GRV James Cook
GRV James Cook was a research vessel of the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. It was built in 1966 as the New Zealand Sea Products Export Ltd trawler Sea Harvester II and purchased by the New Zealand government in 1969 when the company went bankrupt. The ship was renamed James Cook after Captain James Cook and used as a research vessel until 1991, when it was replaced by the RV Tangaroa. From 1973 to 1991 Andrew Leachman served as first mate and then captain; he went on to captain the Tangaroa for over 20 years.

James Cook was purchased by Seafresh New Zealand Ltd for use as a fishing boat but the company ceased trading soon after. The ship was in poor condition and made its last voyage under power from Nelson to Wellington in 1997. It was purchased by James Cook Shipping for use as a charter boat in Fiji. It was stripped of most of its equipment in July 2004. It suffered damage after breaking free from its moorings in October 1998 and again in August 2007. It was also set on fire by vandals several times. The hulk was scuttled in the former explosives dumping ground about  southwest of Cape Palliser on 2 December 2007.

References

External links
 Video of the James Cook and Szap 8 being scuttled, Greater Wellington Regional Council.
 James Cook being scuttled

Ships built in Trondheim
Research vessels of New Zealand
1966 ships