Small Craft News

Problems with skin fittings

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Surveyors should be aware of the issues caused by faulty skin fittings
Surveyors should be aware of the issues caused by faulty skin fittings

In the last month I have come across two situations which highlight the potential problems with skin fittings, reports Eugene Curry. One vessel, a GRP sea angling charter boat, was a licenced Passenger Boat (12 passengers and 2 crew) permitted to operate up to 40 nautical miles offshore. The other vessel was an aluminium hulled yacht undergoing inspection for renewal of its passenger Boat Licence and permitted to operate up to 30 nautical miles offshore. In both instances the owners grumbled about the additional expense involved but changed their tune when problems were found.

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Fairline Boats goes into administration

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A luxury yacht made by Fairline Boats shown at sea
The future of Fairline Boats is uncertain following the announcement that the company has finally gone into administration

UK Yacht builder, Fairline boats has entered administration, putting 450 jobs at risk. FRP Advisory LLP, a restructuring and business advisory firm, has been appointed as its administrators.

News of the administration comes only days after it was reported that staff had been moved out of Fairline’s head office in Oundle and into its factory. The majority of Fairline’s 450 staff are divided between Oundle and Corby in Northamptonshire, with a further testing site in Ipswich.

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Luxury catamaran builder, Gunboat, files for bankruptcy

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Gunboat Catamaran sailing on the seaGunboat International, a builder of high performance luxury sailing catamarans says it has filed for bankruptcy protection in a “perfect storm” of difficult business circumstances.

Company owner Peter Johnstone posted a letter on the Gunboat International Facebook page saying that a legal dispute with a boat building company was central to his own company’s financial problems.

“The Chinese built Gunboat 60 series cost Gunboat a fortune to sort out,” Johnstone wrote. “Gunboat felt an obligation to its customers and spent millions out of pocket, which proved to be a huge strain on our resources, focus and productivity.”

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Pendennis picks up awards for its apprenticeship schemes

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The Pendennis team all pictured
The Pendennis team all pictured

385 Pendennis Shipyard has won two separate regional awards in the South West for its apprenticeship schemes.

Pendennis won the Apprenticeship and Training category at the Made in the South West Business Awards and the Best Apprenticeship trophy at the Western Morning News Business Awards.

Mike Carr, joint managing director, said: “Pendennis is very proud to have been recognised in both of these awards. Our Apprenticeships bring youth, enthusiasm and trained expertise to all areas of our business.”

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UltraSystem PowerPlus launched by Ultrasonic Antifouling

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Ultrasonic Antifouling has launched the UltraSystem PowerPlus
Ultrasonic Antifouling has launched the UltraSystem PowerPlus

Ultrasonic Antifouling Limited, market leaders and pioneers of the original hull and sea chest clearing technology, has launched the UltraSystem PowerPlus.

The PowerPlus – which is the latest development in the company’s ‘Ultra’ Series – is the result of 3 years of research, development and comprehensive testing and is twice as powerful as the Series II which has been the company’s flagship product for the past 5 years. The new product has been specifically designed with larger yachts and superyachts in mind.

The PowerPlus combines ultrasonic antifouling’s intelligent and unique software with their advanced digital control program (ADCP) to deliver a higher concentration of ultrasound. This prevents bio-fouling on hulls and sea chests, increasing performance whilst at the same time monitoring temperature, voltage and output loads. PowerPlus uses a wide range of key frequencies between 20 and 140 KHz, which is unique to the UltraSystem, and utilises high quality 50w multi-frequency mounted piezoelectric crystal transducers.

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British Coatings Federation to survey use of antifouling paints

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The British Coatings Federation has launched a survey to addressed concerns that authorities may decide to restrict the application and use of antifouling paints to strictly professional applicators
The British Coatings Federation has launched a survey to addressed concerns that authorities may decide to restrict the application and use of antifouling paints to strictly professional applicators

The British Coatings Federation (BCF) Marine Coatings Group has addressed concerns that authorities may decide to restrict the application and use of antifouling (AF) paints to strictly professional applicators and organisations, by launching a survey to determine DIY use of AF paints in the UK.

The survey looks to raise awareness amongst the boat-owning community regarding this issue, determine the current practice related to AF paint use by the DIY market, determine the awareness of users to the hazards of AF paint, emphasizing the importance of using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, and to provide an indication as to the impact on AF paint sales, boat maintenance costs and leisure boat ownership, if such a restriction becomes law.

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Volvo Penta has unveiled its new Forward Drive (FWD) Duoprop concept

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The new Duoprop concept has been unveiled by Volvo Penta
The new Duoprop concept has been unveiled by Volvo Penta

Ten years ago, Volvo Penta revolutionised leisure boating with its Volvo Penta IPS forward facing propulsion system. Now the company is opening up a new realm for recreational water sports with the new Volvo Penta FWD. The system’s patented design — forward facing dual counter rotating props and adjustable trim drive — pulls the boat through the water rather than pushing, with an undisturbed water flow to the propellers.

The clean and efficient FWD propulsion system delivers superior responsiveness, acceleration, fuel economy and versatility, and is ideal for water sports that take place behind the boat, including wakeboarding and wakesurfing — a sport rapidly gaining in popularity in North America. Similar to wakeboarding but without the use of a rope and handle, wakesurfing provides a surfer with a perpetual wave in the wake of a boat for a much longer ride than in traditional surfing.

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Windcat Workboats builds engineering base at ABP Lowestoft

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Windcat Workboats launches its newest vessel. Picture: Stephen Waller
Windcat Workboats launches its newest vessel. Picture: Stephen Waller

Windcat Workboats has launched its latest vessel for the growing renewable energy industry at ABP’s Port of Lowestoft.

The vessel, ‘Windcat 38,’ is the first to be launched following the signing of a long term lease agreement between ABP and Windcat Workboats for their new marine engineering facility in the port.

Windcat Workboats owns and operates over 38 offshore crew transfer vessels which are predominantly used in the European offshore wind sector.

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Jeffrey Casciani-Wood receives IIMS Lifetime Achievement Award

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Jeffrey Casciani-Wood proudly holding his lifetime achievement award
Jeffrey Casciani-Wood proudly holding his lifetime achievement award

At the IIMS London Conference Dinner 2015 on Monday 7 September aboard HMS Belfast, Jeffrey Casciani-Wood was presented with a lifetime achievement award by IIMS President, Capt Bertrand Apperry. The award was unanimously agreed by the Management Board at a recent meeting and is a fitting and suitable recognition of Jeffrey’s 70 years of service to the boat, ship and marine surveying profession.

In his citation, Mike Schwarz, IIMS CEO, said, “This lifetime achievement award recognises a 70 year association, or should that be obsession, with the boating, shipping and marine surveying sectors.”

In a moving ceremony, the 100 plus dinner guests rose to their feet as one to applaud Jeffrey as he came forward to receive and accept his crystal gift from The President to mark the occasion.

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First zero emission luxury yacht unveiled by Solarwave Yachts

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Solarwave Yachts and NEDSHIP have collaborated to create what they claim is the first emissions free luxury yacht
Solarwave Yachts and NEDSHIP have collaborated to create what they claim is the first emissions free luxury yacht

What is claimed to be the first emission free yacht by Solarwave Yachts is nearing completion. NEDSHIP and Solarwave Yachts have announced details of their exciting new 62′ concept.

The collaborative result of the working development of NEDSHIP on zero emission 60ft (18.82m) passenger boats, plus four years of work by Michael Köhler on the power system on a smaller prototype, makes this advanced yacht concept the first real zero emission and consumption vessel.

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Palmer Johnson Yachts to move manufacturing to the Netherlands

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Palmer Johnson Yachts has signalled its intention to close its American yard and to transfer manufacturing to the Netherlands
Palmer Johnson Yachts has signalled its intention to close its American yard and to transfer manufacturing to the Netherlands

In an official statement, American superyacht builder, Palmer Johnson Yachts has announced their plans to relocate their manufacturing facilities to the Netherlands, confirming that their American facility will close its doors by the end of October with the loss of 100 jobs.

The relocation of the Palmer Johnson facility comes as part of the yard’s strategic plan to increase its production of the new carbon SuperSport series. Declining sales and escalating offshore competition also contributed to the closure of the Sturgeon Bay shipyard.

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MCA small commercial vessel code of practice – yellow and blue codes

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MCA small commercial vessel code of practice - yellow and blue codes first draft review underway
MCA small commercial vessel code of practice – yellow and blue codes first draft review underway

The British Marine Technical team, working with the RYA, has completed the first drafting of the review of the SCV technical specifications as laid down in MGN 280, the Code of Practice for the construction, machinery, stability, operation, manning and examination of small commercial vessels less than 24m load line length that carry 12 or fewer passengers.

This draft can be found on the British Marine website for those companies or individuals who wish to read through and provide feedback on the proposed text. The cut-off date for comments is 5 October 2015. All comments will be compiled and a Working Group of interested parties will then be asked to take part in a one or two day meetings at Marine House at the end of October, prior to the first draft being submitted to the MCA for discussion.

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