The Buyskes class was a class of two hydrographic survey vessels that were part of the Dutch Hydrographic Service of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[2] Together with HNLMS Tydeman the ships of this class were the main ships of the Dutch Hydrographic Service during the last quarter of the 20th century.[3] While the ships of the Buyskes class were built for performing hydrographic research, the Tydeman was focused on oceanography.[4]
 Buyskes in service with the Latvian Navy as Varonis
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Buyskes class |
| Builders | Boele's Scheepswerven en Machinefabriek, Bolnes |
| Operators |
|
| Preceded by | Snellius class |
| Succeeded by | Snellius class |
| Built | 1972–1973 |
| In commission | 1973-present |
| Planned | 2 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Active | 1 |
| Scrapped | 1 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Type | Hydrographic survey vessel |
| Displacement | 967 t (952 long tons) |
| Length | 60 m (196 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 11.1 m (36 ft 5 in) |
| Draft | 3.7 metres (12 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph) |
| Crew | 43 |
Design and construction
editBoth ships were built at Boele's Scheepwerven en Machinefabriek B.V. in Bolnes and replaced the hydrographic survey vessels of the Snellius class.[1][5] They were equipped with the automated "Hydraut" system that allowed them to perform hydrographic measuring.[6][5] The data this system gathered was used to make detailed maps.[5][7] However, in comparison to Tydeman the Buyskes-class ships were deemed less modern.[8]
The Buyskes undertook her sea trials in January 1973, while the Blommendal did her sea trials in April 1973.[9] In the same year both ships were taken into service of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[3]
Service history
editThe ships were active in the North Sea.[10][11]
Blommendal was decommissioned on 15 December 1999.[12] She was followed by Buyskes four years later on 11 December 2003.[13]
Blommendal was sold to a maritime foundation, Het Maritiem Kwartier, as a tool to keep the history of older vessels alive and educate people about them.[14] She remained laid up near the NDSM yard in Amsterdam until 2016 when she was scrapped in Haarlem.[12]
In 2004 Buyskes was sold to the Latvian Navy and renamed Varonis.[15]
Ships in class
edit| Ship | Pennant number |
Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buyskes | A904 | 31 January 1972 | 11 July 1972 | 9 March 1973 | 11 December 2003 | Sold to Latvia in 2004[13][15] |
| Blommendal | A905 | 1 August 1972 | 21 November 1972 | 22 May 1973 | 15 December 1999 | Scrapped in 2016[12] |
Notes
editCitations
edit- ^ a b c van Amstel, pp. 91-92.
- ^ van Amstel, p. 87.
- ^ a b Raven, p. 190.
- ^ "Tydeman gaat oceaanbodem onderzoeken". Nederlands Dagblad (in Dutch). 13 January 1977.
- ^ a b c Woudstra, p. 162.
- ^ "Veel bezoek Scheepvaartdag Delfzijl". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 12 November 1979.
- ^ Raven, p. 141.
- ^ "„Marine kan meehelpen bij ontwikkelingssamenwerking"". Nederlands Dagblad (in Dutch). 11 June 1979.
- ^ "Te veel water bij stapelloop". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 22 November 1972.
- ^ "Van achterkant maan weten we meer dan eigen zeebodem". Het Vrije Volk (in Dutch). 17 July 1974.
- ^ Arlette Dwarkasing (26 May 1994). "Als de korporaal zakt, staat hij op straat". Trouw (in Dutch).
- ^ a b c "Blommendal" (in Dutch). Scheepvaarthoek. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Dutch survey vessel Hr. Ms. Buyskes (A 904) 1972-2004 and Latvian law enforce vessel Varonis (A90) 2004-". Warships Research. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ "Drijvende objecten" (in Dutch). Zaans Industrieel Erfgoed. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
- ^ a b "A-90 "Varonis"" (in Latvian).
References
edit- Raven, G.J.A., ed. (1988). De kroon op het anker: 175 jaar Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw. ISBN 90-6707-200-1.
- van Amstel, W.H.E. (1991). De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945 (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 9060139976.
- Woudstra, F.G.A. (1982). Onze Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 9060139151.