Alex West and Michael Tait, owners of Ocean Quest, decided to install the fully stabilised Kaijo KCS-3885Z 94Khz to provide them with long range detection as well as high target definition, particularly when fishing mackerel.
The sonar was installed by Kaijo’s UK agent Woodsons Of Aberdeen Ltd in August, just prior to the vessel beginning its herring fishery. It replaced their old high frequency sonar, the Kaijo KCH1828, and was installed easily by Woodsons into the same seachest without the need to dry dock the vessel. After sea trials off Fraserburgh, during which both skippers commented on how sharp and clean the picture was, the Ocean Quest sailed to target herring.
The herring marks were small and close to hard bottom but the sonar detected these easily. Skipper Alex West was delighted with the performance and commented that sonar was working well and when compared to other sonars he has worked with it was “the best of the bunch.”
The mackerel season then got under way in October and Michael Tait starting fishing with the Ocean Quest close to Shetland. Initially the mackerel marks were quite light and high in the water. Using the Kaijo KCS 3885Z Mr Tait was able to detect mackerel at 800m close to surface. He commented on how impressed he was with the “definition of the mackerel marks he was fishing on” and also “how well the stabilisation worked in the sea conditions they were in.”
Steven Wood, managing director of Woodsons commented, “As this was the first sonar of its type to be installed into the Scottish fleet it was supplied on a three month trial. I’m delighted to say that the owners were so impressed with the performance that they decided to purchase the sonar within the first six weeks of the trial.”
