eier i mars etter endt krigsoppdrag. Registrert i Leith.
I fangst for Salvesen i Antarktis. Uviss fangsthistorikk.
1961 Senket med hensikt 22/02-1961 utenfor Leith Harbour, Syd Georgia.

1925 Built as whale catcher SOUTHERN SPRAY by the Smith’s Dock Co. Ltd., South Bank Middlesbrough, England on behalf of the Unilever’s Southern Whaling & Sealing Co Ltd. (N. C. Watt), Dunedin, UK. Launched on 21/05-1925. Delivery took place in July. Registered with North Shield as homeport.
The hull of SOUTHERN SPRAY and SOUTHERN WAVE had an epoch-making new hull design. They were the first who had cruiser stern and freely hanging rudder. They made 14 knots on the sea trail. One considered that a catcher with cruiser stern made a knot better speed than one without.
On the season 1925/26, a new constructed and the first breech loaded Bofors cannon tested out. Gunner and whaling Manager Lars Andersen was the gunner on board during the season.
At the same season, another cannon of the same type, a Kongsberg make, was on trial on the catcher CHR. NIELSEN. This was the first time evar, that a breech loaded cannon was in use in the Southern Seas.
Additionally, the SOUTHERN SPRAY was equipped with an oil fired main boiler. The boiler converted from coal firing to oil firing during the outfitting period, as one of the first ever.
Starting whaling from the season of 1925/26.
1936 Registered at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands.
In March requisitioned by the Royal Navy (RN) for WWII duty.
1941 In September purchased by Salvesen whilst under military command.
1945 Returned to owners in March. Registered in Leith. Whaling in the Antarctic.
1961 Scuttled on purpose 22/02-1961 off Leith Harbour, South Georgia.