I am looking for information on a barge that I have just bought in Scotland.  The hull classification is YVC 49.  The barge was purchased originally from the MoD and apparently it was used to carry torpedoes.  But some preliminary investigations show that the hull classification is actually American.  Can anyone shed any light on this for me please?

I don't recognise "YVC 49" as a Royal Navy designation at all - the US Navy did use the classification YVC - but that was way back in the 1940s and 50s for an experimental vessel.

You describe it as a 'barge' - do you mean an unpowered lighter??

If you have any more details of this vessel - size  / power / any builders details, it may help

Thanks for coming back to me. Yes the vessel probably is (or was) an unpowered lighter.  It was built in the early 50s and is 58ft x 17ft 4ins. It is a similar shape to a humber keel barge. The chap who had bought it from the MOD was told that it had been used to carry ammunition at some point but I am not sure that this was its original usage. Thank you for helping me track down its history.

Doing a bit of digging, I suspect that the correct designation should be VYC rather than YVC.   This stands for Victualling Yard Craft.

I will do some more digging.

Thank you.  You are probably right about the letters, they are difficult to make out on the hull.  Look forward to hearing from you.