
Mooney Boats Ltd of Killybegs have recently signed over their latest new build, Ocean Challenge LK 253, to owner Leslie Hughson from the Shetland Islands in the United Kingdom.
B47 from Mooney Boats was completed for Leslie Hughson and Ocean Way Fishing Company and will fish from Lerwick.
The new boat will be skippered by Mr Hughson and will be crewed by six who will be targeting whitefish such as cod, haddock, whiting, saithe, ling and monkfish.
Ocean Way Fishing Company is based in Skerries in the Shetland Islands.

New Vessel Details
Registered Length: 23.99m
LOA: 28.50m
Beam: 8.7m
Draught: 5.6m
Speed: 10 – 12 knots
Hull: Steel


Speaking about the new build, Managing Director, Lee Mooney from Mooney Boats Ltd said
“Build 47 ‘Ocean Challenge’ was a rewarding yet challenging build for Mooney Boats Ltd. At 28.50 LOA she is the largest boat completed by the shipyard to date.”
Arriving from the initial yard of construction in Poland the hollow hull began fit out in the first quarter of 2020. Unforeseeable at the time a global pandemic was about to take place., like many industries, Mooney Boats quickly found ways to adapt due to the vessel owners being unable to travel to the Donegal based shipyard.
To overcome this Mooney Boats ltd Design team began sophisticated 3D design drawings of various layouts which were sent digitally to vessel owners to review and walk around proposed designs on their mobile devices such as iPad and Laptops.
From the success of these 3D design drawings Mooney boats Ltd where later tasked with designing the fish processing system, a first for the shipyard. Using the latest 3D software, the yard digitally designed and rendered the fish processing deck for approval by the owners in Shetland.

The Ocean Challenge is laid out as such:
Wheelhouse Forward
Forecastle Large Dry Store
Forepeak Thruster room and dry food store
Accommodation: 4 Berth Cabins and 3 Single Berth Cabins
2 Toilet / Showers
1 Galley / Mess
1 Changing Locker Room Main Deck
1 Locker Room Shelter-deck
Fishroom: Fibre-glassed & Insulated dry hold for boxed fish
Shelterdeck Factory & Fish Handling System On Shelterdeck
Refrigeration Room Refrigeration room port side shetlterdeck
Hydraulic Room Aft starboard Side Shelter-deck
Harbour Set Room Aft Port Side Shelter-deck
Workshop Stb side Main Deck forward

RADAR |
H Williamson & Son- (Fitted by Barry Electronics) |
PLOTTERS |
H Williamson & Son- (Fitted by Barry Electronics) |
SONARS |
H Williamson & Son- (Fitted by Barry Electronics) |
MONITORS |
H Williamson & Son- (Fitted by Barry Electronics) |
CCTV |
H Williamson & Son- (Fitted by Barry Electronics) |
AIS |
H Williamson & Son- (Fitted by Barry Electronics) |
RADIOS |
H Williamson & Son- (Fitted by Barry Electronics) |

Engine Room |
Supplier |
Make |
Model |
MAIN ENGINE |
Padmos |
ABC |
ABC 6 DZC 738 kw@ 900 rpm |
GEARBOX |
Heimdal |
HG660S-3PTO |
|
PROP SIZE |
Heimdal |
⌀3000 |
|
HARBOUR SET |
Padmos |
Caterpillar |
4.4 DIT |
AUX ENGINES HYDRAULICS |
Padmos |
Caterpillar |
9.3 DITA 250kva 218kw@1500rpm |
AUX ENGINES ELECTRICS |
Padmos |
Caterpillar |
9.3 DITA 250kva 218kw@1500rpm |




Follow The Fishing Daily

The refrigeration system onboard the new Ocean Challenege was supplied and fitted by the KER Group in Killybegs.

Deck |
|||
WINCHES |
Rapp Marine |
||
NET DRUMS |
Rapp Marine |
||
LANDING CRANE |
Rapp Marine |
||
GILSEN WINCH |
Rapp Marine |
||
NET MONITORING |
Rapp Marine |
||
NETS |
LHD Limited of Lerwick |
||
FISH DECK |
Mooney Boats Ltd |
||
FISH HANDLING |
Mooney Boats Ltd |




In typical Mooney Boats style the accommodation areas of the vessel is modernised as we’ve come to expect.
LED strip lighting guides you around the accommodation areas. 24” Flatscreen tv’s can be found in all 7 cabins while the mess boasts a 55” screen and comfortable crew seating with built in USB charging ports.
A Decorative glass partition depicting the vessel side profile breaks the Mess area from the Galley. Underfloor heating throughout the two accommodation decks creates a comfortable area of rest.
All the carpentary and electrical work was carried out by Mooney Boats Ltd, along with supplying the onboard safety equipment and the Jotun Paint System. The Hydraulic installations were carried out by Mooney Boats Ltd Engineers.
Mooney Boats Ltd
We would like to thank Leslie and the Hughson family for choosing our shipyard for the construction of Ocean Challenge. We wish them all the very best and safe fishing for many years into the future.
Other fishing vessels from Mooney Boats Ltd – Amethyst BF 19