Boats - Sailing - Ships
Dec. 12, 1967 - The Navy Sailing home with all Canvas Spread. Full steam ahead for Christmas - with the wind helping. This is the Navy's hydrographic survey ship Dampier as the makes her way to Chatham with five makeshift sails. The Dampier, which has been away from Britain for 20 years, broke one propeller off West Africa earlier this month. The skipper decided not to waste time putting into a dockyard for repairs. So with dreams of turkey and plum pudding in their own homes to spur them on, the crew rigged awnings up fore and aft as makeshift sails. The Navy say they give an extra half-knot. Photo shows The hidrographic survey cessel, Dampier, 1, 600-tons heading towards the English Channel in a race to arrive in Chatham in time for Christmas
