Trivia!

Nobody has it yet. That's probably because it's a small ship from a small navy and was operating in the Far East when war broke out. She is still around today.

 

There were lots of ships disguised as islands actually.

 

True, so I will give hints to make it more specific. The one I am thinking of is a small ship from a non-major power, and was operating in the Far East when war broke out. She still exists today, and there is a common photo of the ship with its camouflage in place.

 

Manawa Nui...in the US. In New Zealand, it was one word Manawanui

 

Swing and a miss! Wikipedia shows three ships named Manawanui. The first was built in 1945, a few years after the incident I am thinking of.

 

It's the Abraham Crijnssen, a dutch minesweeper. I think.

 

Home run! The crew of the Dutch minesweeper HNLMS Abraham Crijnessen covered their ship with branches from the surrounding jungle to disguise their ship as an island while slipping past the Japanese to reach Australia. There is a photo of it that nearly blends into the background jungle. The ship survived to became a museum ship.

 

Wikipedia is wrong in this case. It's missing an important one. Although the description I read didnt mention it being disguised as an island or part of one. Oh well, interesting none the less.

http://www.cv6.org/1942/guadalcanal/manawa-nui.htm

 

Wikipedia being true to form: a good place to start, but doesn't necessarily include all the facts, especially on more obscure things such as might be found in a trivia thread.

 

very true, which is why I posted the link, although my interests definitely lie more in the direction of battles and warships then yachts!

 

That was some interesting reading there about the Manawanui. The Dutch minelayer also was fascinating. I love these trivia threads for all the strange little things they dig up.

 

indeed they are great fun, and I have learned a lot in these threads. There are always gems of knowledge that you might not think about looking for.

 

Don't do it, Professor Britannica!

 

So, the next question is mine?

 

Yep, all yours.

 

There once was a torpedo ram with an very novel propulsion system.
What was her name, and why was her propulsion so unusual?

 

Why is it that the first thing that comes to mind is the CSS H. L. Hunley, with its muscle power propulsion system.

 

That was the first thing that came to my mind as well, but it's wrong. Several of the first submersibles had human power such as the Turtle and the Nautilus. I think the one he is referring to has a steam power plant but I am not positive.

 

The vessel in question was not a submersible.

 

Torepedo boat USS Alarm. Propulsion - Fowler Wheel.