Holyhead Towing is an international operator of specialist shallow draft tugs and workboats in support of the oil, pipe laying, surveying, dredging and marine civil engineering industries. The company has a dedicated subsidiary, Turbine Transfers Ltd, providing support to wind farms.

South Boats Director, Ben Colman, explains: “The 12m Rapid Response Vessel (RRV) fills a gap in the workboat fleet, making the transport of small teams or items of equipment more economical. In the right conditions, the RRV can improve safety and flexibility and offer a significant cost-saving.”

Classified to UK MCA Workboat Code for use up to 60 miles from safe haven with up to 12 passengers, this fast, stable catamaran combines shallow draft with up to 30kn maximum speed. The vessel is expected to work in environments where reliability and safety are crucial. Robust, fast and seaworthy, the RRV is a tried and tested South Boats design, built to the highest quality standards by GRP Laminates.

Following RRV Audrey’s inaugural contract as a wind farm support vessel, she has taken up a range of other duties, most recently supporting dredging operations in France. For commercial operators like Holyhead Towing and Turbine Transfers, the fact that the RRV is road-transportable adds another dimension to its value in the fleet, enabling it to be deployed at short notice, virtually anywhere in the world.

For more information, please contact Bob Bennett, Technical Director, GRP Laminates at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or Ben Colman, Director, South Boats Special Projects at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). For Holyhead Towing contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Barry Meech has been running sea angling charters from Hayling Island for over 12 years, and has also built several boats. This winter, Barry Meech’s build project has been an 11m South Boats GRP Catamaran, acquired via the ‘kit & fit’ option offered by GRP Laminates.

“Normally I’d just buy the hull and ribs, but this time I’m getting the deck laid down, and the cabin and engine hatches.”

NAB-CAT II will have royal blue hulls, white superstructure and an extended wheel house to accommodate the galley and toilet cubicle. Barry Meech will fit IVECO NEF 330 hp engines on twin disc gear boxes and Clements Engineering stern gear, as well as crew seating, helm position and consoles. He says: “GRP Laminates have worked their socks off to make the boat the way I wanted it. They are always helpful and friendly. The workshop is clean, the work is clean – very professional.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about ‘kit & fit’ from GRP Laminates should contact Bob Bennett, Technical Director, on 01983 200 988 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Meanwhile, NAB-CAT II should be on the water in time to catch the height of the fishing season. And Barry Meech will already be planning his next boat…

As part of the ongoing partnership between South Boats and GRP Laminates, the proven keelboat design is being made available as a ‘part build’. The idea came from conversations GRP technical director Bob Bennett had with a number of fishermen and charter fleet owners:

“Many customers have the capacity and skills to do much of the finishing and kitting of their boats themselves. As well as cutting costs, this means they can configure the deck, fittings etc. to meet their own needs.”

The GRP keel catamaran is highly regarded for its stability and good working deck space. This is a new, cost-effective and flexible way for independent, family-owned firms to afford and customise these excellent workboats. Customers can choose to fit the entire deck and pre-moulded superstructure, or simply to kit out ta boat delivered with hull, deck and superstructure already bonded.

Customers can select hull colour, seats and other optional extras, and GRP Laminates is developing a specification tool listing all available components, prices and options. While the first wave of take-up has been in the charter fishing market (with at least one customer planning to sell-on the boat once it is completed) there has also been keen interest from commercial and leisure dive operators.

Call Bob Bennett on 01983 200 988 for more information.