These guys wanted something cost effective, light and easy to handle. Something that was safe, stable and positive buoyant, but it needed to be bullet proof. We had looked at, and saw the SEAMAC system as being a bloody good option if we could keep the price down." said Bruce. "So at the end of the day the logical decision was to secure the New Zealand license to build these craft on site here in Auckland."
So what is the SEAMAC system we asked? "SEMAC,
or System Engineered Marine Aluminium Components was developed by Cape Marine to integrate its innovative Australian and internationally awarded marine designs with advanced aluminium fabrication techniques," said Bruce. "Sounds like a bit of Ozzie sales pitch mate, I said! Seriously Keith, these "Shallow Draft Vessels" are rugged, custom built commercial vessels that feature exceptional stability, load capacity and deck space, making them a unique flat bottom craft ideal for a range of inshore working conditions and marine tasks that might include fishing, flood rescue, oil spill response and recovery, aquatic tourism and construction work, and they are particularly suited to the aquaculture industry." We are advised that the exclusive SEMAC components are specifically engineered for marine applications and automated welding procedures to facilitate the production of shallow draft vessels and floating structures using the best corrosion-resistant virgin marine grade aluminium available.
Greg Hill of Cape Marine advises that SEMAC Shallow Draft
Vessels are built with more metal where it counts, to provide the strength and durability demanded by fishermen, oyster farmers and construction workers, day after day, season after season. They are made from quality assured extruded cast precision cut and welded components that impart exceptional structural integrity, improve productivity, and reduced waste, and the system offers designers unlimited scope for a multitude of marine applications and vessel arrangements.
What does strike you about these vessels built from the SEMAC extruded aluminium sections, which is essentially a "LEGO" set for building punts and floating structures, is that they are really tough and relatively quick to build. In Australia, Cape Marine has a long association with oyster farming and understand that every oyster farmer and aquaculture operation has its own unique processes, work practices and vessel requirements.
"Depending on whether your system uses racks, sticks, baskets, floats, cages, tanks or trays, these custom built work punts can become an integral part of your on water operations and deliver decades of safe, trouble free service at a surprisingly modest whole of life cost," says Greg.
All of the punts may be transported on SEMAC custom built aluminium utility trailers with extendable draw bars for effective launching and recovery in extremely shallow water, and mesh decks enabling supplies and equipment such as pumps, pallets, fodder or sandbags to be carried to and from the vessel on the trailer and when the vessel is on the water.
As an aside and currently not yet available here in New Zealand, is the unique patented SEAMAC "Swing Mooring Pontoon" design that enables two vessels to be moored in sheltered waters within the area normally required by one vessel, potentially doubling the mooring capacity of an area, or alternatively, reducing the area occupied by moored vessels for navigational or environmental reasons. The size and scale of the pontoons can vary to accommodate vessels of different length and beam.
For our money these vessels seem to be ideally suited, as they are strong, functional, working punts, for both the aquaculture and marine service industry .
September/October 2012 Professional Skipper 31
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