Spring Break at Redbay Boats

willk · 24 February 2016, 22:27

I got a call this week from HQ: "Come in Number Six - your time is up!"

Woo-hoo! A day off real work AND the "willkcraft" was to be brought out of hibernation and gussied up for the season

The last couple of times that I've been recalled, the shop was full of heavy looking grey hardware - Security and Anti-Whatever boats bristling with lights and odd antennae. This time there was a hint of Spring about the place. There were multiple leisure craft and fun boats lounging around the fitout hall. Setting those aside, a few small features caught my eye - namely a splashwell mounted solar panel, a new reversible/removable bench seat and yet another snazzy laser cut hypalon name patch by Henshaw Inflatables.

willk · 24 February 2016, 22:34

The new 12m boats have been popular - basically a stretch version of the previous 11m. The black one is the now famous triple diesel outboard that is bound for Svalbard - she's gonna be a looker. The seafari boat is bound for Jersey to join her older Redbay sister down there. Twin 350 Verados will make her quite a handful and very much the adrenaline ride! The rest of the hall was packed - but the jaunty wee ivory 7.4m was a break from the norm - I'll look forward to seeing her in the nip next week!

willk · 24 February 2016, 22:52

I managed to get a gleek into the Vehicle Assembly Building (Max is a sucker for biccies). New Corryvreckan is coming together rapidly as the clock ticks louder for Old Corry. That's her topsides and hull in build. At 13m and substantially bulkier than old Corry, she will still be a RIB but definitely pushes the boundaries of RIBdom out a little further. I say bulky, but she's massive. Three KAB seats and a passage wide. Six berths, some - wait for it - below decks! Twin Yanmar 370s will power her and I expect that she will not be found wanting in the electronics department.

The superstructure is a first for Redbay (at this size) as it is one single mounding, dropped from an extremely complex set of moulds and inserts.

I feel at this point that I should mention that I have never actually DRIVEN an 11m, never mind a 13m. Just saying is all.....

mick · 24 February 2016, 23:13

Test monkey at the ready 🙈

wiLlfish · 25 February 2016, 00:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Come in Number Six.

numbir 2 az a kwestiun faw yew.

wY didd yew resine?

wiLlfish · 25 February 2016, 00:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

she will not be found wanting in the electronics department

fUk mee

dat probubly meens de tomm tomm owt ov de werks vann an a wirzberg raydar fromm a jirmun bommer dat crashid onn mukkish mowntin inn de wor.

de bitt bowt de complekks mowlds wil bee iksamind wen firther enkwiries av bin maid.

Poly · 25 February 2016, 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

I feel at this point that I should mention that I have never actually DRIVEN an 11m, never mind a 13m. Just saying is all.....

Mr k let me drive integrity... Just saying ;-)

willk · 25 February 2016, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Mr k let me drive integrity... Just saying ;-)

I'm glad that you still believe that...

He told me that he left the autopilot running.

willk · 25 February 2016, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiLlfish

...de bitt bowt de complekks mowlds wil bee iksamind wen firther enkwiries av bin maid.

oi yEw, behave!

Obviously the internal moulding (console etc) are additional mouldings. They've been thinking about the internals of these 13m yokes for a while and they've made the console and KAB seat bases in one section with plant on pods for custom electronics. Behind the seat bases, the space can be fill with a range of mouldings - benchs/berths, galley, head, equipment storage.

But the big change is the extra space. I'll check for a photo...

willk · 25 February 2016, 10:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

But the big change is the extra space. I'll check for a photo...

So yeah - here's a couple of snaps I took of a version they built late last year. The extra height in the hull means that there is a half height deck running below the seating cabin. It is big enough for a pair of berths, fully accessible fuel tanks and a cargo hold that can be accessed via the underdeck space and a hatch on the afterdeck. The engines have their own huge bay behind all of this space again.

Maximus · 25 February 2016, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Mr k let me drive integrity... Just saying ;-)

....
What...after letting Wilk name Her!?

Looking Good

jambo · 25 February 2016, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

....
What...after letting Wilk name Her!?

Looking Good

Maximus with a name like that it had to be WiLfish that named her

willk · 11 March 2016, 17:22

The Signal at HQ was lit today for Test Monkeys - but only one was paying attention! The Jersey Seafari RIB was ready for testing and shipping - off to join her twin in the Channel Islands - the lengths some clients will go for the right boats!

The day was soft and 600 horsies worth of Verados can make the rain sting a little but did I think it was worth a bit of discomfort?

So I offered to deliver her by sea to save all that faffing about with trailers and ferries...

...and that was when they called in Max the guard dog. Max is sure he would like me - if he could get me cornered somewhere to get a taste.

mick · 11 March 2016, 17:47

Don't mind that blue what's it like in the flesh & how do you rate the patrol console against the leisure one

willk · 11 March 2016, 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

Don't mind that blue what's it like in the flesh & how do you rate the patrol console against the leisure one

The blue/black colours are the client's company colours (so I think they are very nice

)

The Patrol console is light years ahead of the Explorer, IMHO. I think that might be the wider version? However, for smaller boats the Explorer is much more space efficient and can take a lot of kit. It may look more in keeping with the scale of sub seven meter boats.

mick · 11 March 2016, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

The blue/black colours are the client's company colours (so I think they are very nice

)

The Patrol console is light years ahead of the Explorer, IMHO. I think that might be the wider version? However, for smaller boats the Explorer is much more space efficient and can take a lot of kit. It may look more in keeping with the scale of sub seven meter boats.

Cool looks up my street

Erin · 12 March 2016, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

The seafari boat is bound for Jersey to join her older Redbay sister down there. Twin 350 Verados will make her quite a handful and very much the adrenaline ride!

I thought I saw one of their old boats for sale recently - that explains why. Looks like they've learnt their lesson about Etecs too

willk · 12 March 2016, 22:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

I thought I saw one of their old boats for sale recently - that explains why. Looks like they've learnt their lesson about Etecs too

Yer - dunno about the Etecs but I was offbase with the 350s - 'twas 300s (in my defence, the housings were off last time).

I see from Facebook that the fleet has traditionally been named after sharp looking birds - Safarihawk, etc.

I HAD been wondering where they going with SafariRihanna