If you think Alaska means winter ice storms and Hawaiian conch-shell blowing fisherman swinging garlands in the warm sun, then Sean Martin and Jim Cook seem to have the best of both worlds in their new 78-foot F/V Caroleigh
They run Vessel Management Associates in Hawaii, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacific Ocean Producers (POP), and they had Caroleigh designed by Hal Hockema & Associates and built by Fred Wahl Marine Construction.
One of her important innovations is a side-setting system that deploys the longline gear off the hull's side. Hawaii POP and her designers and builders say this virtually eliminates sea bird by-catch. She has been working the mid-Pacific pelagic fishery for just over two months since her launch.
Parent company POP say they are a leader in customising Lindgren-Pitman (LP) monofilament longline systems in the Pacific, so they gave Caroleigh a Super Spool III to haul and store. POP say its patented, large spool gives smoother hauling and less line stress. The non-weld endplate design makes it the strongest spool LP has ever offered, it adds.
Hal Hockema are better known for building for Alaskan waters. Grass-skirts and white, sandy images hide the power of the Pacific's typhoons, hurricanes and storms. So the design has tried to mix and match Alaskan and Pacific strengths.
Hockema incorporated an aluminum pilothouse for dead weight reduction, a high bow and an enclosed work deck to protect the crew from the elements. It paid off on the first trip when Caroleigh had to fight 100-knot winds in bad weather.
Caroleigh is the first purpose-specific steel longliner built in Hawaii in two years. There is accommodation for six crew, a captain's 'stateroom', air-conditioning, satellite TV etc.
With 400-1,000 miles commuting to fisheries and an average 280-300 days at sea per annum, home comforts matter.
Technicalities:
Volvo Penta TAMD 165C 510 HP, 10.5 knots cruising, 12kn max.
Gearbox: Twin Disc MG516 5.05:1. Fuel: 9,729 U.S. gallons.
Water 2,176 U.S. gallons. Daily fuel consumption: 170 U.S. gallons.
Refrigeration: Coquille sheet metal for a 2,518 cuft Lenox Air Systems air conditioning and a 315 cuft Tecumseh bait freezer. House electricity generation: twin Northern Lights MP445T 55kW generators. Beam just over 20 feet; depth 9ft 7in.
