Captain Rodney McVicker is the second West Coast longliner to install WESMAR stabilizers and as a result, he reports more steady and plentiful fishing.
According to the company, by adding a set of WESMAR 16-foot roll fin stabilizers on his 61-foot F/V Sundancer, Captain McVicker can now fish more efficiently in rough weather and his fishing has been more consistent with less down time. Other boat captains who travelled with him observed that he does not roll around like they do.
Captain McVicker says his WESMAR stabilizers provide more comfort and lessen fatigue for his crew. The three month albacore season, running from end of June to October, requires Captain McVicker and his crew to constantly travel at sea each day. “We travel for weeks at a time,” he says. A less fatigued crew is important to overall production and safety, as well as crew morale.
Captain McVicker learned about WESMAR stabilizers when Bill Hammer, owner of the F/V Silver Lady, recommended them. Mr Hammer made history when he became the first to install an active fin stabilization system on a fishing vessel anywhere in the world.
“Anyone longlining for cod, halibut and fishing for albacore can appreciate the value of stability and lift in rough waters. By maintaining full boat speed in rough water conditions, fishing boats are more efficient and safer. The boat is not awash with water causing the catch to slosh around in the fish hold and crew slipping around on the decks. I can’t imagine operating without them,” Mr Hammer stated.
