HMAS Gascoyne Minehunter Receive Five Yearly Refit

Gascoyne’s push to greater efficiency in the water

HMAS Gascoyne is receiving renewed life through a five-yearly refit, ensuring she remains ready to fight and live up to her motto “Return to the sea”.

The 52-metre long Huon Class Minehunter Coastal (MHC) is undergoing a refit in Sydney following her most recent overseas deployment.

Gascoyne’s refit saw her removed from the water in the Captain Cook Graving Dock at Garden Island where her propeller was removed and her hull repainted while all of her major systems also are being removed, refurbished and overhauled.

Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Sean Aitken, said the refit had left the ship looking almost brand new but would also improve how she sails.

“Cleaning the hull and replacement of Gascoyne’s anti-fouling fittings will have a significant impact on Gascoyne’s performance once back at sea,” Lieutenant Commander Aitken said.

“We found that during our last deployment with our sister ship HMAS Diamantina, we were roughly one knot slower and had a higher rate of fuel consumption. This refit will make us a faster and more efficient vessel.”

“We’ve also inspected the rudder and shaft, replaced or overhauled our cranes, fire pumps and replaced multiple valves throughout the ship.”

The refit comes following busy previous 12 months with Gascoyne sailing more than 22,000 nautical miles in 2019 over two major deployments to the South West Pacific and North East Asia.

Commissioned in 2001, HMAS Gascoyne is homeported at HMAS Waterhen in Sydney, with sister ships Diamantina, Huon and Yarra.