Fitted out and ready for work
The expansive new deck
The transom platform for added storage
scantlings were designed to suit the overall length of 16.5m with a margin to maybe 18m. But the extra 7m length required would mean a major internal revamp to build up the existing scantlings. It was this point that suggested gaining the extra space
required by lengthening and then widening the vessel in one hit. A new 7m x 7m section of hull and decks was essentially pre-built, matching the hull and existing chine lines, including the sponson allowance to be fitted into the hull once it was cut and separated. This was made possible by adding most of the required extra strength in two sponson pontoons running the full length of the vessel picking up along the side just above where the for'ard chine meets the water. These sponsons run from deck level adding extra beam and drop in depth to a point just above the existing load level or waterline. Once the boat is loaded they sink and give added load carrying and stability. These are built of 8mm plate and just touch the water
in "light" condition to add as little wetted surface as possible when not loaded. Extra longitudinal strength was added by overlapping
internal girders from the new mid-section into the ends, but this was nowhere near as intrusive as it would have been because of the strength added by the sponsons. Where the sponsons have been added to the existing hull fore and aft, large inspection ports and drains were cut into the existing hull sides to ensure the inside of the
20 NZ WORKBOAT REVIEW 2012
sponsons remain accessible for inspections and drying. "So this was what occurred," said Richard in his matter of fact way. "I prepared cut files for the frames of the new mid-section and for the pontoons for'ard and aft of that section, and these were built at the Aimex yard, along with the new mid-section that included the extra beam.
"Because of the difficulty of measuring the existing vessel (we did not have the opportunity to do so out of
The extensive refit has effectively doubled the deck space and the load-carrying capacity …
the water) there was some anxiety about a good fit, but in the event the guys did a great job and everything went together very well indeed," Richard said. The extensive refit has effectively doubled both the deck space and the load -carrying capacity of the Morning Star. The crane base was moved and reinforced to carry a
new Palfinger knuckle boom crane with a longer reach and better load-carrying capacity than the original crane.
