email editor
The new ‘Amethyst’ built by Mooney Boats Ltd, Killybegs for Ralston Johnson of Fraserburgh, Scotland
Mooney Boats Ltd of Killybegs in Ireland have delivered a gem of a new fishing vessel, the ‘Amethyst’ to Ralston Johnston and Westward Fishing Company Ltd of Fraserburgh.
The MFV ‘Amethyst’ BF 19 is another boat designed by Ian Paton of SC McAllister & Company Limited Naval Architect and was built in the yard at the Mooney Boats premises in Killybegs.
The ‘Amethyst’ is a replacement vessel for the 2008 Macduff Shipyard built boat of the same name. At 20.25 metres length overall, she carries a beam of 7.3 metres and a draft of 4.85 metres.
Designed specifically as a twin-rigger, the ‘Amethyst’ looks every part of a modern day trawler designed by a master draughtsman. The hull itself was constructed from Lloyds Grade A Treated Steel Plate and the boat has been built to SeaFish & MCA standards.
Skipper, Ralston Johnston has a long career at sea and with plenty of experience with boats.
He told The Fishing Daily “I started fishing back in 1983. In 1997, I became a mate/relief skipper on the ‘Opportune’ BF 19 and from there I moved to the ‘Amethyst’ BF 19, when she was launched from Macduff Shipyards in 2000. Then in 2004, I moved to the ‘Amethyst’ BF 19, another Macduff built boat, where I stayed as mate/relief skipper until 2008 when the third ‘Amethyst’ BF 19 was launched.”
Ralston will be partnered in the wheelhouse by his brother Roy as co-skipper. The ‘Amethyst’ will fish with five/six of a crew and will mainly be targeting prawns on the North Sea grounds. The ‘Amethyst’ will fish out of Fraserburgh landing the catch to the Westward Fishing Co. Ralston and his crew will operate five to seven day fishing trips working to fill the vessel’s 500/600 box capacity.
Wheelhouse Amethyst – Mooney Boats:
The wheelhouse of the new ‘Amethyst’ built by Mooney Boats Ltd, Killybegs for Ralston Johnson of Fraserburgh, Scotland
As with most modern–day boats, the Amethyst’s wheelhouse is spacious and comfortable. The layout has a centre island consisting of two Norscap chairs which are divided by a central console. Below the front windows a fitted console screens. To the rear beside the door there is a fitted console equipped for operating the rear deck gear for hauling the fishing gear. The rear of the wheelhouse is also equipped with a fridge and tea making facilities.
The electronic equipment for the ‘Amethyst’ was supplied and fitted by Barry Electronics Ltd of Killybegs and by McMinn Marine Ltd of Fraserburgh.
The wheelhouse equipment supplied and fitted by Barry Electronics Ltd.
Radar
- 1 x Furuno FAR1518 X-Band BB Type Approved ARPA Radar with Neovo Monitor
- Furuno M1835 10.4” Radar 4kW with 24” Radome
Echo Sounder
- JRC 130BB Echo Sounder with 50kHz Transducer with Neovo Monito
Navigation
- Olex 3D Bottom Mapping Plotter with Hardness, connected to Wind Speed and Direction sensor
- 2 x Sodena Easy Win Version 8 ECS Chart Plotting System with AIS and ARPA
- 1 x NT921 MK 2 Autopilot with Watch Alarm and NFU Lever
- 1 x JRC JLR-21 Satellite Compass for Heading information for the Radar and Autopilot
- 2 x Furuno GP-39 GPS Navigator
- 1 x Furuno FA-170 AIS Identification System
GMDSS
- Icom GM800 150W MF/HF DSC Radio
- Sailor 6215 DSC (Class D) VHF Radiotelephone
- Furuno PR300 Power Supply Unit (Auto change over)
- Victron Skyalla-TG Charger for GMDSS Batteries
- Victron GMDSS Remote Battery Monitor
- 2 x 140Ah Batteries for GMDSS Power
- Furuno NX-300 Navtex Receiver
- ACR Float Free GPS EPIRB
General Communications
- Sailor 6210 VHF with Telephone Handsets
- 1 x Icom IC-GM1600E GMDSS Approved Handheld
- 2 x CCTV Analogue Systems for 9 Cameras with wide screen Neovo monitors
- 1 x Propeller Camera mounted on the Hull to view the propeller when the vessel is in the water.
- 1 x 5 Station Phonetech Intercom System, 2 x Cabins, Aft and Fwd deck area with External Speakers.
- Engine Room Station with noise reduction headset
McMinn Marine Ltd of Frasburgh supplied and fitted the VSat Dome .
The wheelhouse seats are Norsap supplied and fitted by Mooney Boats Ltd.
Engine Room- Amethyst – Mooney Boats:
The main engine is a Mitisubishi S6R2-T2MPTH-3 480kw @1350 rpm connected to a Reintjes WAF 374L, reduction 7.091:1 driving a 2.1m fixed pitch, four blade Kort propeller through a 2.1m Kort Nozzle, delivering an estimated speed of 10 knots.
Auxiliary power is supplied through Mitsubishi 6D16-T 120 kva and hydraulic power is supplied through a Mitsubishi 6D24-TC 218 kw@1800 rpm.
All engines and gearbox were supplied by Padmos Ireland.
The steering gear was supplied by AS: Scan Steering.
The hydraulics pipes were supplied and fitted by Mooney Boats Ltd.
The engineroom of the new ‘Amethyst’ built by Mooney Boats Ltd, Killybegs for Ralston Johnson of Fraserburgh, Scotland
Deck Equipment – Amethyst – Mooney Boats:
The deck of the new ‘Amethyst’ built by Mooney Boats Ltd, Killybegs for Ralston Johnson of Fraserburgh, Scotland
The deck equipment for the ‘Amethyst’ was supplied by EK Marine of Killybegs and Mooney Boats.
EK Marine supplied the EKM 24-tonne 3-Barrel Trawl Winch and the two EKM Double Split Net Drums. EK Marine also supplied the Landing Crane and Gilsen Winch.
Mooney Boats Ltd supplied the fish handling system.
Refrigeration System:
The refrigeration equipment has been supplied by Premier Refrigeration of Fraserburgh
Fishing Gear:
Trawl nets are supplied by Faithlie Trawls of Fraserburgh and consist of 2 x Letterbox trawl and 2 x scrappers and sweeps.
The ‘Amethyst’ will use Thyboron type 16 trawl doors in conjunction with the Faithlie nets.
Wires and sweeps were supplied by Karl Thomson, 3 x 225 20mm Fibrecore wire .
Chandlery for the boat was supplied by Scotnet Fraserburgh and Caley Stores Fraserburgh.
Mooring ropes and fenders were supplied by KT Nets Killybegs. .
There’s also a Clump 1 ton roller supplied from Macduff Shipyards Ltd.
Mooney Boats Ltd
The ‘Amethyst’ has been finished to the highest standards and a fine example of that can be found in the galley and the two four men cabins which sleep eight crew.
All the internal fit-out and carpentry was carried out by Mooney Boats Ltd. Mooney Boats also fitted the electrics, safety equipment and chandlery.
The ‘Amethyst’ is painted with Jotun paint supplied by Mooney Boats Ltd.
The water pumps are all Azcue Pumps supplied and fitted by Mooney Boats Ltd.
Mooney Boats Ltd. skilled carpenters and expert fabricators have created unique custom-made furniture and fittings which seamlessly integrate into the accommodation areas on board the vessel.
High quality wood expertly finished ensures the crews living quarters retain a lasting strength while remaining a comfortable area of work and rest for those onboard. Modernising the design in Mooney Boats style, LED mood strip lighting can be found throughout the vessel along with other unique modernising features such as USB charging points, Entertainment sound system, modern efficient electrical heating, High power efficient LED work lights and an Underwater Prop-inspection camera housed within the Hull itself.
Mooney Boats ltd. prides themselves on building strong long-lasting vessel with safety and efficiency as some of their top priorities. The technique Mooney Boats has developed in modernised their designs has kept them at the forefront of ship building within Ireland and was one of the exclusive attractions which brought this build to their Killybegs based Shipyard.
Mooney Boats would like to take this opportunity to thank Ralston Johnston and his family for selecting us to complete this project for them.
The Fishing Daily would like to thank Ralston Johnston for allowing his boat to be our first new build feature. We wish him safe and successful fishing into the future.
We would also like to thank Mooney Boats Ltd; Lee Mooney, Barry O’Hara and Alan Hennigan for all their help.
Photos courtesy of Mooney Boats Ltd, Killybegs.
