Fairmiles of RNZN – Fairmile Q400 later“Dolphin / Sayandra”

HMNZS Fairmile Q400 later“Dolphin / Sayandra”

An original black and white photograph of Fairmile Q400 in Rangitoto Channel, leaving the harbour, flying signal flags, crew fallen in on deck. On reverse “Auckland 1943” “65”

An original black and white photograph of Fairmile Q400 after disposal from the Royal New Zealand Navy, at Queen’s Wharf, Wellington. Starboard side view of a small warship alongside a wharf. Q400 is painted on the bow. Side of ship in left foreground with buildings and cranes in the background. There is a buoy in front of the ship. On the reverse are the notes “85%” “Q400”. Wellington, 1946?

An original black and white photograph of Fairmile Q400 in Calliope Basin. Port side view of 9 warships alongside in 3 groups. Other ships (left to right) HMNZS KIWI, HMNZS PHYLLIS, Q02 (MARISTELLA) with Q07 (TE RAUPARAHA) coming alongside T32 (WAIPU). Another castle class vessel, patrol launch and FAIRMILE (Q405?). On reverse “58” and list of ships as in Brief Summary

HMNZS Fairmile Q400

Q400 – later“Dolphin / Sayandra”– Burned and sunk, Gt Barrier Is. 1980.

Fate – Q400 of the Royal New Zealand Navy –Renamed Dolphin and later Sayandra, wooden motor launch
After catching fire when off Green Island, on the west coast of Great Barrier Island on 9 March 1980, the Sayandra was badly damaged before the fire was put out by the crew of a passing yacht. Two launches then towed the Sayandra to Rarohara Bay, Port Fitzroy, and beached her near Quoin Island, where she sank next day. She became at total loss, subjected to vandalism and pilfering. In 1982, the Marine Division, Ministry of Transport, Auckland, took steps to have the partly submerged vessel removed.
Built at Auckland in 1942, the Sayandra was 34m long, 5.5m beam and powered by twin-screw diesel engines. Owned by Mr B.Pirret of Auckland.
The Sayandra was originally the Fairmile anti-submarine patrol launch Q400 of the Royal New Zealand Navy and had been severely damaged twice before, by fire and stranding in the Solomon Islands in 1944, and in February 1947 when struck by the bow of the Picton ferry Tamahine at Queen’s Wharf, Wellington.
Source: “New Zealand Shipwrecks 200 Years of Disasters at Sea” by Lynton Diggle, Edith Diggle and Keith Gordon. 2007.

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