Ship Type Menu.Small colonial paddle avisos (20-25 nhp)
GUET N'DAR (20 nhp, launched 1848)
OYAPOCK (20 nhp, launched 1852)
AKBA class (20 nhp, launched 1854)
ECONOME class (25 nhp, launched 1855)
CROCODILE class (20 nhp, launched 1858)
ARCHER class (20 nhp, launched 1859)
GUET N'DAR colonial paddle aviso| Displacement: | 60t |
| Dimensions: | 65ft 7in x 15ft 9in x 2ft 2in |
| Same, meters: | 20.00 x 4.80 x 0.65m |
| Machinery: | 20nhp (Gâche). Direct, fixed vertical cylinders, tubular boiler, 7.34kts |
| Hull material: | Iron |
| Armament: | ? |
| Complement: | ? |
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| GUET N'DAR | Guibert, Nantes | 24.5.48 | Stk. 31.12.54 |
This ship was built to provide communications between the three fortified French posts in the Gulf of Guinea (Grand-Bassam, Assinie, and Gabon). She wore out and was decommissioned in the Ivory Coast 21.10.53. Her engines were returned to France for use in a replacement hull (see
Akba class below).
OYAPOCK colonial paddle aviso| Displacement: | 96t |
| Dimensions: | 72ft 2in x 16ft 7in x 4ft 5in |
| Same, meters: | 22.00 x 5.06 x 1.34m |
| Machinery: | 20nhp (Brest). Direct, tubular boiler |
| Hull material: | Wood |
| Armament: | ? |
| Complement: | 25 |
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| OYAPOCK | Brest | 3.5.52 | Stk. 31.12.64 |
This ship was built for French Guiana.
AKBA class
colonial paddle avisos| Displacement: | 48t |
| Dimensions: | 65ft 7in wl, 66ft 7in deck x 15ft 9in x 2ft 7in |
| Same, meters: | 20.00, 20.30 x 4.80 x 0.80m |
| Machinery: | 20nhp (Nillus in Akba, Gâche in Guet N'Dar) |
| Hull material: | Iron |
| Armament: | ? |
| Complement: | ? |
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| AKBA | Nillus, Havre | 15.4.54 | Stk. 26.12.59 |
| GUET N'DAR | Nillus, Havre | 10.8.54 | Lost 14.11.56 |
These ships were built on the plans of the first
Guet N'Dar. The new
Guet N'Dar received the engines of her predecessor with new boilers, while
Akba received new machinery on the same plans. Their names suggest they were intended for use on the Ivory Coast, but they served in Senegal.
Guet N'Dar was wrecked in the upper Senegal River in the vicinity of Medine.
ECONOME class
colonial paddle avisos| Displacement: | 69t |
| Dimensions: | 78ft 9in wl x 13ft 5in x 3ft 11in |
| Same, meters: | 24.00 x 4.10 x 1.20m |
| Machinery: | 25nhp (Rochefort). Coal 10t |
| Hull material: | Wood |
| Armament: | (1855) 4 espingoles |
| Complement: | 25 |
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| ECONOME | Rochefort | 3.4.55 | Stk. 7.11.73 |
| SURVEILLANT | Rochefort | 3.4.55 | Stk. 13.2.68 |
These ships were designed to tow barges on the Rivière de la Comté in support of the penal colony in French Guiana. They were designed to have greater speed than
Oyapock with only slightly increased length.
Econome was BU 1874 and
Surveillant was BU 1868.
CROCODILE class
colonial paddle avisos| Displacement: | 80t |
| Dimensions: | 65ft 7in wl, 69ft 7in deck x 15ft 9in x 3ft 11in mean, 4ft 3in max. |
| Same, meters: | 20.00, 21.20 x 4.80 x 1.20, 1.30m |
| Machinery: | 20nhp (FCM La Seyne). Coal 10t |
| Hull material: | Iron |
| Armament: | (1858) 2-12cm No.2 shell |
| Complement: | 25 |
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| CROCODILE | FCM La S. | 2.1.58 | Stk. 25.3.69 |
| GRIFFON | FCM La S. | 4.1.58 | Stk. 25.3.69 |
These ships were built for Senegal by FCM La Seyne. Their design was based on that of
Guet N'Dar. Both were BU 1869.
ARCHER class
colonial paddle avisos| Displacement: | 91t |
| Dimensions: | 78ft 9in wl, 81ft 5in deck x 16ft 5in x 3ft 10in mean, 3ft 11in max. |
| Same, meters: | 24.00, 24.82 x 5.00 x 1.18, 1.20m |
| Machinery: | 20nhp (FCM La Seyne). Coal 18t |
| Hull material: | Iron |
| Armament: | (1860) 2-12cm No.2 shell |
| Complement: | 25 |
| Name | Builder | Launched | Fate |
| ARCHER | FCM La S. | 5.59 | Stk. 1.3.66 |
| PIONNIER | FCM La S. | 18.5.59 | Stk. 31.10.72 |
These ships were built for Senegal by FCM La Seyne.
Archer became a barracks hulk and was BU 1871.
Pionnier was BU 1872.
Copyright © Stephen S. Roberts 2004-2015.