Royal Australian Navy minehunters’ new purpose after service, with Frank van der Linde

In this episode of the Defence Connect Podcast, senior journalist Robert Dougherty is joined by travellers and entrepreneurs Frank van der Linde and Kerry Leach.

The pair are the new owners of two decommissioned Royal Australian Navy minehunters - HMAS Norman and HMAS Hawkesbury.

The former military vessels have been towed more than 3,800 nautical miles from Newcastle, Australia, to Cebu, Philippines, as they prepare for a new lease on life as private superyachts.

The trio discuss:

• The origins of the two minehunter vessels, how the sale was completed and some complications along the way.
• The challenges of using former military equipment in the commercial industry and documenting their journey via the YouTube channel, Living the Oneironaut Life.
• The plans for the vessels and the construction efforts still to come.

Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect team