Small Craft News

OLAS Guardian App released by Exposure Lights

Posted on by News Hound
OLAS Guardian fitted inside a console. Photo © Exposure Lights
OLAS Guardian fitted inside a console. Photo © Exposure Lights

OLAS Guardian is a new wireless engine kill switch released by Exposure Lights. It acts as a virtual ‘kill cord’ by stopping an engine within two seconds of a person going overboard. For RIB and powerboat drivers OLAS Guardian means their boat will stop in an instant should the skipper, or a crew member, get separated from the boat.

OLAS Guardian works by wirelessly logging up to 15 crew members to an engine’s kill switch via small, wearable transmitters, the OLAS wrist Tags or OLAS Float-On light.

If the transmitter is submerged overboard, or is separated by distance, it instantly breaks the connection, cuts the engine and triggers an Continue reading “OLAS Guardian App released by Exposure Lights”

Aaron & Melissa II: Clogged bilge system and poor weather led to sinking

Posted on by News Hound
Aaron & Melissa II
Aaron & Melissa II

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a Marine Accident Brief about flooding and sinking of the fishing vessel Aaron & Melissa II approximately 70 miles southeast of Portland, Maine, while transiting to fishing grounds during a storm with gale-force winds.

The Aaron & Melissa II sank about 0800 local time on November 14, 2018. All four crewmembers abandoned ship and entered an inflatable liferaft when attempts to dewater the vessel proved unsuccessful; they were later rescued by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. Petty Officer Michael Kelly, a rescue swimmer with the U.S. Coast Continue reading “Aaron & Melissa II: Clogged bilge system and poor weather led to sinking”

Towboat sinking blamed on ineffective hull maintenance says NTSB report

Posted on by News Hound
Towboat Miss Roslyn
Towboat Miss Roslyn

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a Marine Accident Brief about the capsizing and sinking of the fleet towboat Miss Roslyn, citing the company’s lack of effective hull inspection and maintenance program.

On October 9, 2018, at 1630 local time, the Miss Roslyn was traveling downbound at mile 142 on the Lower Mississippi River near Reserve, Louisiana, when she began to flood and list to starboard. The three crewmembers abandoned the towboat onto a moored fleet barge and a Good Samaritan vessel. The Miss Roslyn capsized and sank on her starboard side. Continue reading “Towboat sinking blamed on ineffective hull maintenance says NTSB report”

Canal & River Trust issues a strategy update

Posted on by News Hound
Canal & River Trust issues a strategy
Canal & River Trust issues a strategy

The Canal & River Trust has released its latest annual update detailing progress over the past year against its strategic action plan.

In October 2015 the Canal & River Trust published its water resources strategy, ‘Putting the Water into Waterways’, setting long term aspirations for the next five years as well as looking ahead to 2050 to understand longer-term pressures and challenges regarding water supply and use.

Drought conditions have persisted in 2019 with restrictions being re-imposed on Continue reading “Canal & River Trust issues a strategy update”

Inland Waterways value to the UK highlighted in report

Posted on by News Hound
UK Inland Waterways
UK Inland Waterways

The value of inland waterways across the UK has been highlighted in a new report by the Inland Waterways Association.

The review brings together previously written reports and studies to evidence the many benefits that a waterway can bring to an area with the aim of influencing planners and policy makers.

“As budgets are stretched and funding is being cut, it is all the more important to have clear information at your fingertips when speaking to members of the local council or developers who are looking to impact on inland waterways,” explained Continue reading “Inland Waterways value to the UK highlighted in report”

EMSA annual overview of marine casualties and incidents 2019 published

Posted on by News Hound
EMSA publish report for 2019
EMSA publish report for 2019

The EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) has released its study on marine casualties and incidents in its annual report. It shows a steady situation, but highlights that fishing vessels remain the category of ship with the highest number of ships lost over the 2011-2018 period.

With 3,174 occurrences reported in 2018, the total number of occurrences recorded in the EMSA EMCIP (European Marine Casualty Information Platform) database has grown to over 23000 representing an average of 3,239 marine casualties or incidents per year over the past five years.

The number of very serious casualties had continuously decreased since 2014; Continue reading “EMSA annual overview of marine casualties and incidents 2019 published”

The Expected Life Span of Yacht Enclosures

Posted on by News Hound
A yacht leaving its enclosures
A yacht leaving its enclosures

What is the expected life span of  yacht enclosures? There are a lot of variances, and this article is prepared to give you the information needed to determine the life of a given yacht enclosures.

Soft Enclosures

The least expensive of boats will typically have roll vinyl curtains. These are made from a clear pvc material that typically comes 51” wide on a roll and can be .015, .020 or .030 in thickness. It is soft and the life span is very short and unremarkable.

Better boats may have pressed polished sheets. These are made using the roll vinyl Continue reading “The Expected Life Span of Yacht Enclosures”

ABYC and TCMSS announce one set of marine safety standards

Posted on by News Hound
Transport Canada logo and ABYC
Transport Canada logo and ABYC

Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security (TCMSS) has published a policy on the acceptance of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standards as an approved alternative method for small vessel compliance in Canada. The policy is effective as of October 30, 2019.

“Having one set of standards throughout North America is a huge benefit for engineering, manufacturing, and trade for the marine industry,” said Craig Scholten, ABYC Technical VP. “Being able to design, certify, and produce product to one standard will streamline and simplify everyone’s efforts.”

TCMSS will accept the equivalent standards published by ABYC with some Canadian modifications. The policy affects pleasure craft less than 24 meters and other craft of not more than 15 gross tonnage constructed, manufactured or rebuilt in, or imported into Canada. Continue reading “ABYC and TCMSS announce one set of marine safety standards”

CTV shortage as offshore wind growth accelerates

Posted on by News Hound
CTV shortage
CTV shortage due offshore wind growth

A naval architect has warned that as European offshore wind growth continue to expand with larger and more ambitious projects, there is a looming shortage of Crew Transfer Vessels (CTV).

Chartwell Marine said that expedient investment in new builds will be required to tackle a shortage of 22m – 24m offshore wind crew transfer vessels, especially as build slots at yards are limited. Many of these existing vessels, commonly used for UK CTV operations, have reached retirement or require a refit following over 10 Continue reading “CTV shortage as offshore wind growth accelerates”

Keel failure and capsize of charter yacht Tyger of London MAIB report published

Posted on by News Hound
Tyger of London keel matrix photo taken from the MAIB report
Tyger of London keel matrix photo taken from the MAIB report

At 0930 on 7 December 2017, the skippered charter yacht Tyger of London departed San Sebastian, La Gomera, bound for Marina San Miguel, Tenerife, with four paying passengers acting as crew on board.

At about 1700, 1 nautical mile south of Punta Rasca, the crew heard a loud bang. Tyger of London immediately heeled to starboard, capsized and inverted. The crew released their lifelines, fell from the cockpit into the water and their lifejackets automatically inflated. One crew member was briefly trapped below the yacht but managed to swim clear.

The skipper of another yacht, St Barbara V, which was 200m to the west, raised the alarm and rescued the crew from the water. Once landed in Tenerife, they were treated by Spanish emergency services before being released. There were no serious injuries. Continue reading “Keel failure and capsize of charter yacht Tyger of London MAIB report published”

NMA issues warning over lithium-ion power following ferry fire

Posted on by News Hound
Norwegian Maritime Authority issues warning after fire
Norwegian Maritime Authority issues warning after lithium-ion fire

The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) has published an alert concerning a small fire that erupted in the battery room onboard the MF Ytterøyningen passenger ferry. The Norwegian Maritime Authority is warning shipowners, operators and other stakeholders and interested parties about the dangers associated with lithium-ion battery systems after a fire and subsequent gas explosion on board a diesel-electric ferry in Norway.

The small fire was reported October 10 in the battery room of the Norled passenger ferry MF Ytterøyningen. The ferry returned to harbour under its own power where passengers and crew were evacuated to land. Overnight, however, a serious gas explosion rocked the battery room causing significant damage.

Specifically, on October 10, a small fire erupted onboard the ferry. Norwegian broadcasting company NRK reported at the time that twelve Continue reading “NMA issues warning over lithium-ion power following ferry fire”

The world’s first in 3D printed rescue boat is on its way

Posted on by News Hound
3D printed rescue boat design competition
3D printed rescue boat design competition

Lloyd’s Register (LR) is partnering with Singapore’s National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), Autodesk, ST Engineering’s Electronic sector and AML3D to launch a global design competition offering a first prize of S$30,000 (c£17,500) to the winner of the best innovative design idea for a 3D printed rescue boat hull. This will be the first ever full-scale rescue boat which will be delivered by 3D printing.

Large scale 3D printing allows for complete design freedom versus conventional manufacturing and enables development of better performing complex hull Continue reading “The world’s first in 3D printed rescue boat is on its way”

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