Four Sons fishing vessel blessed at Brixham

Four Sons BM 68, the latest multi-purpose U10 designed by Ian Paton, is now working from its home port of Brixham.

Helen Lovell-Smith, the Fishermen’s Mission area officer for Devon, blessed the new vessel before skipper-owner Derek Meredith and his wife Laura broke a bottle of champagne on the rails.

Helen Lovell-Smith said: “The boat looks lovely – it’s a fine craft, and was built not far from Brixham at Polruan in Cornwall. It’s so pleasing to see the local fishing industry kept alive, and for people to have faith in the industry.”

After landing an impressive maiden trip of ‘over £9,500’ from three days’ fishing, Derek Meredith is considering the possibility of having another similar vessel built.

He explained: “There were a few problems on the maiden trip, but it generally went OK. We left Brixham in reasonable weather, which quickly worsened, giving us a chance to see the boat’s capabilities.

“I would have no hesitation in choosing the same hull design again. It’s a cracking sea boat, and I’m well pleased with all aspects of the design – there was no pitching, no excess rolling. I am very impressed.”

Currently beam-trawling using 4m gear, the boat was built at the Cornish yard of C Toms & Son. Head of the yard Paul Toms says that ‘a good number’ of the inshore skippers he speaks to believe that a multi-purpose U10 is the way forward. Four Sons is the seventh Ian Paton U10 built at the yard, and of similar concept to the Our Frankie Shan BD 229 launched from the yard earlier this year.

A box of fish from the vessel’s maiden trip was auctioned by Brixham Trawler Agents to raise around £300 for the Fishermen’s Mission.

A full report on the Four Sons will appear in Fishing News soon.

This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.30 here.

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