Seaward keeps a ‘Watchful’ eye on growth

The vessel’s duties will include patrol, pilot training and to provide oil spill recovery capability.For this purpose, a pair of 12’ extension booms are attached to the gantry mast. A tow post is included for use when the occasional yacht goes aground in the Crouch river.

The craft is fitted out and equipped to comply with Cat 3 of the MCA Workboat Code. Outfitting includes four Cleeman ‘Nautic Star’ suspension seats. Electronics are by Raymarine and include the latest AIS650 transceiver, Ray55E VHF, Ray430 Loadhailer, DSM30 Sonar, C90W chartplotter with digital radar.

Twin Yanmar 4LH 240 hp engines provide the power to give speeds up to 24 knots. Hydraulic steering is by Kobelt.

The requirement for the new craft arises from the intention of beneficially re-using Some 5m cu/m of tunnelling spoil from the London Crossrail project in the RSPB’s Wallasea Wild Coast marine habitat creation scheme, itself the largest habitat creation project of its kind in Europe. The excavated material will be shipped round to Wallasea Island beside the River Crouch from three different River Thames wharves, being unloaded at a new purpose designed unloading facility capable of handling two 2,500 dwt ships simultaneously and of receiving up to 10,000 tons of material daily. This will represent a major increase in the level of commercial shipping activity on River Crouch, which is a busy recreational boating river and the new vessel

Watchful will be kept busy ensuring the differing marine activities can coexist safely. Crouch Harbour Master Mark Wakelin said, “We are more than content with our new launch. The process of specifying the boat and seeing her built was straightforward and rewarding due to the interest, flexibility, care and quality Seaward Marine has invested in the job from the start. Having a new boat custom built should be a happy experience. With Seaward so it has proven to be!”

With a background of building and going to sea in high specification semi-displacement motor yachts and pilot vessels, Barry Kimber formed the company of Seaward Marine Ltd in Guernsey in 1980.

The new millennium brought into service a new Seaward built Nelson 33 pilot vessel at St Peter Port to cater for the increasing number of visiting cruise liners. Record orders at the Southampton Boat show in 2000 and the introduction of the first Seaward 35 motor cruiser in 2001 forced the company to look for larger premises.

In January 2002 the company purchased a 23,500 sq ft factory at Cowes and relocated the whole of its business there from Guernsey. The Isle of Wight is proving an ideal location for Seaward, with all the necessary skills and training available for future expansion.

Early in 2007 an opportunity presented itself to Seaward when their long established trading partners, VT Halmatic, decided to drop production of pilot boats in order to concentrate on military craft. A new 29 foot pilot cutter had recently been produced as a joint project between Seaward and VT Halmatic for Casablanca Pilots. This new model Nelson 29 along with the existing Nelson 35, 40 and 42 pilot boats are now all available in the product line up from Seaward Marine.

Fact Box:

Length overall: 8.94m

Beam: 3.04m

Draught: 0.84m

Displacement: 6.0 tons

Power: Two Yanmar 4LH main engines rated at 240 hp

Speed: 24 knots