HMCS Hochelaga was originally built as the steam yacht Waturus in 1900 by Hawthorn and Company of Leith, Scotland. The vessel measured approximately 192.5 feet in length, with a beam of 27.5 feet and a depth of 14.8 feet. Her steel hull featured a clipper bow, two masts, and a single funnel. Powered by a three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine rated at 162 nominal horsepower, she could reach speeds of around 12 knots. Her gross registered tonnage was 628 GRT, with a net tonnage of 427 NRT. Initially owned by Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria and registered at Lussingrande on the Adriatic, Waturus was sold in 1902 to Randal Morgan of Philadelphia, who refitted her and entered her into racing circuits along the U.S. East Coast. In 1914, she was listed for sale via brokers Cox & Stevens. During World War I, the Royal Canadian Navy acquired the vessel in 1915, converting her into an armed patrol yacht. Renamed HMCS Hochelaga, she was commissioned on August 13, 1915, and stationed along the Atlantic coast of Canada, notably patrolling Nova Scotia. The ship played a role in anti-submarine operations, including an incident in August 1918 when her commander, Lieutenant RD Legate, failed to intercept the German U-boat U-156, leading to his court-martial and dismissal. Hochelaga remained in service until 1920, participating briefly in the visit of Edward, Prince of Wales, and undertaking coastal patrols. Post-military service, she was sold in 1923 to the Hochelaga Shipping and Towing Co Ltd of Halifax, becoming a ferry linking Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and later equipped with submarine signaling. In 1942, she was purchased by Thomas C Wilwerth of New York, who began converting her from coal to oil fuel. The U.S. government seized her in 1943 during wartime, and she was subsequently bought by the United Fruit Company, becoming part of the sugar trade with Puerto Rico. Renamed HaChayal Ha'Ivri ("Jewish Soldier") in 1946, she was involved in an attempt to transport Jewish emigrants to Palestine but was intercepted by British forces. By the early 1950s, she was registered under the Panamanian flag, continuing to be listed until at least 1959. Throughout her varied career, HMCS Hochelaga exemplifies a vessel with diverse roles—from a private yacht and military patrol ship to a ferry and commercial trader—highlighting the multifaceted maritime history of early 20th-century vessels.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.