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Covadonga-class Minelayer
- Covadonga (ML-01): Laid down at Puerto Belgrano January 1940, completed December 1940.
- 21 de Mayo (ML-02): Laid down at Puerto Belgrano January 1944, completed December 1944.

Covadonga-class, Chilean (Argentine-built) Minelayer laid down 1940
This vessel, built for Chile in an Argentine yard, was based off the Argentine minelayer General San Martin. In normal service, the Covadonga was employed by the Chilean Navy as a part-time training ship for specialty roles.

Displacement:
2,600 t light; 2,709 t standard; 3,000 t normal; 3,233 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
450.38 ft / 442.91 ft x 43.31 ft x 11.48 ft (normal load)
137.27 m / 135.00 m x 13.20 m x 3.50 m

Armament:
6 - 4.33" / 110 mm guns (3x2 guns), 40.61lbs / 18.42kg shells, 1940 Model
Dual purpose guns in deck mounts with hoists
on centreline ends, majority forward, 1 raised mount - superfiring
12 - 1.57" / 40.0 mm guns (6x2 guns), 1.95lbs / 0.89kg shells, 1940 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, all amidships, all raised mounts - superfiring
24 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm guns (4x6 guns), 0.24lbs / 0.11kg shells, 1940 Model
Anti-aircraft guns in deck mounts
on side, evenly spread, all raised mounts
Weight of broadside 273 lbs / 124 kg
Shells per gun, main battery: 300

Armour:
- Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
Main: 1.97" / 50 mm 0.79" / 20 mm 0.98" / 25 mm

- Conning tower: 1.97" / 50 mm

Machinery:
Oil fired boilers, steam turbines,
Geared drive, 2 shafts, 57,995 shp / 43,264 Kw = 34.00 kts
Range 5,000nm at 15.00 kts
Bunker at max displacement = 524 tons

Complement:
202 - 263

Cost:
£1.935 million / $7.740 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
Armament: 34 tons, 1.1 %
Armour: 30 tons, 1.0 %
- Belts: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Torpedo bulkhead: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Armament: 21 tons, 0.7 %
- Armour Deck: 0 tons, 0.0 %
- Conning Tower: 9 tons, 0.3 %
Machinery: 1,449 tons, 48.3 %
Hull, fittings & equipment: 937 tons, 31.2 %
Fuel, ammunition & stores: 400 tons, 13.3 %
Miscellaneous weights: 150 tons, 5.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
1,059 lbs / 480 Kg = 26.1 x 4.3 " / 110 mm shells or 0.4 torpedoes
Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.28
Metacentric height 2.2 ft / 0.7 m
Roll period: 12.2 seconds
Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 %
- Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.26
Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.20

Hull form characteristics:
Hull has a flush deck
Block coefficient: 0.477
Length to Beam Ratio: 10.23 : 1
'Natural speed' for length: 21.05 kts
Power going to wave formation at top speed: 64 %
Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 59
Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 18.00 degrees
Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m
Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
- Stem: 22.97 ft / 7.00 m
- Forecastle (20 %): 19.69 ft / 6.00 m
- Mid (50 %): 18.04 ft / 5.50 m
- Quarterdeck (15 %): 18.04 ft / 5.50 m
- Stern: 18.04 ft / 5.50 m
- Average freeboard: 18.88 ft / 5.76 m
Ship tends to be wet forward

Ship space, strength and comments:
Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 171.1 %
- Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 217.4 %
Waterplane Area: 12,516 Square feet or 1,163 Square metres
Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 84 %
Structure weight / hull surface area: 40 lbs/sq ft or 196 Kg/sq metre
Hull strength (Relative):
- Cross-sectional: 0.51
- Longitudinal: 1.65
- Overall: 0.57
Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform

Breakdown of Miscellaneous Weights:
- 126 tons for 180x 1400lb Mark 1 naval mines
- 6 tons for ASW hydrophones
- 18 tons for electronics

Ships in Class:
- Covadonga (ML-01): Laid down at Puerto Belgrano January 1940, completed December 1940.
- 21 de Mayo (ML-03): Laid down at Puerto Belgrano January 1944, completed December 1944.