1942 MGB 81 Motor Gunboat Restoration - Sea Trials

1942 MGB 81 Motor Gunboat Restoration - Sea Trials
Berthon was awarded the contract by Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust (PNBPT) for the restoration and re-engining of the famous 1942 Motor Gun Boat MGB 81 (MGB81)
Berthon’s history with the Motor Gun Boats (MGB) and Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB) goes all the way back to 1939 when numerous MGB and MTB hulls and complete boats were built or fitted out at our boatyard during World War Two.
After the 3 new FPT C13 Mermaid Marine 825hp diesel engines were installed by Berthon engineers (along with apprentices learning their trade), extensive sea trials were undertaken in order to check the engine load factors against the dyno test reports; this was to ensure they were still within the manufacturer’s specification. During the sea trial, the Berthon Refit team also checked that all the vessel’s systems functioned as required.
On completion, she was successfully handed over to the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust (PNBPT) Operations Team, who promptly took her on another extended sea trial back to Portsmouth Naval Base.
MGB81 Restoration playlist - • 1942 MGB 81 Motor Gunb...
Engine Removal
Part 1/3 - Aft Superstructure Removal - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
Part 2/3 Stripping Engine Room - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
Part 3/3 - Engine Removal - • Video
Interior
Part 1/5 - Laminating, Spiling & Shaping Hull Frames - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
Part 2/5 - Fitting Hull Frames here - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
Part 3/5 - Box Stringers, Longitudinals & Bunk Fronts here - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
Part 4/5 - Bunk Structure & Webs - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
Part 5/5 - Deck Structure & Flooring - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
New Engines
Part 1/3 - Fitting New Engines - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...
Part 2/3 - Fabricating Engine Mounts - • Video
Part 3/3 - Fitting Engine Mounts & Feet - • WW2 MGB 81 Motor Gun B...

[@anthonybedford8553]

Priceless, awesome.!!!

[@michaelangus3555]

A Fantastic restoration of an Iconic Vessel

[@BerthonBoats]

Thank you very much!

[@Normandy1944]

This boat is beautiful, she looks so incredibly smooth on the water, she cuts a nice line. 🥂

[@mikenelson8786]

She looks great, you must be proud.

[@y_ffordd]

Shiver me timbers, thou beant a real beauty,

[@areyoulying4937]

Such graceful lines. Even though impractical and impossible, I would own a craft like this. Great video!

[@BerthonBoats]

Couldn't agree more!

[@tonyhudson8698]

New Zealand, Trademe has a similar boat listed at the present time. Have a look, I would love to own it, but too old to handle the beautiful girl. Cheers.

[@paulbetka6477]

🇺🇸💪🏻👍🏻🇺🇸

[@DIVeltro]

What happened to the original engines?

[@BerthonBoats]

On 27th April 1945, with the war in Europe in its final days, she paid off at Poole and was placed in reserve. October 2nd 1845, MTB 416 was approved for disposal and was later sold. Little is known about her subsequent history until 1958, when she was arrested by Customs officers at Shoreham whilst on a smuggling operation. She was sold on to a Gosport scrap dealer for use as a sailing school accommodation ship at Hardway, Gosport, and renamed JOLLY ROGER. It is around this time that her original three American Packard engines would have been removed. In 1964, she was sold to become the houseboat CRESTA, also at Hardway. In 1984, she was towed to Burlesdon on the River Hamble, and in 1988, was bought by Guy Webster to restore her to her wartime appearance. On 17 September 1998, she was bought by Philip Clabburn and was reconstructed at the British Military Powerboat Trust’s Marchwood site between 1999 and 2002. Petrol engines were thought to be prohibitively expensive to run, so three 1,000-bhp V-12 MAN turbocharged diesel engines were fitted. During our restoration we removed the 3 MAN 835hp engines to make way for 3 new, Mermaid Marine supplied, FPT C13 825hp more reliable, fuel efficient, and lighter diesel engines.

[@markhaynes8909]

Thought they sounded like FPT/Iveco's.@@BerthonBoats