Sandoyne Lass sails off to Scottish Sea Farms

Gerrit Knol, technical director of Netherlands-based Nauplius Workboats, said: “The Sandoyne Lass is a workboat with a high cargo capacity and a large work deck, which makes it a favourite among fish farmers.

“In 2015, the design for the 1507 utility vessel was developed following from various discussions between the construction consortium Bijlsma Wartena and Nauplius Workboats and the fish farmers. The Sandoyne Lass is the third in the series, but certainly stands out.”

Richard Darbyshire, Scottish Sea Farms’ regional production manager Orkney, said: “The manoeuvrability and high forward wheelhouse with good visibility makes this a perfect vessel to cope with the poor weather conditions that we often have in Orkney”.

Robust and stable

Knol describes the 1507 utility vessel as “robust and highly seaworthy with stable handling characteristics on the open ocean. It is made for the salmon farms in the north-west of Scotland, an area that is notorious for its inclement weather, where the Atlantic Ocean rolls in.”

Several modifications were made at Scottish Sea Farms’ behest. Darbyshire says: “We requested hydraulic fittings to be installed on the deck so that a back-up feeding system can be used if need be.

“We also asked the shipyard to install a ‘Cinderella’ incinerator toilet which totally eliminates any risk of accidental blackwater discharges.

“Health and safety is also very important to us, and we have installed foot controls for the capstans so that there is zero chance of fingers getting trapped during lifting operations.”

Heavy seas

Scottish Sea Farms requested that the propeller shaft system be modified for water lubrication, while noise and vibration levels have been reduced. The bow has a relatively robust construction to withstand heavy seas. These modifications makes the load capacity on the large 60 m² work deck higher: 37,5 tons can now be loaded with the centre of gravity at 1 metre above the deck.

Knol said: “As per Scottish Sea Farms’ instructions, during the build special attention was given to the most maintenance-friendly possible construction with the following rule of thumb: simple and solid, which will provide savings on maintenance costs in the future. The ship is versatile and can also be used as a general workboat, diving platform and in civil engineering or offshore.”

Darbyshire added: “The utility vessel 1507 has a lot of advantages for the fish farming industry. It has no sharp edges or protrusions on the side of the boat that could cause snagging of nets or tarpaulins. Furthermore, a unique fendering system has also been designed to prevent snagging.”

Biosecurity

To meet the highest levels of biosecurity the vessel has been equipped with a high-pressure power washer and the deck has been designed so that no dirt or debris collects.

There are doors in the gunwales on the starboard and in the stern of the ship to make work at the farms easier. The workdeck has an HS Marine AK30 HE4 1180 kg @ 13.38 metre crane, which is required to deal with the heavier mooring systems used by Scottish Sea Farms Orkney. The maximum heel of the vessel will be less than 7 degrees during hoisting works with this crane.

Nauplius Workboats is responsible for the development and design of these vessels, while Bijlsma Wartena is responsible for the construction and delivery.

Vessel details

Main engine: Doosan hoofdmotor,  L 136Ti (EIAPP) : 170 kW / 230 Hp @ 2200 Rpm

Gearbox: Dong-I tandwielkast DMT110A

Generator: Mitsubishi, Mecc Alte S4S-Z361SD: 230 / 400V – 30 kVA

Capstan : Tjenford Industry N300-3000

Length overall: 15.50 metre

Breadth overall: 7.32 metre

Depth: 2.00 metre