Maritime record MDO20101 - Naiad

1968 wreck of small British cutter which foundered 9 miles SW of the Bill of Portland while on tow to Portland having been swamped. Built in 1936, quite probably of wood, she was a sail-powered vessel with auxiliary engine.

'Was towed towards Portland on becoming swamped but had to be abandoned in a sinking condition.' (1, citing Lloyds List, 16.8.68)

'Foundered / Total Loss.' (2)
Built: 1936 (2)
Where built and by whom are not known.
Dimensions are not known.

There seems to be some confusion about her means of propulsion. Source 1 calls her an 'auxiliary cutter', suggesting a sailing vessel; while source 2 states that she was powered by a screw-driven 3 cylinder triple expansion steam engine (2). Given her age, and the fact that she was only 6 tons it seems likely that the engine suggested by source 2 was not only auxiliary, but diesel, rather than steam-powered. (3)

No more information about the vessel could be found.

The UK Hydrographic Office had charted her position as approximately 50°28'.868 N, 002°27'.346 W; but when nothing was found by a survey in 1991, the position was amended to DEAD and the position of her wreckage remains unknown. (1)

Date of loss qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, 1992, Hydrographic Office wreck index (Index). SWX4837.

<2> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<3> Cant, S, Oral: Serena Cant, compiler's comments, 19-JUL-2010 (Verbal communication). SDO20515.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1521244 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 16 2024 4:35PM