Sail power in T2000

[CraigD6er]

Of possible interest is the story of HMS Dampier. Designed as an anti-aircraft frigate of some 2,500t full displacement and with a crew of over 130 she was instead commissioned as a survey vessel. After 20 years working in the Far East she returned home in late 1967. Enroute a prop shaft broke. With no suitable spares available and Christmas being only 3 weeks away, the captain hit upon a novel solution to save undue stress on the remaining shaft whilst getting the ship and crew home. Three lug sails were raised, and then a few days later a square sail was added. HMS Dampier then travelled the 3,000 miles using a combination of both engine and wind power, becoming the last active duty Royal Navy warship to enter port under sail. After docking at Chatham Dockyard on 23rd Dec, she was decommissioned in Jan 1968, placed in reserve and finally taken for scrap in 1969.

This seems to be something that would ideally suit the Twilight 2000 setting. Apart from providing an interesting encounter in itself, there also becomes a small but profitable market in sourcing rigging and suitable materials for conversions. Some old hand, or a beach bum encountered along the coast, might recall the story and mention it to a ship’s captain. There would then be a search for suitable components and a period of retraining of the ships crew.

[Tegyrius]

Now I want to see a sail-powered coastal patrol cutter that started life as one of those river monitors with a transplanted tank turret.

- C.