Pinnace 288 Wreck

Circumstances of loss

On the 23rd November 1917 HMS Valiant, while at anchor in Scapa Flow, was preparing to retrieve one of the ships 50-foot Steam Pinnace�s (SP 288) during heavy weather. The two stern ropes had parted allowing the aft cabin of the pinnace to flood so the aft lifting wire could not be attached. The Pinnace was lifted with just two wires, but these snapped, and the pinnace fell back into the sea. The pinnace sank and was not recovered.The vessel remains found during this survey were those of a Royal Navy steam pinnace. Given the close correlation with the position reported in HMS Valiant�s logbook, it is almost certain they are the remains of SP 288, lost on the 23rd November 1917.Sonar and diving surveys delivered a detailed account of the wreck site, which appears to have been largely undisturbed for 104 years. The layout of the major vessel parts suggest that it settled on its keel. The wooden hull and decking have mostly rotted away and the remaining metal elements have settled on the seabed. The presence and juxtaposition of these parts is evidence of the undisturbed nature of the site. Portholes, pipework, helm, gauges, and numerous other smaller items recorded on the site further support this theory.