Shpping

Custom Craft goes aluminium

FIJI Custom Craft Limited has com pleted a 7.2-metre semi submersible coral viewer. It is con structed of 4mm aluminium sheet and consists of two pontoons, each having four water tight compartments, with an underwater viewing pod located between the pontoons. The craft is ballasted with 1500 kg of lead ingots in the floor of the pod. Motive power is two 25 H.P. Yama ha outboards with a cruise speed in the vicinity of four knots. Seating is pro vided for eight passengers in the viewing pod and eight on deck topsides.

Being built are two 9.6 metre game boats. Demand for the company’s boats has been such that building of extensions to double the facility will be commenced shortly and allow the range to increase to 12-metre boat. The 9.6 metre game boats are purposely built and originate from experiences in Cairns, Australia, known for its marlin fishing. Functional and most attractive to the eye, the 9.6 monohulls are powered by twin 250 H.P.

Vetus Cummins diesels fitted Hurth down angle gearboxes for a design speed of 30 knots. A feature of the boats is the tunnel drive which allows lower shaft

angle, improved performance and a

shallower draft. With 30 degree entry and 15 degree aft the bottom is of 6mm plate. The sides feature reverse chines with the bottom side of smm plate and top side 4mm plate. Decks are 4mm plate with the exception of the large

fishing cockpit which is Rosawa plank

over 20mm marine ply.

The boats are suitable for day fishing or cruising for a week or two. The facili ties on board include four bunks, toilet/ washbasin compartment; separate show er, hot and cold fresh water from a 450 litre tank, galley equipped with 12 volt refrigerator, two burner gas stove/grill and sink, a freezer operated off an en gine driven compressor and seating for eight on the upper deck.

The electronics include Furuno radar, VHF radio, echo sounder and Autohelm auto pilot. Fuel capacity is 1400 litres to give a cruise range in excess of 500 miles. With the open upper deck, the sides of Clear View lowered in bad weather, the effect is of an open boat.

Fiji Custom Craft started building alu minium boats on October 2 last year and operate from premises in Lami, outside Suva. The company’s present range in cludes a 30-man semi-submersible, an 8metre monohull and the hydro-cat range of 4.5, 6.0 and 7.7 metre catamarans.

The monohulls and hydro-cats are custo mised to client’s requirements. Applica tions cover fishing, diving, transport, work boats and pleasure. The hydro-cats

built have been mainly for sports fishing,

The hydro-cats designed by Marcel

Boat Designs of Cairns are revolutionary in that they feature foils or wings between the hulls. These foils take 40 per cent of the boat weight and offer all the advantages of a multi-hull with the economy of an equivalent sized monohull.

The main foil and rear trim foils reduce the weighted water length of the vessel causing less friction and better performance. As the vessel does not use its tunnel to plane, it allows a clear flow of air through eliminating suction of moisture towards the stern of the hulls common

to most cats. With spray left behind the boat, and not sucked into the engine air intakes, longer engine life is assured, Horsepower requirements are less than normal equivalent sized catamarans

thereby leading to economy in operation

and lowe* initial capital cost of engines, The hydro-cat range is at present: 4.5 metre length, 2.0 metre beam, 3mm bot tom, 2.5 m side sheet, 6.0 metre length, 2.4 metre beam, 4mm bottom, 3mm side sheet, 7.7 metre length, 3.0 metre beam, smm bottom, 4mm side sheet. Alumi nium used in all boats is marine grade supplied by Comalco, Australia. □

Custom Craft specials: the semi-submersible Wunderworld Voyager and the fishermen's dream boat.