Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019 – 15 years of success

The 15th-anniversary Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019 (8-9 March) looks set to be another great event for the Irish fisheries sector, with 125 companies booked to showcase their products and services, ensuring there will be something to interest everyone.

The number of exhibitors has doubled since the inaugural show in 2004, underlining just what an important event this has now become in the Irish fishing industry calendar, with it gaining a strong reputation as a great place to do business in a friendly and convivial atmosphere.

Sponsored this year by BIM and Cavanagh Hooper Dolan Insurances Ltd, and held at the Galway Bay Hotel, major attractions include the outside Boatmart, which features a vessel display alongside a number of trailer stands. Also certain to prove popular are the pool demonstrations – a unique element of the Galway Expo. Hosted by the RNLI, various flotation devices will be demonstrated in the pool.

There are also a good number of first-time exhibitors this year, which will spark interest among visitors, with the expo featuring virtually every type of equipment, product and service available to the fishing industry.

One of the highlights of the expo will be the buffet and dance night on Friday, 8 March, serving superb Irish seafood, which this year is sponsored by Fibras Industriales SA, which is commercially known as FISA, and is a leading producer and distributor of fishing nets, ropes and twine with more than 70 years’ experience in the fishing and aquaculture industries.

FISA manufactures a full range of nets made of nylon, polyester and polypropylene (HDPE Supra). The company’s products include knotless Raschel, twisted and braided knotted, and twisted knotless Shogun netting.

Sharon Boyle of show organiser Mara Media said: “As ever, Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019 will have something for everyone, and as well as being an all-encompassing fisheries showcase, it provides a fantastic opportunity to network and socialise with colleagues in the fishing industry.”

Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019 will be held on 8 and 9 March at the Galway Bay Hotel, Galway. Entrance is free. Opening times are 10am-6pm on Friday, 8 March and 10am-4pm on Saturday, 9 March.

Jackson Trawls supplies a wide range of whitefish and prawn nets

Three dual-purpose prawn trawls and hopper single trawls in production for Irish skippers in Jackson Trawls’ expansive net loft at Peterhead.

Jackson Trawls has been supplying a broad range of whitefish and prawn nets to Ireland for many years, and has built up a good reputation for gear that works and is of good quality.

The Peterhead netmaker supplies all over Ireland, from Clogherhead in the east, to Castletownbere, Baltimore, Union Hall, Killybegs, Rossaveal and Greencastle.

On whitefish gear, Jackson Trawls is selling single-boat hopper trawls from 60ft up to 140ft, with hopper sizes ranging from 14-21in, used for catching round fish such as haddock and whiting, and also groundfish like monkfish, megrim and cod.

The Jackson Trawls team making a seine net with small mesh guard for targeting groundfish.

It has also recently been supplying – and will be promoting at the Galway expo – nets for catching cuttlefish and squid, both single-boat and twin nets. Some of its Irish customers have been down in the Channel for the cuttlefish, and up at Rockall fishing for squid.

In addition, the company has also supplied a number of seine nets, both clean grassrope nets and hopper nets, designed to give good height while maintaining good ground contact, which enables them to fish well.

For prawn gear, Jackson Trawls will be promoting its wider bosom double-bag trawls, which are performing very well on the Porcupine grounds. Its double-bag nets have proved popular over the years for their fishing effectiveness and durability, and the company has slightly changed the design to give more fishing area.

Single-bag prawn nets continue to be popular, ranging in length from 10-40 fathoms, and mostly rigged on 6in and 8in discs.

On Site Power Generation – market leader in the sector

Galway exhibitor On Site Power Generation Ltd has been in this business for over 20 years and represents some of the world’s market leaders in the power generation industry.

Its agencies include Mecc Alte generators, CGM diesel generators, Beltrame AVRs and SmartGen generator controllers. In addition, Mecc Alte generators from 2.2kVA up to 165kVA are held in its warehouse at Wexford, with sizes up to 5,000kVA available.

The company also stocks new silent diesel generating sets up to 175kVA, with any size required available.

On Site Power Generation always carries a substantial stock of AVRs and genset controllers, speed controllers, actuators and much more.

Its market area is diverse, ranging from PTO farm generators to domestic, construction, industrial and marine generators.

SmartGen generator controllers and Beltrame AVRs supplied by On Site Power Generation provide top-class and cost-efficient replacement components which are compatible with a huge range of generating sets from almost any manufacturer.

Its knowledge of the workings of generating sets affords On Site Power Generation the ability to help and advise customers on a range of possible solutions to any problems they may experience with their power plants.

Mooney Boats

The wheelhouse interior on the 27.46m trawler Fiona K III that Mooney Boats delivered to Tralee skipper Tom Kennedy three months ago.

Mooney Boats Ltd will be exhibiting a wide range of goods and services. From new boats being built at its base in Ireland to the latest in industrial marine technology, Mooney Boats Ltd offers the ‘complete marine solution’.

As part of its exhibit, Mooney Boats Ltd will be showcasing three of its most recent boat builds, Fiona K III, Amethyst and Ocean Challenge. For boat repairs and maintenance, it has also been a significant year when Mooney Boats has experienced growth, with many new customers visiting the yard for the first time.

Mooney Boats Ltd will also be exhibiting state-of-the-art ultrasonic antifouling from Sonihull, in the form of the Soni8 and Sonihull Duo, as well as commercial fishing oilskins and the new Deck Boss safety boot from Grundens.

Michigan Marine Propulsion

Michigan Marine Propulsion continues to provide a wide range of high-quality propulsion products and packages, many of which are specifically tailored for the fisheries industry.

Michigan Marine Propulsion provides a bespoke propeller design and service facility.

To complement its Michigan propellers, it also builds and supplies complete stern gear systems, underwater hardware, rudder assemblies, and a variety of replacement spares and after-market propulsion products. Within this range, it stocks its Aqualube water-lubricated bearings, MMP serrated rope cutters, and the Ercem series of shaft face seals.

Its repair centre facilitates propeller refurbishment and tuning services, providing very high-accuracy repair and modification for customers. The workshop is fully equipped with a custom-designed, custom-manufactured hydraulic pitch adjustment machine, and two separate MRI computerised propeller measurement machines.

All of the company’s products and services are bolstered by outstanding engineering, technical and design capabilities.

This is something, says the company, that really sets it apart from the competition, and is supported by its 110-year history of continuous trading, experience and expertise. Over the years, it has successfully worked with many of the world’s leading shipyards and military agencies, and has been involved with many high-profile recreational applications.

GCM Painting

A vessel being repainted in Killybegs’ ship hall by GCM Painting.

GCM Painting Ltd is a marine painting service company based in Killybegs, and it will be exhibiting on the Mooney Boats stand at Galway.

The bulk of its work is carried out in the Department of Marine synchrolift, which dry-docks boats up to 600t and has a shed facility to paint boats inside.

GCM Painting Ltd also provides services to both Mooney Boats and the bigger vessels in the Killybegs fleet. It works closely with other companies to ensure all projects are run smoothly, thereby providing a top-class service.

Mactex Oil Distribution announces new authorised distributor agreement

Galway exhibitor Mactex Oil Distribution Ltd has announced an agreement to become a Fuchs Lubricants authorised distributor.

Fuchs lubricants will be promoted by Mactex Oil after its appointment as authorised dealer.

After eight years successfully promoting the Fuchs range, Mactex Oil has been appointed as official Fuchs industrial lubricants and metalworking fluids distributor. Fuchs leads the field in industrial lubrication and is a world leader in several markets with its various brands.

One such brand range is Fuchs Cassida. These food-grade lubricants are recognised as the world leaders when it comes to protecting machinery where incidental lubricant contact with food may occur. The full Fuchs Cassida range is now available from Mactex Oil. Fuchs Lubricants PLC is the largest independent lubricants producer in the world, and blends over 10,000 unique product formulations.

Liam Grealy, the MD of Mactex Oil, said he was delighted that Fuchs had recognised the hard work the company had put into developing the Fuchs Oils brand in Ireland.

“We look forward to growing our business with the help of Fuchs, and welcome the opportunity to promote its new range of Ecocool metalworking fluids,” he said.

The Ecocool range exceeds all global health and safety legislation and CLP labelling requirements. These newly formulated products are all FAD-free and lead to a safer working environment within plants where they are used.

From its state-of-the-art warehouse in Oranmore, Co Galway, Mactex Oil Distribution Ltd can offer a next-day delivery service nationwide. For quick and easy access to all its products 24 hours a day, buyers can log on and purchase through its online shop: mactexoil.ie

Alongside the Fuchs Oils products, Mactex Oil also owns the Ecolubrium Oils brand. Under the Ecolubrium brand, it supplies a core range of automotive, commercial and agricultural lubricants. Ecolubrium Oils can be sourced directly from Mactex Oil or from one of its many resellers. Ecolubrium Turbo-Syn 15w/40 LD has become the oil of choice of most agri-contractors and farmers. This long-life, high-performance engine oil is the class leader when it comes to quality and value. Its Newdraulic HVI high viscosity index hydraulic oils outperform all similar oils in the market, and again offer outstanding quality and value.

For best quality, best service and best price look no further than Mactex Oil. Visit: www.mactexoil.ie or call 091 788826/086 8513080.

Tyson’s opens new chandlery and online store

Tyson’s Ships Riggers Ltd is proud to announce the launch of its chandlery and online store.

The company’s Jonathan Tyson said that the industry has seen changes in the ordering habits of fishermen, and they now want flexibility in ordering outside of the 9am-5pm working day. Its online store is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be accessed on any online device.

“We know that when fishermen come in from a hard trip at sea, their day does not stop there, they need to plan, and prepare their crew for the next trip. With one click of a button on their online device in the early or late hours, onboard their vessel or from the comfort of their home, their order for ropes, wires, gloves, boots, clothing, etc will be processed on our website and be delivered for when they require, leaving them time to spend with loved ones and rest before their next hard trip at sea,” says Jonathan.

Visit Tyson’s on Stand 8 at the Galway show.

Jonathan Tyson is happy to announce that all orders online and by telephone will have a delivery charge of only €12 for up to a 30kg box.

There will be special offers on Tyson’s Gold Strand wire. Union Hall skipper Zeik Tuit described it as ‘excellent-quality wire, and the Tyson’s service is always 100%’.

There will also be offers on the King Crab range of ropes, 17mm leaded, which is used by Christopher and Anthony Harley, who say: “Tyson’s King Crab leaded ropes are excellent quality. Its motto is ‘Trust Tyson’s’, and we fully agree.”

Tyson’s will also have its Tyson’s Euro Polysteel, Shamrock, Multi Colour, and all its other ranges of potting ropes, plus chandlery, clothing, boots, gloves and all its online packages on display, with the team looking forward to meeting as many people as possible at Galway.

Exclusive 20% parts discount available from Finning

Finning UK & Ireland (Finning) will be offering an exclusive 20% discount* on genuine Cat parts at this year’s Skipper Expo Int Galway show, while also demonstrating its servicing and parts capabilities.

Finning will be encouraging owners and operators to take advantage of an exclusive 20% discount on all Cat marine parts and components purchased during the show and up to 22 March. This discount will cover all engine components, as well as filters, oils, coolants, batteries and other essential maintenance parts.

All genuine Cat marine parts can be purchased at a 20% discount at the Galway Expo.

This offer will allow owners and operators to take advantage of the reliability and durability of Cat genuine parts, ensuring their engines continue to deliver optimum performance while maintaining efficiency, resulting in lower total cost of ownership. Furthermore, by using the correct component – and not a third-party spare part – designed and built by the manufacturer to the correct specification with performance guarantees, purchasers can help to ensure their engine’s longevity.

Paul Hoban, regional sales representative (marine) at Finning, said: “Engines are one of the most important expenses for a vessel, and ensuring a high-performing solution at the best possible price is a key concern for owners and operators. Informed by decades of diesel engine innovation and expertise, the Finning marine team will be on hand to offer the best solutions for your vessel.

“We will also be offering all attendees a 20% discount on all Cat parts ordered during the event, with a comprehensive 12-month manufacturer’s warranty that will reduce owning and operating costs in both the short and long term.”

Finning works with boatbuilders, owners and fleet superintendents, offering a range of Cat and MaK marine propulsion solutions, auxiliary engines and packaged generator sets for the marine industry.

* All sales are subject to Finning standard conditions of sale and supply: the 20% discount offer is available only to customers who attend the Skipper Expo Int Galway event on 8-9 March, 2019. To benefit from the discount, customers must quote code ‘SKIPPER20’ when placing an order for Cat parts at the event, or at their local Finning branch by 22 March, 2019. Only one discount code can be redeemed per customer. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, national agreement or pre-agreed discount. Standard delivery charges may apply. This promotion is subject to availability, and Finning reserves the right to vary or withdraw it at any time without notice. This offer is not available for purchases made via: parts.cat.com or Parts Direct.

Upgraded coatings removal service from Davidsons

Peterhead-based Davidsons Marine and Industrial Painters (Davidsons) continues to be at the forefront of introducing and maintaining best practice in the marine coatings sector.

The highly efficient Falch Multi-Worker.

Davidsons is the only marine coating company in Scotland to own one of the most highly efficient, cost-effective and safest coating removal tools on the market. Expert in its field and with over 40 years’ experience in the marine coatings industry, Davidsons has brought to the fishing fleet an upgraded coatings removal service with the purchase of the Falch Multi-Worker.

The Falch Multi-Worker is an innovative coating removal tool which is 200-400% more efficient than more traditional methods for coating removal. It allows increased productivity and significant reduction in vessel downtime, with the added benefit of greatly reducing the health and safety risk associated with the older, more traditional methods of coating removal practice.

Davidsons has already completed a number of projects local to its area in the North East of Scotland with outstanding results. The enhanced coating removal service using the Falch Multi-Worker tool is a first of its kind to be delivered to the North East fishing ports, and will further enhance the maintenance services on offer from Davidsons to the fishing sector.

AS Scan

An AS Scan Trawl Computer system installed in a vessel’s fishing console.

AS Scan designs, produces, installs and services all types of hydraulic and electrical winches for the fishing industry. The company has extensive experience in steel structures, engine and hydraulic installations.

AS Scan has its own CNC machines with CAD/CAM systems, and all products are produced directly from 3D drawings. The company evolved from being a local fishing gear provider to also become an export-orientated company with several products for various industries and markets worldwide.

Its newest development is its unique Trawl Computer, which gives increased levels of fishing efficiency and safety on trawlers and fly-shooters. More than 25 AS Scan systems have been installed in the past three years.

High-performance V3 and Exocet trawl doors from Morgère

Morgère will be promoting its versatile V3 and Exocet trawl doors at Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019, both of which are ideally suited to Irish demersal fisheries due to their excellent performance in challenging offshore conditions.

A set of Morgère Exocet trawl doors in use on the Peterhead stern trawler Atlantic Challenge.

The V3 trawl door features strong reinforced construction that has been specially designed for use over rough seabeds, with its oval shape well-suited for fishing over rocks and other challenging environments.

The Exocet trawl door is also renowned for its high performance, due to its strength and stability and excellent trawl spread, combined with reduced drag that benefits fuel consumption.

Michel Dagorn of Morgère said: “We are looking forward tremendously to the Skipper Galway expo because we have a long tradition of supplying Irish fishermen with our high-performance trawl doors. A key factor behind our success is our determination to provide the best-quality equipment, combined with excellent customer service.”

Upgrade to popular Cleghorn bronze pump range

The widely used Cleghorn bronze centrifugal pumps have had an internal redesign that will interest visitors to Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019.

Schematic diagram of the popular Cleghorn bronze pump.

The target feature was to radically reduce self-priming time, says Cleghorn. This has been achieved, and first became available when incorporated into the 2in AM50 three-phase motor pumps, in mid-2018.

With a remarkable reduction in priming time of approximately 50%, the benefit will be particularly effective in larger vessels where significant pipe runs occur, and where there are isolating valves and manifolds.

The new feature is also appearing in the pedestal versions of the AM50D, for main engine-driven applications. Design is now completed and testing in progress for the smaller 1½in AM40D models, which will be following the AM50 series into production.

The new models have identical external dimensions and are therefore fully interchangeable with all AM40/50 series which have been sold into the UK and Irish fishing industry since 1986.

Complementing the new units will be the well-established PC models, mostly applied to gearbox and hydraulic system cooling duties, plus TS models designed for engine cooling on propulsion motors of up to 850hp.

Comprehensive range of services from Engine Solutions Ltd

Engine Solutions Ltd is the sole distributor for YC Europe Marine industrial engines for Ireland, and larger engines for the UK. The range is from 100hp to 1,700hp straight eight-cylinder engines. YC Europe also features a six-cylinder 1,000hp engine.

YC Europe Marine engines are distributed in Ireland and the UK by Engine Solutions.

Engine Solutions also has YC gensets for marine and industrial purposes, from 3kVA up to 3,000kVA. It is also sole distributor for Aderco organic fuel treatments.

Andrew Deacy of Engine Solutions said: “Meet us at the Galway Skipper show, where we can help with the 2020 sulphur cap regulations and ensure clean tanks and reduced smoke emissions.”

There will also be representatives from Leo Maritime and Simplex-Turbulo on the stand. Leo Maritime carries out steel repairs on fishing boats with no heat (welding) needed, including tanks, hulls, decks and superstructure. It also supplies environmentally friendly lubricants.

Simplex-Turbulo supplies test equipment for oils and lubricants on fishing vessels. It offers a mobile unit for testing oils onboard, with results provided the same day.

New Marine Engineering Traineeship course

Kerry ETB Training Centre will be promoting its new Marine Engineering Traineeship course at Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019.

Ioseph Nestor of Kerry ETB said: “We are really looking forward to attending the Galway expo in March.

“We are delighted to be in a position to use the expo to officially launch our new Marine Engineering Traineeship. We have been working over the past few months with a number of boatbuilders and boat maintenance yards to develop the traineeship, which is geared towards new entrants to the marine industry.

“The aims of the programme are to attract new employees into the marine industry, and to provide them with the basic skills to allow them to work effectively from the start. The programme is nine months in duration, and will run for the first time in September 2019. The programme will also include approximately 10 weeks of on-the-job experience, giving the trainees an opportunity to put their skills into practice.”

Busy time for BOPP

Three 18/24t split trawl winches are fitted in a dedicated room forward…

BOPP has been busy with a number of projects, including the supply of a complete package of deck machinery to the new 27.8m whitefish vessel Audacious BF 83 for skippers David Gatt and Barry Reid.

The package supplied included three split trawl winches linked with an autotrawl system, net drums, Gilsons, steering gear, bow thruster, oil tank, hydraulic components (pumps, manifolds and valves) and control desks.

… on the versatile pair-seiner/trawler Audacious BF 83.

Sea trials were completed in November 2018, with service engineers from BOPP and JC Hydraulics of Peterhead onboard Audacious.

Meanwhile, one of the major shipowners in France, Armement Porcher, opted for BOPP for the complete fishing package for its next two new 25m trawlers, which will be built by Socarenam shipyard in Boulogne sur Mer. The most recent one, Diogene, has been fishing successfully since last year.

Mullion Survival Technology

The commercial fishing industry has improved its safety record as more and more fishermen accept the need for on-deck use and wearing of PFDs.

Mullion Survival Technology continues to play a major role in improving the style and ergonomic design of lifejackets to provide even greater wearer comfort and performance.

Irish inshore fishermen wearing Mullion PFDs to enhance their fishing safety.

The design features of the new Mullion Compact Supreme are the result of extensive communication between Mullion Manufacturing, RNLI commercial fishing training management and commercial fishermen in Ireland and the UK.

This new-design PFD is available through a BIM PFD replacement scheme under the Enhanced Safety Scheme initiative launched four years ago. All registered Irish skippers and crew qualify for the replacement, with the PLB reinstalled in the new-issue lifejacket.

The support schemes in place for training and safety awareness ensure a continuing uptake by fishermen, learning how to stay safe on the job and having their personal PFD.

Further to the uptake and use of PFDs, fishermen are also now aware of the added importance of having a PLB as part of their safety equipment. This ensures that in a crisis situation, an alert to the rescue services is now very much in the hands of the individual fisherman.

Whether purchased through the BIM Enhanced Safety Scheme, or as an individual investment in safety, it is essential to ensure that the unit is registered online through ComReg. This is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications sector (telecommunications, radio communications and broadcasting transmission). Once individual contact details are registered, the rescue services can react instantly, with the full knowledge of the information immediately available.

PFD servicing

It is a very important requirement under the Enhanced Safety Scheme legislation that the PFD/PLB unit is serviced by an authorised service centre every year.

On the Mullion 150N Compact, issued through the BIM Enhanced Safety Scheme, there is a service record card on the reverse side of the cover, indicating the month and year when service is due. On the first service, a pre-alert text message will be transmitted to the personal contact of the registered owner.

The mechanism is also visible through the cover, showing two green indicators as fit for purpose. If either one is showing red, it is not fit for purpose, and must be checked before use, as either the gas canister or mechanism is loose or already used.

Ursuit, a companion company of Mullion within the Sioen Group, will demonstrate the range of professional drysuit styles which will be on display.

Chartistic – art from nautical charts

A personalised Chartistic 3D chart.

Chartistic’s mission is to capture a fisherman’s favourite piece of coastline and transform it into a stunning and unique personalised work of art.

The sea and coastline evoke special memories and emotions, especially in those who make their living from it, or use it for pleasure. Chartistic captures those memories and emotions by faithfully recreating the nautical chart of the area, and presenting what lies above and beneath the waves in an innovative 3D form on wood. Any chart, from any coast, anywhere, can be created individually.

As the Chartistic 3D chart is made just for you, it can be customised to suit your exact size and requirements, and can be inscribed with words or other important features, such as your house, your boat, or almost anything else! Each chart is therefore unique to you, making it a very special thing to have.

Charts are created with laser precision to faithfully reproduce the original paper chart with incredible detail. The final piece is then assembled by hand and professionally framed, to produce a truly unique and stunning personalised piece of art that you just won’t find anywhere else. The 3D effect in wood adds depth and structure to emphasise the nature of your special bit of coast, and what lies beneath. Major depth contours are painted so that the final chart is presented in beautiful colours similar to the paper chart.

So if you love the sea, or know someone who loves the sea, and you want to treat them to something special and unique that they will treasure forever, this is the perfect thing! Please visit: chartistic.ie for more information, or email: info@chartistic.ie

GlobeWeigh delivers catch compliance from net to plate

Weighing, labelling and inspection specialist GlobeWeigh will exhibit its wares again at this year’s Skipper Expo Int Galway. Operating throughout Ireland from offices in Cork city and Portadown, Co Armagh, GlobeWeigh is expert in identifying strategies to maximise production efficiency and manage compliance, having worked with many of Ireland’s leading fish co-ops and fish processors.

The GlobeWeigh team will be on hand to answer questions about their wide range of fish weighing, labelling and traceability equipment.

Its expertise covers a catch’s journey from sea, to shore, to the supermarket. Onboard weighing, using a range of specialist marine scales, allows products to be weighed and labelled accurately in even the roughest of seas. This uniquely addresses the requirements of the frozen-at-sea prawn industry, as well as the whitefish industry, providing complete traceability and compliance with regulations. GlobeWeigh’s wheelhouse systems also provide a viable labelling and traceability solution for frozen-at-sea prawns, facilitating the labelling of inner and outer boxes, in a range of European languages, when required.

This year, GlobeWeigh will demonstrate its solutions to manage the intake of fish from boats to the factory, while maintaining full source and traceability details, which is essential to meet SFPA regulations.

Its onshore solutions include full traceability systems, which trace the catch back to the boat, area and time of the catch, and its factory systems facilitate all aspects of factory floor management, including intake, stock, yields, labelling and dispatch.

GlobeWeigh’s engineers source and install high-specification equipment due to exclusive partnerships with some of Europe’s leading suppliers. Many of the following products from its range will be on display:

CRAFT system (catch, report and fish traceability)
E-locate technology and traceability systems
Onshore boxing stations
Onshore intake, process, dispatch and traceability systems
Marine scales
Onshore scales.

The team pride themselves on delivering exceptional customer service. The company’s maintenance engineers are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to service machines regularly and review stock levels of consumables. This ensures that production downtime is kept to a minimum.

New smaller Thyborøn trawl doors offer bigger spread and reduced fuel consumption

Danish trawl door manufacturer Thyborøn Trawldoor is introducing its new Type 23 Bluestream doors, with fishing trials having shown their effectiveness.

Thyborøn’s new Type 23 Bluestream trawl doors.

The doors have been developed using the company’s experience, and feature the dimensions of its Type 14 doors and the effectiveness of its Type 22 doors, combined with implemented Bluestream special technology, in which the waterflow is forced to its maximum through the foils of the door, thereby creating a more powerful spread force and less drag resistance on the doors.

Feedback from trials of the new Type 23 Bluestream doors from several vessels yielded extremely positive results.

“These powerful doors are giving much greater spread without any reduction in catch rates, while retaining normal, or even reduced, fuel consumption,” said Tonni Karlsen, skipper of the 54.6m twin-rig trawler Ole-Arvid Nergard.

The vessel fishes in the Barents Sea, the Svalbard area and off the Norwegian coast, fishing for cod, saithe, haddock, redfish and shrimp.

With its 17-man crew working trips ranging from two to five weeks, the 2001-built Ole-Arvid Nergard has a frozen hold capacity of 420t, making it important that catch volumes remain constant, so the vessel can maximise its catch during its fishing trips.

“It is therefore important that, when we considered changing our trawl door supplier, we didn’t sacrifice any catch-per-tow volume, even if the spread was improved,” said Tonni Karlsen.

“But we certainly have no concerns now, with these new Type 23 Bluestream doors, as they have increased the spread of our gear by an amazing 50m, and without losing any catching capacity in the process,” he said, adding that with the new doors, the vessel’s fuel consumption has not increased, and is even slightly less than with their previous doors.

“What is fantastic about these doors is the fact that they ‘spray’ (spread) from the moment you start shooting away the gear, so when the trawl hits bottom, you can see that you already have the maximum spread that you need – and they are so incredibly stable that they maintain this spread through the duration of the tow without any problems,” he said.

Ole Kjærgaard, who has been with Thyborøn Trawldoor for over 25 years, said that the company’s doors are an advantage for fishermen facing higher fuel costs.

“If we switch our own well-known Type 14s 10m² with a Type 23 Bluestream 9m², there is up to 50% less resistance on the doors when pulled through the water without any bottom friction or contact. Meanwhile, they produce the same powerful spread on the nets,” he said.

The Type 23 doors are constructed using the same steel plates that are made for shipbuilding, and require less maintenance.

Peter Bruce (Patsy) ship painters

PBP Services is once more looking forward to welcoming customers and friends to its stand no. 25 at the Galway exhibition.

PBP Services repainting the Kilkeel midwater trawler Havilah.

Following on from last year’s show, PBP Services completed a number of blast-cleaning and painting projects for Irish pelagic customers in both Denmark and Killybegs, by carrying out works to various pelagic as well as whitefish and polyvalent customers.

PBP Services also worked in numerous other locations throughout the UK, including the south coast of England.

2019 looks like it will again prove to be a very busy year for PBP Services, with work already booked in and numerous other enquiries for blast-cleaning and protective coating applications to the marine sector, both at home and abroad.

Traditional and modern services include robotic and lance UHP water-blasting, grit-blasting, hot-metal zinc spraying, coatings applications, tank blasting, cleaning and painting, and engineroom cleaning and painting.

PBP Services is the sole supplier and installer of leading German deck and flooring resin to the fishing industry, which has unrivalled properties for wear, abrasion and anti-slip, as well as being highly aesthetically pleasing.

PBP Services employs a dedicated team of experienced personnel who take a great deal of pride in their work, and work very closely with the customers in order to achieve the highest quality, using the best equipment and materials on the market.

Peter Bruce looks forward to meeting existing and new customers at Galway, and can be contacted on: 0044 7831260109 (main office: 0044 1346 514056) or by email: info@pbpservices.co.uk

For more information visit: pbpservices.co.uk and: pbpflooringsolutions.com

Prolines Naval Architects – designing innovative new vessels

Prolines Naval Architects is Ireland’s only independent chartered naval architects, with nearly two decades of trading in both the commercial and non-commercial sectors of the marine industry.

The Prolines team of naval architects will be on hand to meet skippers at Galway.

Having upgraded its software offering with the purchase of Cadmatic in 2017, Prolines has been involved in the design of new and innovative vessels in the Irish, European and worldwide markets.

Cadmatic is the industry-standard design tool for detailing all steel and aluminium vessels. As a result, Prolines has increased its productivity and has been able to offer new services in detailed design and CNC kit production.

Prolines is an independent company, and so is not tied to any one boatyard or supplier, allowing the client to get the best deal possible. “It is important that we try to keep the projects in Ireland,” explains naval architect Rob McConnell. “It will greatly improve production time for the client, keep costs down, and prove that Ireland is up there with the best countries in the industry.”

Prolines is known and trusted within the industry, and it feels that it can compete on both price and true knowledge of the industry, which will save its clients both time and money. There are very few companies in Ireland capable of offering the design of a new vessel, and Prolines is the only company with the combination of skills, experience, and a full-time naval architect.

Prolines has been an annual exhibitor in attendance at the Galway Skipper Expo, and says that its presence at the show is invaluable to its business. The expo gives the company the opportunity to network with new and existing customers. It gives customers the chance to ask questions and review projects they have been thinking about.

Prolines’ partnerships with Ireland’s largest boatbuilding manufacturers ensures that projects will be reliably overseen from the initial design stage, right through to finished vessel flagging compliance. The high-quality engineering software allows for a higher degree of prefabrication and pre-outfitting of blocks, thereby reducing building time and, in turn, reducing costs for the client.

“Vessel structures can be modelled easily, and the accuracy of the drawings are second to none,” said naval architect Brian McConnell. “We are thrilled to be the first in Ireland with this software.”

Union Chandlery displays revolutionary new proportional controlled Vetus BOW PRO thruster

Union Chandlery, the Cork-based marine equipment and product supplier, will be displaying the revolutionary new Vetus BOW PRO thrusters at Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019.

Vetus BOW PRO thrusters use proven induction motors without carbon brushes. As a result, the bow/stern thruster motor is maintenance-free and has endurance-rated run time (this is governed by battery capacity).

Vetus has a built-in over-temp controller and low-battery protection. Combined with the brushless induction motor, this makes the BOW PRO series highly resistant to abuse and ideal for the most demanding boater or charter vessel or the most difficult manoeuvring situations. The proportional panels, along with a lock and hold-to-dock function for easy docking, utilise the same propellers and gearboxes proven in Vetus thrusters for more than 30 years.

Benefits include proportional control in which exactly the desired amount of thrust can be applied, which is a huge improvement on the normal crude on/off thruster controls.

As long as there is sufficient 12v or 24v power available, there is almost no limit to how long this brushless motor can run. This has enabled Vetus to add a lock option to allow the thruster to be used to hold the boat alongside while lines are secured.

Roger Betts of Union Chandlery said: “The main advantage is the proportional control, in that you control how much power you need at the touch of your fingertips, as opposed to the old way of zero to 100% thrust in short uncontrolled bursts. This can give you a gentle throttle-like ‘more push more power’ controlled thrust and manoeuvring. And due to the induction motor, they don’t overheat in a matter of minutes, like the old DC motors.”

Shipshealth.com

Shipshealth.com – a total health solution for ship owners, managing onboard medications – will be exhibiting at Galway.

The company also offers dedicated direct 24/7 telephone access to a doctor, should a medical emergency occur while the boat is at sea, thus ensuring peace of mind for skippers, their crew and their families.

Brendan Woods of Shipshealth.com said: “The team is really looking forward to attending the Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019.”

CH Marine

Having missed only one of the past 15 years since the inception of the Galway Expo, CH Marine is looking forward to meeting visitors to the show.

Nicholas Bendon of CH Marine said: “Manning the stand this year will be John Kelleher, heading up our safety products and servicing division, Tim Baudains, looking after electronics and electrical, and Leo Humston, covering fishing and chandlery.

“In our new products line-up, we will be presenting the Ocean Signal range of PLBs, EPIRBs and GMDSS equipment and the quality range of power management products from Mastervolt. There will also be lots more to see.”

Full equipment range from Cavanagh Nets

Cavanagh Nets will display a full range of its various types of pots, in frame and completed form, for the inshore sector, along with a range of netting, polyform buoys in all sizes and colours, and a wide range of Powerflex potting ropes in unleaded and leaded.

Its staff will be on hand to meet existing and new customers to discuss their needs and requirements for the season. On display will be a range of rigged trammel, bait, plaice, turbot, monk, skate and sole nets, as well as a large selection of monofilament gill nets. These nets can be rigged to suit customers’ requirements. A re-rigging service is also available.

The company will also be displaying a selection of knives, gloves, clothing and general chandlery for the commercial marine and potting industry. Cavanagh Nets is also an approved Mullion PFD/lifejacket service station.

South Shore Marine and Diesel

South Shore Marine and Diesel is agent for Cummins engines and generators.

Galway exhibitor South Shore Marine and Diesel Ltd is one of Ireland’s leading marine diesel engine and transmission supplier and repair centre.

The company is the main authorised dealer in Ireland for all Cummins marine engines and Cummins Onan generators. On its stand at Galway, it will be displaying some of the latest Cummins engines, ZF transmissions and Garmin products.

Cavanagh Hooper Dolan Insurances Ltd is ‘one-stop shop’

Skipper Expo Int Galway 2019 show sponsor, Cavanagh Hooper Dolan Insurances Ltd, is a ‘one-stop shop’ for all your insurance needs, afloat or ashore.

With over 75 years’ experience in the insurance industry, the Cavanagh family and its staff have established individually tailored insurance packages to cater for their clients’ needs and provide a 24/7/365 claims service to their marine customers.

As part of its marine product range, the company can cover everything from the smallest inshore vessels to the largest pelagic vessels. Policies cover a wide range of marine risks, such as:

Hull and machinery
Protection and indemnity (P&I)
Crew cover
Personal accident
Cargo
War risks.

Cavanagh Hooper Dolan Insurances Ltd can also provide cover for commercial insurance requirements onshore. These include:

Onshore storage units and property
Employer’s liability
Public liability
Offices
Forklifts
Motor fleets, etc.

It also works closely with the marine trades, and provides service to businesses that supply to the marine industry. This includes, but is not limited to, the following areas of work and trades:

Fishermen’s co-operatives
Fish processers
Engineering
Painters
Welders
Electricians
Engine suppliers
Propeller maintenance
Hydraulics
Boatbuilders and boat repair yards
Chandlery

It provides a range of insurance products for other areas in the marine environment, such as pleasure craft, passenger vessels, ferries, workboats, chartered angling, rowing clubs and marinas.

Cavanagh Hooper Dolan Insurances Ltd looks after the needs of owners and crews with a competitive range of personal products. The company knows how busy its clients are, so it can help to take the stress, time and work out of shopping the market for personal products like car, van, house, health, farm and travel insurance, etc. Its professionally trained staff can explain the differences in the features and benefits of the products offered.

For product information and free quotations, visit Cavanagh Hooper Dolan’s website at: chd.ie or email the team on: info@chd.ie or phone: 074 91 77500.

Cavanagh Hooper Dolan Insurances Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Robust plastic fishboxes and containers from Craemer

Craemer UK manufactures the popular CB3 heavy-duty pallet box in a wide range of colours.

Craemer UK has supplied the fishing industry from its production factories in Telford in England and Herzebrock in Germany for over 35 years.

A longstanding family company, Craemer has now introduced a new, heavy-duty pallet box for use in a variety of fishing industry applications. The CB3 is an extremely durable, robust container, used for fish, ice, nets, or waste transport, or anything else that the highly demanding fishing business may require this 610-litre big box to do. It is 1,200mm by 1,000mm standard pallet size, which is great for transport, and has extra-large entry gaps in the pallet base, for easier handling with all types of pump trucks, fork trucks and pallet movers.

As well as making standard fishboxes, Craemer is acknowledged nationally and internationally for making some of the most reliable plastic pallets in the marketplace. You would therefore expect the CB3 pallet box base to be stronger, with higher impact resistance, than an ordinary pallet box – and it is. Clean-lined and stackable for transport, the CB3 also has a baby brother, the 1,200mm by 800mm Euro size CB1 pallet box – another option within this special range of products, available from Craemer UK Ltd.

Riverdale Mills’ Aquamesh is technologically advanced and multifunctional

Lobster pots all around the world are made with Aquamesh.

Riverdale Mills will be displaying Aquamesh – the only marine wire mesh in the world specifically engineered for ocean use, and manufactured to ensure a sturdier, weather- and corrosion-resistant lobster pot. The durability of Aquamesh goes a long way to keeping costs down and businesses profitable.

Manufactured in the United States by Riverdale Mills, Aquamesh is manufactured from high-grade premium steel that is hot-dip galvanised after welding with a thick layer of zinc around the weld to prevent the steel from corroding. The wire is then covered with a proprietary marine-grade PVC coating that forms a protective layer to prevent the wire from peeling or stripping in harsh saltwater fishing conditions.

“Aquamesh is an incredibly versatile product that holds strong in Ireland’s harsh, rocky bottom oceans,” says Pat ‘The Chief’ O’Donnell. “The lobster and offshore crab pots made with Aquamesh fish as well, and oftentimes better, than the old creels.”

Aquamesh is a multifunctional product. It is used worldwide in the construction of lobster and crab pots, oyster and shellfish trays, and conch and whelk traps and fish pens, and is available in a variety of patterns that can easily be fabricated into numerous configurations. Standard mesh size is 1.5in x 1.5in 10.5-gauge. Widths range from 6in to 57in. Aquamesh is also available in a heavy eight-gauge 0.5in x 3in mesh. The heavier-gauge mesh, issued for constructing the base of the lobster pot, holds pots on the ocean floor, thus reducing the wear and tear often caused as pots travel the rocky bottom waters off the shores of Ireland and the UK. Riverdale Mills’ proprietary marine-grade PVC coating is offered in yellow, green and black.

Riverdale Mills also offers annealed, stainless and galvanised steel hog rings, made from high-quality steel, and handcrafted, 54in and 60in wire mesh benders. Both products are manufactured in-house.

Riverdale Mills CEO Jim Knott Jr and his team are committed to producing technologically advanced and sustainable premium products to fishermen and women. “We are honoured to be a part of this dynamic industry and are committed to providing our clients with superior-quality products and customer service.”

Riverdale Mills revolutionised the lobster fishing industry in 1980 when the company designed and created Aquamesh to build a more durable lobster trap for New England lobstermen. Today, over 75% of all lobster traps around the world are built with Aquamesh.

MIT to run a Galway giveaway on its first visit

MIT is running a Galway giveaway with three prizes up for grabs.

To celebrate its first-ever stand at Skipper Expo Galway, MIT will be running a giveaway, featuring a MIT and Skipper waterproof jacket, a Lego Technic Ocean Explorer set and a bottle of the finest Irish whiskey.

Simply visit the MIT team on stand 80, complete a short questionnaire, and like the Facebook group @mitgroupuk to be in with a chance of winning one of the three prizes.

Winners will be drawn no later than 15 March, 2019, so be sure to keep an eye on your email and the MIT Facebook group to check if you are one of the three lucky winners.

With over 40 years of marine driveline experience, in 2019 MIT is committed to better serving the Irish marine market, offering both new and reconditioned marine gears, clutches, PTOs and hydraulic pump drives.

The company understands the need to keep vessels at sea and businesses profitable, so an essential aspect of the value delivered by MIT is its team of qualified service engineers, offering extensive service, preventative maintenance and overhaul capabilities on most models of marine drivelines, as well as being the UK/Ireland distributor for Twin Disc, and official service partners of ZF Marine, Reintjes and Servogear.