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32 Antartic
THE SKIPPER MARCH 2015
Antarctic refit ‘as good as
Redesigned Console and Helmsman station
By Tony O’Callaghan
The standard and quality of workmanship in a variety of trades and
services in Killybegs is “as good
as anything anywhere in Europe”,
according to one local businessman.
John Cormack of Barry Electronics
Ltd. made the claim to “The
Skipper” following the completion of a refit on Eamon McHugh’s
“Antarctic”. The work involved a
major modernisation of the vessel’s
refrigeration system and electronics.
The contract for upgrading of
the refrigeration system on board
the “Antarctic” was won by the
Killybegs-based KER Group after
competing with other international
suppliers.
The old system was running on
R22 refrigerant which was no longer available. The new system was
designed and installed using a more
energy efficient and safer Ammonia
Spray Chilling System.
A section of the hull was cut open
to allow for the removal of the
existing equipment. In order to
install the Ammonia systems the
new RSW room must be isolated
from the other areas on board. To
do this, a new bulkhead with selfclosing door and secondary escape
hatch were fabricated and installed.
New circulating and condenser
pumps with frequency inverters
and stainless steel pipework were
installed.
The two new RSW plants were
installed skid mounted for speed
Congratulations to Eamonn and Crew on
The Antarctic refurbishment
of installation and maximisation
of space on board. The system is
controlled by a state of the art PLC
System with touchscreen interfaces.
This is located outside the RSW
room with secondary touchscreen
control points in the wheelhouse and
in the engine room control room.
The RSW room is fitted with
explosion-proof lighting as well as
with gas and fire detection systems.
New high velocity explosion-proof
fans will ventilate the room in
emergency situations and water
spray containments systems at each
access point prevent any possible
gas leakage from the RSW space.
All materials used were class
approved by DNV and certified
after installation.
Speaking to The Skipper Antarctic
owner Eamonn McHugh said “We
are extremely happy with the new
RSW installation, and the quality
of our fish is outstanding. We have
received a better price for our fish
and in turn the processor has also
received a better price. It really is a
win win situation”
“We would have no hesitation in
recommending KER Group to any
Skipper/Owner upgrading their
refrigeration system.”
St Catherines Rd, Killybegs, Co. Donegal
Tel: 074 97 31215 Fax: 074 97 31739
As part of the major wheelhouse
overhaul Barry Electronics upgraded a lot of the original navigation
and fish finding equipment and
fitted 17 new 19” and 20.5” Neovo
Flat screen Monitors. They also
installed a Phontech 3120 Ships
Intercom system and a range of
new communications equipment
with all communication antennas
and cabling being replaced.
Working with carpenter Sean
Doherty, Barry’s team fitted a
Complete new bridge lighting
system and finally a SeaTel 4004
Satellite TV system.
Talking afterwards, John Cormack
had particular praise for quiet-spoken carpenter, Sean Doherty, who
made the wheelhouse consoles and
wooden fittings for the upgraded
and replacement electronics.
“Sean Doherty is easily as good
as any craftsman in Europe”, said
Cormack. “We have worked in
yards all over Europe and I can tell
you that you will not find better.
“The significance of that is that
vessels are travelling long distances to other countries to have
work carried out which could be
as well done or better right here in
Killybegs.”
John Cormack conceded that a
major factor in the decision of vessel owners to travel to other countries was the availability of suitable
dry-dock facilities in Ireland. But,
that being said, work was being
outsourced which could be carried
out as well or better here.
MARCH 2015 THE SKIPPER
Antartic 33
s anything in Europe’
“We’re talking about millions of
euro worth of work”, he said.
For his part, Sean Doherty shrugs
off such fulsome compliments.
“It’s all in the measuring up”, he
says. “You have to measure and
survey the whole thing and make
your templates. You have to draw
everything to scale and have every
surface its true shape. The setting
out and the figuring out is as much
of it as anything.”
Sounds simple enough.
Sean learned his trade as a young
apprentice with Laverty Design
Workshop in Dunkineely. After
eleven years there, he left to set
up Sean Doherty (Killybegs) Ltd.
Doherty Joinery Ltd. was founded
in 1996.
Eamon McHugh is not a new customer. “We did the work for him
on the old ‘Antarctic’, Sean recalls.
Antarctic at her home port Killybegs
The type of work carried out on
fishing vessels by Doherty Joinery
Ltd. is varied. “The majority
would be in the wheelhouse but,
at the same time, we do bunks
and cabins and galleys; the whole
thing”, says Sean.
The critical factor in working on
boats is getting the survey right. “If
you are doing a wheelhouse, you
have to do a big survey of the whole
thing. Then you go away and make
your templates. You have to draw
everything to scale and every surface has to be its true shape.
Original main console
Refurbished Wheelhouse
“The setting out and the figuring
out is as much of it as anything.
You have to get that right and get
it accurate. If you don’t get that
right, you have nowhere to go to
start with; planning would be a big
part of it.”
Other work carried out by Doherty
Joinery Ltd. includes replacement
consoles on the Irish Lights vessel, “Granuaile”. He recalls: “We
measured up and templated and
then we were only two days on
board fitting it.”
Another job involved wheelhouse
consoles and furniture for the
“Northern Celt” in Greencastle.
Others included the “Western
Endeavour”, the “Lovon” in
Baltimore and Andrew
Orr’s “Havila”.
ROSHINE ROAD,
KILLYBEGS, CO. DONEGAL
WWW.KER.IE
TEL: (0) 74 97 31525
FAX: (0) 74 97 32111
CONGRATULATIONS TO EAMONN & CREW ON THE ANTARCTIC REFURBISHMENT
REFRIGERATION
WELDING / FABRICATION
ELECTRICAL
FISH HANDLING
CHANDLERY
WATER TREATMENT