HMS Beagle (A319)
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HMS ''Beagle'' was a ''Bulldog'' class coastal survey vessel of the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
and was the ninth to bear the name.


History

She was originally to have been called HMS ''Barracouta'' but her name was changed to HMS ''Beagle'' in honour of the
ship A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...
which carried
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...
. She was built by yacht builder
Brooke Marine Brooke Marine (also known as J.W. Brooke & Co. and Brooke Yachts) was a Lowestoft-based shipbuilding firm.Brook ...
, to commercial, rather than military, ship standards at a cost of £53,000,000 at 2007 prices.Hansard
She was launched on 7 September 1967 by Mrs. GS Ritchie, wife of the then Hydrographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral GS Ritchie CB DSC FRICS and commissioned the following year. The class was the last Royal Navy vessels to have wooden (over steel) decks. During her Royal Naval service, ''Beagle'' travelled throughout the world from the Indian Ocean to the West Indies and Scotland to South Africa. Originally designed to work in pairs, since the early 1980s ''Beagle'' generally worked alone around the UK shores progressing the areas not covered by side-scan sonars. Following a half-life refit in 1990, ''Beagle'' was fitted with the most modern Surveying Information Processing System (SIPS) which revolutionised the way sheets were drawn and surveys conducted. ''Beagle'' had a ship's company of 45 Royal Naval personnel and was classed as a Warship under the White Ensign. The well-equipped galley, situated on 2 deck amidships, fed the whole ship's company to a very high standard. The Wardroom, just to starboard, the Senior Rates Mess just aft and the Junior Ratings mess forward, all having easy access. All accommodation, except the Captain's, was on 3 deck. The Junior Ratings had a 28-berth mess deck forward, the Senior Rates lived in double cabins and the Officers had a mixture of two double-berth and two single-berth cabins. All accommodation spaces were air conditioned and this coupled with good sea-keeping qualities made these ships very comfortable indeed. Specifically designed for Hydrographic Surveying, she was extensively modernised during her life with the original 28 ft survey launch being replaced with a 31 ft survey launch "FitzRoy" and the original 18 ft survey launch replaced with a Sea Rider RIB and associated davit. Designed originally to carry a SWB Land-Rover on the focsle, to be lifted on and off with the forward crane which also plumbed the forward survey hold. Of the four ships in the class, ''Fox'' was sold in 1989, ''Fawn'' in 1991, and ''Bulldog'' in 2001. ''Beagle'' was affiliated with the Devon town of Newton Abbot, the Norton Fitzwarren Royal Naval Association, the 2nd Gosport Beagle Cub Pack, Ruthin School CCF & the Bulldog, Beagle & Boadicea Old Crews Association. She served in the Royal Navy until 7 February 2002 when she was
paid off Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to placing a warship in ...
. She was sold in March that year for £750,000 to a yacht company in
Poole Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Counc ...
for conversion. In 2002 she was refitted into a four deck luxury yacht and renamed MY ''Titan''. She was able to sleep 22 guests and accommodate 20 crew. In 2019 a second major refurbishment brought the vessel to world-class cruising specifications with the new name Aqua Blu. She now has 15 guest suites finished in a black and ivory theme, with the highest international safety classifications (RINA, SOLAS, ISM). She is now additionally equipped with Quantum Zero Speed stabilizers and operates in Indonesia and the surrounding waters.


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Beagle (A319) Bulldog-class survey vessels Survey vessels of the Royal Navy 1967 ships