Cam boats laid up 1992 (Photo. 2).

From the original negative.

In 1992, the oil industry regulated that ex-trawlers were no longer suitable as support vessels for oil rigs. These boats were subsequently laid up at Grimsby awaiting their fate.

The boats with names visible are ‘Cam Spirit’ (Aberdeen), ‘Cam Leopard’ (Grimsby), ‘Cam Panther’ (Grimsby), ‘Cam Warden’ (Aberdeen).

‘Cam Leopard’ Built as ‘Ross Leopard’ GY.491 in 1957 by Cochrane & Sons Ltd., Selby for Derwent Trawlers Ltd., Grimsby. She had a number of owners and Cam Shipping Co. Ltd. of Grimsby converted her to an oil rig support ship in 1985. In 1992, she was converted to night club, berthed at the Albert Embankment, London. (She was operated at Ross Leopard Ltd. by owners Andrew Standring, Jeremy Clinton and Toby Flitton.) In September 2002, she was towed to a temporary mooring by Battersea Railway Bridge. By 2003, she was a floating nightclub in Ostend. She was moored here for several years. In 2008, she was laid-up at Ostend. Broken up at Ghent, Belgium in 2010.

‘Cam Panther’ ‘Ross Panther’ GY.519 was built by Cochrane & Sons Ltd. of Selby, for Derwent Trawlers Ltd. of Grimsby. She was launched in 1957 and completed in April 1958. One of the famous ‘cat boats’.

‘Ross Panther’ was owned by Ross Trawlers, Yorkshire Trawlers, British United Trawlers and G. F. Sleight. In May 1985, she was converted into the standby vessel ‘Cam Panther’ (by Globe Engineering (Hull) Ltd.). She still worked out of Grimsby. On 4th June 1992, ‘Cam Panther’ was sold to H. Webster & Sons and breaking up commenced at Grimsby (or Killingholme Haven) in December 1992. Unlike other Cat Boats, this one didn’t have an extended life beyond 1992. Perhaps she had an inherent problem?