The hull under construction
bringing valuable work to the far north.
It was always going to be a challenge getting these new craft
to meet the expected diversity of their roles: from diver support,
to military hydrography, mine countermeasures as well civilian
search and recovery support. These vessels are shoal draft with
Yanmar/Hamilton Jet propulsion, capable of operating in a sea
state 3 with up to six crew, plus 800kg of equipment, and an
endurance range of 150nm at 24 knots. Next, add to the pot
that they had to be trailer-able, capable of being shipped, crane
launched at sea, and to top it all off, be transportable in a RNZAF
C130 Hercules��� you have got to be joking?!
No wonder when talking with Terry Forsbrey from NSR, I
found that it took 120 hours just to prepare the tender submission.
Fortunately Terry comes from a project management background
and had the tenacity to work through a very cumbersome and
involved contract document.
Because the job was design and build, the design stage was
even more important, so a collaboration was developed with
Alan Walker from Coastdesign, also from Opua, for the project.
���This was always going to be a project full of compromises���
said Alan, who found he was constantly seeking solutions to
issues that he had not foreseen. The vessel had to be transported,
on its trailer, on board a C-130 Hercules aircraft. This was
difficult enough given the dimension envelope he had to work
with but then we found out that no water could leak or spill
from the vessel while on the aircraft (salt water was a big
no-no), and the design had to allow air crew in full flight dress
to access the aft end of the cargo bay, from the forward end
of the aircraft through the vessel.��� The specifications for the
operational and performance requirements of the vessel were
very specific. These varied widely, requiring a vast array of
equipment to be incorporated for differing operations that added
a further challenge when developing the hull form. Divers carry
heavy gear and weights, mine countermeasures require the
torpedo-lookalike Remote Environmental Monitoring Units
VIP.S92
Lifting off the hard top
��� Commercial and Private Alloy boats, barges
and custom trailers to all specification and
certification standards
��� Builders of custom Mussel and Oyster barges
and equipment for the Aquaculture industry
��� Our in house design, engineering and
problem solving is fast becoming the industry
leader
��� NSR takes your ideas and makes them work
��� Builders for Department of Conservation,
Northland Regional Council, Biomarine Ltd
and the Royal New Zealand Defence Force
��� Projects completed on time and on budget
Call us for a consultation and
quotation for your next project, refit or
custom alterations for your vessel
LOCATED IN THE BAY OF ISLANDS, THE NEW
BOATBUILDING CAPITAL OF NEW ZEALAND
F OR M OR E I N F OR M ATI ON C ON TAC T
NORTHLAND SPARS AND RIGGING
Powderstore Bay 2, Baffin Street, Opua, 0200
Phone +64 (0)9 402-6280 or go to
www.alloyboatbuilders.co.nz
March/April 2013 Professional Skipper 21
