State-of-the-art Kingfisher Beryl M blessed at Hayle

On 3 August over 50 people attended the blessing and official launch of the state-of-the-art Kingfisher K26 Beryl M SS 8 at Hayle in North Cornwall.

To celebrate the life of his late grandmother, skipper/owner Ben Eglinton has carried forward the name of his previous boat, a Holton 24.

His new multi-purpose static-gear vessel will work from Hayle or Newquay.

Built at the yard of H Baumbach & Sons, the Beryl M is based on the popular 26ft hull designed by Gary Mitchell. The K26 was introduced over 20 years ago, but remains one of the most sought-after designs of its size.

Celebrating the Beryl M’s launch, the Eglinton family and guests heard Rev Chris McQuillen-Wright wishing all sailing on her ‘a prosperous and safe passage’.

He told Fishing News: “I feel privileged to be chosen to celebrate the start of the working life of the Beryl M. I have known the Eglinton family for over 20 years, and their passion for the sea is central to their beliefs. From what I have seen, and continue to see, the Eglinton family is inseparable from the sea.”

Skipper Ben Eglinton told guests: “It’s been a long journey and three years from making that decision to have a new Beryl M built. There were many hurdles to cross; compliance with the new MCA regulations was not easy, but the MCA officers and staff were helpful.

“I must thank Alan Baumbach as leader of the yard and boatbuilder Mike Iles for building me a beautiful boat, and those who fabricated the metalwork, suppliers and fitters of the hydraulics, the electronics firms and many more – I am grateful for their help.

“I also thank my dad Gary for the help he gave and especially my wife Natalie for putting up with me throughout the project.”

A full report on the finished vessel will appear in FN 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 £3.50 here.

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