ARA Zurubí

ARA Zurubí (P-55) is a patrol boat of the Argentine Navy, built in the Río Santiago Shipyard in 1938 and based in Ushuaia. The vessel is named after the Surubí, a catfish that inhabits Argentina’s Mesopotamia, and is the first Argentine naval ship with this name.[1][2]

Argentinian patrol boat
History
Argentina
NameZurubí
NamesakeSurubí, a fish from Argentina’s Mesopotamia rivers.
BuilderRío Santiago Shipyard, Argentina
Laid down1938
Commissioned1939
Recommissioned1993
Decommissioned1985
HomeportUshuaia
StatusActive
NotesInitially in service with the Argentine Naval Prefecture
General characteristics
TypePatrol boat
Displacement33 tons
Length22 m (72.2 ft)
Beam4.2 m (13.8 ft)
Draft1.4 m (4.6 ft)
Propulsion2-shaft, 2 × Deutz MWM diesel engines
Speed10 knots (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Complement4 (1 officer)
Armamentnone
NotesCareer and characteristics data from “Histarmar” [1] and “Argentine Navy” [2] websites.

Design

Zurubí is a coastal and fluvial patrol boat designed by the engineering team at Río Santiago Shipyard, where it was built. It has a wooden hull and superstructure, and a tripod mast.[1]

It is powered by two 8-cylinder “Deutz” V-diesel engines driving two propellers; which replaced the original “GM” ones.[1][2]

It is equipped with VHF radio, navigation radar, echo-sounding device, and compass.[1]

History

Zurubí was ordered in 1938 by the Argentine General Prefecture (PGA), predecessor of the Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA), as a pilot boat, and was built in the Río Santiago Shipyard, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at a cost of 111,982 Argentine pesos; a sister ship, the current PNA Dorado (GC-101) was also ordered. Commissioned by the PGA in 1939, she was assigned to the pilot service in the port of Bahía Blanca.[1]

Zurubí was transferred in early 1944 to the Argentine Navy as a patrol boat with pennant number P-36, and modified in the Río Santiago Shipyard. It was assigned to the Ushuaia naval base to patrol the local waters, arriving in that city in June 1944. It performed various duties until 1985, when was decommissioned.

Back into service

The historic importance of Zurubí to the local population motivated the Tierra del Fuego government to request the Argentine Navy to preserve the vessel. As a result, Zurubí was refurbished and re-commissioned in 1993. As of early 2016, Zurubí is in active service based still in Ushuaia.[1][2]

Zurubí is also notable as the first Argentine Navy ship with a female commander: in 2009 Guardiamarina (Midshipman) Erica Vanessa Bibbó was appointed skipper of the historic vessel.[3]

See also

References

Notes
  1. "P-36 SURUBÍ/ZURUBI (Buques Históricos – Histarmar)" (in Spanish). Fundación Histarmar. Archived from the original on 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  2. "Lancha Patrullera Clase "Zurubí" (Armada Argentina - Poder Naval - Flota de Mar - Unidades)" (in Spanish). Argentine Navy. Archived from the original on 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
  3. "La primera mujer que comanda un buque de la Armada Argentina" [First woman to command an Argentine Navy ship]. GacetaMarinera.com.ar (in Spanish). Gaceta Marinera. 2009-03-25. Archived from the original on 2016-03-01. Retrieved 2016-02-20.

Bibliography

Other sources

Further reading
  • Arguindeguy, Pablo (1972). Apuntes sobre los buques de la Armada Argentina (1810-1970) (in Spanish). Buenos Aires, Argentina: Comando en Jefe de la Armada.


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