Belle Elaine

UKHO Identifier : 004192

Feature Class : Wreck

State : LIVE

Classification : Unclassified

Position (Lat/long) : 55.33333,-4.83333

Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)

WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 55.33333,-4.83450

WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)

Position Quality : Unreliable

Depth Quality : Depth unknown

Water Depth : 5

Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide

Name : BELLE ELAINE

Type : SV (YACHT)

Flag : FRENCH

Date Sunk : 24/08/1995

Bottom Texture : Rock

Contact Description : Entire wreck

Original Sensor : Reported Sinking

Original Detection Year : 1995

Original Source : Other

Circumstances of Loss : **RAN AGROUND ON ROCKS. CREW OF 8 RECOVERED. (NAS PRESTWICK).

Surveying Details : **HH274/410/02 30.8.95 RAN AGROUND. BREAKING UP ON ROCKS. (NAS PRESTWICK, SIGNAL DTD 25.8.95). POSN 552000N, 0045000W FOR FILING ONLY.

Charting Comments : POSN FOR FILING ONLY

Date Last Amended : 16/05/2005

No further information found on shipbuilder or build-place of the Belle Elaine. No vessel under this name appears on www.clydesite.co.uk [accessed 2 December 2014] which may indicate that the vessel was not Clyde-built.

Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology), 27/11/2014.

The maritime archaeology of the Clyde has been identified as a focus for a major study of human interaction with the river through time by the RCAHMS following on from recommendations by the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF). Source to

Sea has been developed as the long-term research programme, of which the research into human connections with the River Clyde forms part. This project has comprised a study of the surviving shipwreck heritage of Clyde-built vessels lost within the Clyde estuary and Firth of Clyde.

This project has collated information from a range of sources and has enhanced knowledge of Clyde-built wrecks within the Clyde. In particular information from recreational divers has proved invaluable and has been the source of detailed information about the current condition of many Clyde-built wrecks, useful for on-going management. A number of wrecks previously recorded as of unknown identity in the RCAHMS database were positively identified during the project and more accurate positional information was established for a number of other wrecks. Additionally, the project identified a potentially significant wreck (Margaret Niven) the remains of which were not previously recorded. This project has also identified a number of other potentially significant wrecks within the Clyde, which reflect both its unique contributions to world-wide shipbuilding and local connections. These wrecks include paddle steamers (Lapwing and Princess of Wales), Clyde Puffers (e.g. Margaret Niven), steam-yachts with military connections (HMS Breda), a dredger (Greenock) and an 18th-century West Indiaman (Lady Margaret). Numerous other wrecks have been identified by this project, and all display some degree of significance.

Information from Sally Evans (Cotswold Archaeology) April 2015