LOCAL captain Richard Grains says he was satisfied with how the new vessel Valentia LK21 did during her journey of 800 miles from Valentia Island in the southwest region of Ireland from the southwest of Ireland to Shetland this week.
The vessel was formally launched on the Vidlin marina to be christened over the weekend after avoiding Storm Dudley on her four-day trip home.
Created in the company of Murphy Marine Services of Portmagee, the vessel measures 10 meters and is built on the proven Cygnus Typhoon 33 hulls but was further modified to increase her stability and seaworthiness to handle rough water, exposed, and forbidding that lie to West of Shetland
The new boat is an impressive leap over Richard’s earlier boat, referred to as Valentia and constructed at the same yard around ten years ago.
The primary reason behind the change, Richard said, was the safety and comfort aspect.
Based in Collafirth, the fisherman can find brown fishing crabs in the waters exposed towards Northwestern Northmavine and does some Buckie and velvet crab fishing. He hopes to jig with cod during the summer months.
“A primary reason for having a larger boat was the security. It’s not a good place to fish Safety is the most important thing,” he said.
Its new model, powered through the Iveco C13 diesel motor, is three feet wider and three times more comprehensive than the earlier Valentia and, as a result, offers more excellent stability but also provides more space for two crew members to work.
The full-time fisherman of 37 has been working at creels since he entered the fishing industry in 2007 and is currently on his fourth boat.
As a Shetland Shellfish Management Organization (SSMO) participant, The amount and size of crabs that he is allowed to catch are controlled and monitored. He is granted a permit to land 600 creels. The new boat, which is more significant, will not alter this.
Richard hopes to get to fishing before the closing of the month after an inspection of the boat’s marine has been done, and he’s brought his gear aboard.
His former vessel was sold to new owners in northern Scotland.
