Buyskes-class hydrographic survey vessel
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 Buyskes in service with the Latvian Navy as Varonis | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Buyskes class |
| Builders | Boele's Scheepswerven en Machinefabriek, Bolnes |
| Operators |
|
| Preceded by | Snellius class |
| Succeeded by | Snellius class |
| Built | 1972–1973 |
| In commission | 1973-present |
| Planned | 2 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Active | 1 |
| Scrapped | 1 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Type | Hydrographic survey vessel |
| Displacement | 967 t (952 long tons) |
| Length | 60 m (196 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 11.1 m (36 ft 5 in) |
| Draft | 3.7 metres (12 ft 2 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph) |
| Crew | 43 |
The Buyskes class was a class of two hydrographic survey vessels that were part of the Dutch Hydrographic Service of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[2] Together with HNLMS Tydeman the ships of this class were the main ships of the Dutch Hydrographic Service during the last quarter of the 20th century.[3] While the ships of the Buyskes class were built for performing hydrographic research, the Tydeman was focused on oceanography.[4]
Both ships were built at Boele's Scheepwerven en Machinefabriek B.V. in Bolnes and replaced the hydrographic survey vessels of the Snellius class.[1][5] They were equipped with the automated "Hydraut" system that allowed them to perform hydrographic measuring.[6][5] The data this system gathered was used to make detailed maps.[5][7] However, in comparison to Tydeman the Buyskes-class ships were deemed less modern.[8]
The Buyskes undertook her sea trials in January 1973, while the Blommendal did her sea trials in April 1973.[9] In the same year both ships were taken into service of the Royal Netherlands Navy.[3]
Service history
The ships were active in the North Sea.[10][11]
Blommendal was decommissioned on 15 December 1999.[12] She was followed by Buyskes four years later on 11 December 2003.[13]
Blommendal was sold to a maritime foundation, Het Maritiem Kwartier, as a tool to keep the history of older vessels alive and educate people about them.[14] She remained laid up near the NDSM yard in Amsterdam until 2016 when she was scrapped in Haarlem.[12]
In 2004 Buyskes was sold to the Latvian Navy and renamed Varonis.[15]
