Name Chaleur Laid down 8 June 1951 Decommissioned 30 September 1954 Construction started 8 June 1951 Length 46 m Draft 2.4 m | Commissioned 18 June 1954 Identification MCB 144 Launched 21 June 1952 Displacement 353,800 kg | |
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Builder Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company | ||
HMCS Chaleur was a Bay-class minesweeper that served in the Royal Canadian Navy for three and a half months in 1954 before being sold to the French Navy to become La Dieppoise. The ship was named for Chaleur Bay, located between Quebec and New Brunswick. Her name was given to her replacement, HMCS Chaleur (MCB 164).
Contents
Chaleur was laid down on 8 June 1951 by Port Arthur Shipbuilding at Port Arthur, Ontario with the yard number 107 and launched 21 June 1952. The vessel was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy on 18 June 1954 with the hull identification number 144.
Design
The Bay class were designed and ordered as replacements for the Second World War-era minesweepers that the Royal Canadian Navy operated at the time. Similar to the Ton-class minesweeper, they were constructed of wood planking and aluminum framing.
Displacing 390 tons, or 412 tons deep load, the minesweepers were 152 ft (46 m) long with a beam of 28 ft (8.5 m) and a draught of 8 ft (2.4 m). They had a crew of 38 officers and ratings.
Propulsion and armament
The Bay-class minesweepers were powered by two GM 12-cylinder diesel engines driving two shafts creating 2,400 brake horsepower (1,800 kW). This gave the ships a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The ships were armed with one 40 mm Bofors and were equipped with minesweeping gear.
Service history
Commissioned in 1954, Chaleur spent three months in service with the Royal Canadian Navy. The minesweeper was paid off on 30 September 1954. She was transferred to France on 9 October 1954. The minesweeper was commissioned on 13 November 1954 and renamed La Dieppoise. She served as a minesweeper until 1973 when the minesweeping gear was removed and she transferred to the Pacific for duty as an overseas territories patrol vessel. She was paid off 9 July 1987 and stricken later that year.