P1602 seems to have had a number of problems during trials. The first observation was the light gauge hull plating (1/10") and slight flexing and 'panting' of the plates when taking a rough sea. The plates above the triple ROTOL variable pitch props were also vibrating considerably and were some cause for concern. It suffered a number of ROTOL propeller breakdowns, particularly when under load and running fast. There is a report that the left prop failed and caused the boat to lurch to port. Later the s'bd prop failed and the blades flipped to a neutral or even feathered position (not yet determined which). This was so violent on the boat that it threw it round and casued a huge wake on the port bow and even produced some damage to the hull structure due to the strain. A number of crew were reported to have been thrown around and injured on this occasion including the Saunders-Roe boatman Harold Jones.
She burn out ignition cables on another occasion and was towed to safety.
Her final failure was an explosion in one of the Packard petrol engine exhaust pipes that was blow apart and caused the engine room to flood (presumably through flying debris going through the hull. She was patched up and returned to HORNET to await a tow to Saunders-Roe Anglesey for a refit. It was this trip north that was also her last.
The following 'edited' extract from the 'ships cover' dated February 1952 (courtesey John Lambert) tells briefly of her final loss at sea.