Pyronaut

"Pyronaut" is a historic fireboat based in Bristol's Floating Harbour.

She was built by Charles Hill & Sons Ltd in 1934 and was originally called "Phoenix II" before being renamed as "Pyronaut" in 1938, at the suggestion of the teenage son of a member of the committee that ran her. During the late 1930s and The Blitz in World War II she was in frequent use fighting fires on board vessels and in the surrounding dockside warehouses and factories. The many post-war fire fighting operations with which she dealt include an oil fire in September 1951 at Avonmouth Docks – "Pyronaut" made the journey down the Avon Gorge and pumped water continuously for 2 days. The following year saw her fighting a fire onboard "MV Stalheim" in the City Docks. [cite web | title=Pyronaut 619 | work=National Historic Ships | url=http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/index.cfm/event/getVessel/vref/619 | accessdate=2006-08-20]

She was re-engined and refitted in 1968, but by 1973 it was decided that there were few buildings which could not be reached by land based fire fighting equipment. She was sold, and underwent various modifications before being sold in 1989 to Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, where restoration and preservation was completed in 1995. [cite web | title=Preserving Vessels In A Diverse Local History Museum | work=Third International Conference on the Technical Aspects of the Preservation of Historic Vessels | url=http://www.maritime.org/conf/conf-king.htm | accessdate=2006-08-18]

She is now moored at Princes Wharf in Bristol's City Docks and performs spectacular displays during major harbour events as well as operating for trips on some summer weekends. [cite web | title=Boat Trips On The Fireboat, Pyronaut | work=VisitBristol | url=http://visitbristol.co.uk/site/emailafriend?url=%2Fsite%2Fwhats-on%2Fboat-trips-on-the-fireboat-pyronaut-p31491 | accessdate=2006-08-20]

Dimensions

* Length Overall: 16.77 metres (54.98 feet)
* Gross Tonnage: 20.32

References