The San Pablo was built at east Kowloon (Kwun Tong)? shipyards for the film The Sand Pebbles in the mid-1960s. A video of its construction and some of the filming around Hong Kong waters can be seen here
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Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
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It is made in Cheoy Lee Shipyard
The Sand Pebbles
It started filming in HK in March 1966.
Sand Pebbles vessel
The video of the construction of this vessel shows it being built at a builder's yard opposite the Kai Tak runway and with the Hok Yuen Power Station in the distance belching out smoke. i.e. 25 seconds from the start. Neither of these locations suggest Choi Lee's slipways at Lai Chi Kok. Choi Lee was at Kwung Tong when the vessel was built as can be seen by the company's name on the roof of an adjacent building.
Launch of the vessel
I remember being taken by my father, who was a ship surveyor in the Marine Department, to the launching of this vessel. I was 14 years old, but, unfortunately, can't remember the location.
It was lovely to see the video of the building of the boat and I was quite surprised, and thrilled, when I spotted my mother, father, sister and myself, all there, standing on the dock. It was a boiling hot day, and I also remember my mother remarking that although it seemed even worse for the adult ladies to wear long white gloves, it did prevent lots of sweaty palms and handshakes.
For anyone interested we can be seen at 2:18 on the video: my sister is standing in front of me, wearing green; I am behind, with short dark hair, wearing a pink colour; our Mother is in front, wearing sunglasses and carrying a light handbag (no hat), and our father, at the back, further to our right, hand on hip.
Location of Choy Lee Shipyard
Hi there,
There was a book (香港製造，製造香港) mentioning Choy Lee shipyard first started in Ngau Chi Wan in 1950's. When the government began to develop Ngau Chi Wan, the shipyard was moved to Chuk Ko Wan (where Disneyland is today) in Lantau.
T
J.H Vaughan
According to a nice article over on Hugh's Industrial History site, the boat for the Sand Pebbles was manufactured by j.H.Vaughan. Link here: http://industrialhistoryhk.org/j-h-vaughan-an-american-shipbuilder-in-ho...