3D Tour of Ranger

There is now a 3D virtual tour available online of the 14m pilot boat "Ranger" that Hart Marine built for Port Phillip Sea Pilots. Go to this website to check it out:

http://www.immersiview.com.au/pano/tour/ranger/index.html

Oil-slick skipper to face criminal charges

http://www.news.com.au/national/oil-slick-skipper-to-face-charges/story-e6frfkvr-1226309260978

By Peter Rolfe &  Tom Bennett - Sunday Herald Sun - March 25,  2012

The Environment Protection Authority last night was trying to contain a 500m oil spill in Bass Strait caused by the accident,  which is under police investigation.

An oil response crew worked frantically to minimise the south-facing oil slick yesterday afternoon before the tide turned and it was pushed towards dolphin sanctuaries and marine parks in Port Phillip Bay.

Six people were rescued from the Lady Cheryl,  a 27m commercial vessel,  after it hit a submerged reef and began taking water.

Police say the "extremely experienced and qualified" mariner returned a blood alcohol reading in excess of 0.05 after being rescued.

He and his crew were dramatically plucked from the sinking boat in 6m swells by Port Phillip Sea Pilots,  who responded to the trawler's mayday call about 1.05am.

The vessel was travelling out of Port Phillip Heads from Melbourne on a 10-day fishing trip when the incident occurred.

Water Police Sgt Andrew Lilly said the rescued men owed their lives to the sea pilots,  who maintain a 24-hour presence at nearby Queenscliff.

"The pilots are very experienced seamen who have often figured in rescues in this notorious stretch of water,"  he said.

Sgt Lilley said charges were pending against the skipper,  a 42-year-old Warrnambool man,  who was released after being interviewed by police.

"The weather,  the conditions obviously played a part and alcohol also played a part,"  he said.

"We can't establish which the major contributing factor was at this stage."

After foundering,  the vessel came to rest on a sandbar in 10m of water off Point Nepean,  on the eastern side of the notorious Rip.

Rescue crews had hoped to tow the vessel to safety yesterday but took hours to move it,  fearing it might break up and spill fuel as well as the 300 litres of hydraulic fluid and 500 litres of commercial lubricant on board.

Oil spill experts will assess how to siphon fluids from the trawler before the salvage crew tries to refloat it.

Article from Australian Oil &Gas Magazine

Press Release

Date:  30 November 2011

Subject:  Albany Port orders Hart ORC 15.6 Pilot Boat

Hart Marine has recently been chosen to deliver a new pilot boat for Albany Port,Western Australia,  to replace the 25 year-old vessel currently in service there.

Last year the company delivered two of its ORC pilot vessels to Port Phillip Sea Pilots (PPSP) who operate in notoriously rough waters and had previously lost a pilot boat when the vessel overturned in the entrance to the bay.  After a global evaluation of pilot vessels, the ORC range - the result of Hart’s collaboration with naval architects Pantocarene France – was chosen.  According to PPSP,  the new pilot vessels have surpassed performance expectations.  The ORC range has also been gaining international recognition and success,  with vessels new in service in ports and harbours in France,  Germany and the United Kingdom.

Albany Port Authority CEO Brad Williamson named Hart’s ORC15.6 as the optimum design for the port’s requirements. Apart from the fundamental role of transferring a pilot in all weather,  the Albany Port Authority specified a need for high performance sea-keeping to handle the larger swell conditions encountered around the Southdown mining project 49 nautical miles north-east of Albany.

The ORC15.6 satisfied Albany’s demand for a self-righting vessel. Other features include oversized rudders for increased manoeuvrability;  wide side decks with an Ocean 3 fender system to facilitate pilot transfer; and a suspended wheelhouse that reduces structure-borne noise and vibration and thereby reduces crew fatigue.  Improved stability and sea-keeping characteristics are achieved through the vessel’s hull form,  with a wide waterline and wave-piercing beak bow to minimise pitching. Twin turbo-charged diesel engines rated at 450kW drive fixed pitch propellers enabling a 25-knot operational speed with good fuel efficiency.

The construction time for the boat will be 12 months,  with the Port Authority to name the new vessel in due course.