A new boat arrived in Ardglass harbour at 4am on Tuesday 13 December
The David Liam, built in Spain and formerly fishing out of Union Hall in the Republic of Ireland, has been bought by Basil Wills of Ardglass and will be skippered by Michael Masson, one of Ardglass’ budding young skippers, who sailed the vessel up on its 33-hour trip with heavy seas chasing his stern up the Irish Sea.
The steel-hulled, 15-metre vessel built in 2005, has a 4-metre draft and a 6-mtre beam and from the upper top deck to the engine room boasts to be on four levels. Powered by a Caterpillar 3406 420HP engine with a gear ration of 7:1, and supported by an auxiliary Aveco engine, the David Liam is a relative workhorse with bow thrusters which will improve its manoeuverability in a crowded harbour.
The David Liam is certainly well equipped electronically with 2x Sedena plotters, 2x Harper radars, a Kodem and Fururo sounder, and it has CCTV operating covering the build-in work deck below the wheelhouse and at the stern for shooting and retrieving the net.
With a fibreglassed fish room and a John Wight ice-making machine, the catch will be kept in tip-top condition. There is a fully-sheltered work deck for the six-man crew to work under, and a Pathfinder loading crane to get the catch onto the harbour topside.
Skipper Michael Masson said: “We just have to make a few alterations. Basically the vessel is very fresh and is recently painted, and after a few weeks in Kilkeel, she will be ready for sea once we load on the nets. Our target species is prawns and we are looking forward to a good year next year.”