Asteria BRD 250 launched at Buckie for Skye owners
7th June 2017
The first build of a new design of twin-rig trawler was launched at Buckie towards the end of last month by Macduff Shipyards, for father and son skippers Alasdair and Andrew Montgomery and the Asteria Fishing Company of Portree, Isle of Skye, reports David Linkie.
Above: Asteria is moved down the slipway at Buckie at low water before floating off six hours later…
The 19m Asteria BRD 250 is the first new fishing boat to be built by Macduff Shipyards since the firm acquired the modern large fabrication hall in 2013, following the closure of Buckie Shipyards, since when three fish farm vessels have been fabricated.
Asteria also has the distinction of being the first new trawler to be launched into Buckie harbour since 2001, following the completion of Antaries BF 27, Holly B II FR 29 and Pleiades BF 155 by Buckie Shipyard after the hulls of these vessels were built in Russia.
… before being towed to Macduff for final fit-out.
Skipper Andrew Montgomery shakes hands with Macduff Shipyards’ MD John Watt, watched by Buckie facilities manager Stuart Mack, as Asteria waits on the slipway before floating off at highwater.
Specialist low-loader units were used to manoeuvre Asteria out of the building hall and down an adjacent slipway at low water, when custom-built cradles were put in place to support the vessel before the low-loaders were removed. After floating off the cradles six hours later, Asteria was immediately towed to Macduff by C-Odyssey.
Macduff Shipyards will now complete fitting-out the fully shelterdecked Asteria at Macduff for delivery later this year.
Asteria will be powered by a Caterpillar C18 main engine, and Mitsubishi 6D24TC and Mitsubishi S4KT auxiliary engines are also fitted.
Read more from Fishing News here.
