VIC 96

Ex Admiralty Victualling Inshore Craft VIC 96 was built for the Navy with economy in mind by Dunstans of Thorne in Lincolnshire in May 1945. The VICs were built for the Navy (in order to service the fleet) on a design based on the Clyde Puffers. Use of simple machinery and simplicity of construction enabled a range of modest shipyards to produce VICs during the War making them quick and economic. Most plates have curvature in only one direction and the hull has straight rather than curved frames, there being an angled bilge. They could also run on indigenous fuel rather than scarce imported oil. VIC 96 has a 14ft high 7ft diameter coal fired Cochran boiler producing steam at 120 psi for a large Crabtree compound engine. The hull is 80ft long between perpendiculars, 85ft long overall and has a beam of 20ft. Working draught is about 7ft 6in. The cargo hold is 40ft 3in long. Originally she had an armoured wheelhouse.