Irish boat news: September 2017

Emerald Isle I for Union Hall

Union Hall skipper Niall Deasy is preparing to start fishing with the renamed and refurbished 23.5m twin-rig prawn freezer trawler Emerald Isle I S 257, reports Pauric Gallagher.

Above: Emerald Isle I at Killybegs in its new colours after an extensive refit.

Emerald Isle I is the former Stella Nova DA 57, which was built by Vest in 2006 for Niall and Seamus Connolly of Clogherhead, from whom Niall Deasy bought the vessel from earlier this year.

Following the transaction, skipper Niall Deasy took the renamed Emerald Isle I to Mooney Boats of Killybegs at the beginning of last month, where engineers at the yard began an extensive refit after the trawler was taken up on the syncrolift.

All of the vessel’s trawl blocks were removed and reconditioned at the yard before being refitted. The original guide-on rollers were removed and new reinforced bars fitted. Mooney Boats manufactured and installed a new aluminium net bin in front of the wheelhouse.

The vessel’s propeller blades were rebuilt by North West Propellers in Mooney’s boatyard, and all new nylon sheeting was fitted around the transom of the Emerald Isle I, as protection while the gear is being lifted onboard.

Tjeerd Jacoba is currently undergoing work at Mooney Boats’ yard.

In the course of the refit, the galley area was also extensively refurbished, with new flooring and seating installed. A new stainless steel cooker was supplied by Mooney Boats shop, and the old galley worktops were also replaced in stainless steel. New flooring was also fitted in the wheelhouse.

In the fish room, the port and starboard side doors to the freezer and cold store room were reconditioned at the same time as a lot of the vessel’s sea water piping was also renewed.

The vessel’s old names were cut off and Emerald Isle I was welded on in their place. The new port of registration, Skibbereen, was also added.

The hull was painted by Glenn Campbell, who does much of the painting works at Mooney Boats Ltd. The colours were changed from its original blue to red, while the antifouling was changed from red to green.

The Emerald Isle I was put back on the water at the beginning of September and will go fishing shortly, once the last of the paperwork is sorted.

The syncrolift has been extremely busy all year at Mooney Boats. Currently the 25m Devotion DA 59, formerly Skipper DA 59, has just been lifted out at the yard. It is currently going through its survey and, once completed, will be handed over to its new owner Phillip McAvoy.

The 26m scalloper Tjeerd Jacoba DS 7, owned by Macduff Shellfish, is also in the yard, having steamed over from Whitehaven for a wash and paint. Its steering system was also removed and Mooney Boats is supplying and fitting new hydraulic rams to the steering system. The rudder bushings are also getting reconditioned as is the top rudder shaft. Mooney Boats will also fit two new seacocks on the vessel. Padmos will also overhaul Tjeerd Jacoba’s main engine.

New Stella Nova

Work to complete the Stella Nova, a new 23.99m prawn vessel for the Connolly family in Clogherhead, is continuing at Mooney Boats in Killybegs, reports Pauric Gallagher.

The entire fit-out of the vessel is being completed at Mooney Boats, where it has been assigned the yard number B44. Works include all wiring, piping systems, carpentry, fishhold fit-out, engine installation, steering systems, etc.

Stella Nova arriving at Killybegs in July for completion by Mooney Boats.

The vessel will be powered by a Mitsubishi S6R2-T2MPTK-3 propulsion engine developing 1350rpm, coupled to a Reintjes WAF 474L 7.476:1 reduction gearbox. The complete engine and gearbox package is being supplied by Padmos Ireland. The vessel will have a 2.5m-diameter propeller that’s driven by a relatively small engine; this new design provides a very fuel-efficient vessel with at least 15% fuel saving compared to older propulsion setups.

Mooney Boats Ltd is eager to keep as much work in Ireland as possible; other local companies that will be involved in the vessel’s completion are EK Marine Hydraulics, Swan Net-Gundry and Pepe trawls. KER Group will supply the refrigeration and the electronics package is being supplied by Pat Maguire from Galway.

Stella Nova is due for delivery to Niall and Seamus Connolly at the end of the year.

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