A beam of 16ft 6in provides excellent stability and the vessel, which displaces approximately 10 tonnes with trawling gear, has a draught of 3ft 6in. With a small wheelhouse, the working deck area measures 476sq/ft enabling Gathergood to carry out all intended forms of fishing.

Phyllis John was originally conceived as a rod and line bass fishing vessel which could also fish nets through a Spencer Carter net hauler on the starboard shoulder, trawl for sand eels and bass, or dredge for oysters using a stainless steel gantry and Spencer Carter trawl winch. The vessel has already netted record catches, which has brought two other Portsmouth based fishermen very close to ordering near identical boats.

Main propulsion is by twin John Deere 6068TFM 225hp diesel engines coupled to Twin Disc 5050A 1.8:1 reduction ratio gearboxes driving conventional Clements 1.75in stainless steel shafts, GRP stern tubes, bronze skegs and rudders and a 22in propeller.

Reservations held by some concerning the small gearbox reduction and propeller have fallen away as the vessel has delivered an impressive ratio of performance to fuel consumption, providing a top speed of 22 knots, a continuous loaded cruising speed of 16 knots, trawling happily at 4 knots and consuming less than 40 litres per hour total.

South Boats' Clarence Boat Yard at East Cowes is a hive of activity, with four other boats recently delivered, five currently under build and a further five on order.

The presence of a 2002 model 36/11 Island demonstrator has resulted in many other contracts currently being negotiated.

MJ Information No: 17711