0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁Design ▁The ▁Explorer ▁class ▁was ▁a ▁two - ship ▁class ▁of ▁general ▁purpose ▁vessels ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁R AN . ▁The ▁ships ▁had ▁a ▁disp lacement ▁of ▁ 2 0 7 ▁tons ▁at ▁standard ▁load ▁and ▁ 2 6 0 ▁tons ▁at ▁full ▁load . ▁Each ▁was ▁ ▁long ▁between ▁per pend icular s ▁and ▁ ▁long ▁overall , ▁had ▁a ▁beam ▁of ▁, ▁and ▁a ▁dra ug ht ▁of ▁. ▁Prop ulsion ▁mach in ery ▁consisted ▁of ▁G M ▁dies els , ▁which ▁supplied ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁two ▁prop eller ▁sc rew s , ▁and ▁allowed ▁the ▁vessel ▁to ▁reach ▁. ▁The ▁ship ' s ▁company ▁consisted ▁of ▁ 1 4 ▁personnel . ▁The ▁ship ' s ▁arm ament ▁of ▁light ▁weapons ▁( us ually ▁. 5 0 ▁cal ib re ▁machine ▁guns ) ▁were ▁only ▁fitted ▁as ▁needed . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁vessel , ▁ ▁and ▁, ▁were ▁built ▁by ▁Walk ers ▁Limited ▁of ▁Mary borough , ▁Queensland . ▁Both ▁were ▁laid ▁down ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁and ▁were ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁R AN ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁The ▁Ex pl or ers ' ▁primary ▁roles ▁were ▁hydro graph ic ▁survey ▁and ▁res erv ist ▁training , ▁among ▁other ▁duties . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁both ▁vessels ▁were ▁de comm ission ed . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁they ▁remained ▁active ▁in ▁training ▁until ▁the ▁mid - 1