Port Fairy Marine Rescue Service’s new boat, in their own words

While that’s good news for the Taree, NSW-based commercial fibreglass boat-maker, it’s even better news for the Port Fairy Marine Rescue Service that will benefit from a larger craft with more range – something the volunteer-run group has recognised it has needed since the 2014 search for missing Warrnambool fisherman Adrian Rodgers.

Port Fairy will be the recipient of the first of the boats being built, with the Victorian Government having the option to order another three once the first delivery has taken place.

Boatsales.com.au spoke with Port Fairy Marine Rescue Service president Russell Lemke about what the new boat would mean for the group. Here's the response in his words.

“Yes we are elated and look forward to its arrival. Our present vessel is a 6.5-metre Stabicraft. This vessel has served us well and was our first boat since our formation in 2007.

“The Stabicraft was purchased through community donation and we have operated this vessel for most of our time with the help of community and government funding.

“The search for the missing vessel, the Mary S, in 2014 brought home the need for a bigger vessel so that we could better cover the area of sea that was in our area of care, as well as providing a safer platform for our crews to operate from. The crews we sent out on the search came back exhausted after six hours on a small deck in moderate sea. The 15 nautical mile limitation restricted our search area and neighboring SAR (search and rescue) groups in Warrnambool and Portland had to fill in searching those areas outside our capability.

“Recreational vessels are going out 30nm to sea and our limitation means we can't offer a service to those vessels, Our capability does not meet our risk assessment.

“The Mary S job was prior to the parliamentary inquiry into marine rescue operation and prior to the formation of the state MSAR (Marine Search and Rescue) authority.

“We recognised then that we needed a bigger boat and so we started a push to raise the money for a bigger vessel. Our fundraising started well but not fast enough to reach the amount needed for a bigger vessel. As time passed we could see the goal post moving further away and to be able to purchase a new bigger vessel was becoming impossible for a small community group of volunteers.

“We had done our homework and realized the Steber 38 was the most appropriate for the sea condition in this area and so that became our goal.

“It was only when the state MSAR conducted a risk and capability assessment of the state’s SAR groups that it proved that we at Port Fairy had a problem; our capability did not meet the risk assessment. It was then that the push to seek serious funding to address the equipment shortfall of individual SAR groups, started to gain momentum.

“The government agreed that the findings of the parliamentary inquiry required immediate attention and so funding was made available to maintain the operations of the volunteer SAR groups and a commitment to fund equipment upgrades.

“So when the announcement was made earlier this year that we would be getting a replacement rescue vessel, we were delighted. A new larger vessel would be a great boost to our capability offering better protection for the boat operators that use our port.

“We are not sure what will happen to the Stabicraft as yet. It is a feisty, agile vessel well suited for close in work around reefs and it is the only surveyed trailer-mounted SAR vessel in the area.

“We were recently tasked with helping Portland Coast Guard with the search and rescue of four fishermen and a capsized boat off Dutton Way (near Portland). For us to get there by sea would have taken two-plus hours but by road it was a 40-minute trip and a launch from Portland. It proved its worth to the area as a vessel that can be deployed rapidly to sea or inland waters.

“We will have to evaluate the new vessel to see if it can do the close-in work on top of its bluewater capability. If it can, then we will move the Stabicraft onto someone who needs this size SAR vessel. It's something we will have to think about.

“Operating two vessels at the moment would be difficult. We would need double the trained crews and that would put a lot of strain on our volunteers.

“So we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new vessel, eager to get on board and start our induction to the new vessel and put it through its paces. This is a project we have talked about since 2014 and there will be some happy faces when the vessel arrives.”

So there’s the difference. While services such as the state’s Country Fire Authority and the State Emergency Service are largely government-backed, Victoria’s marine search and rescue service is still largely run, and funded, by volunteers.

Don't forget to tip in for your local volunteer marine rescue service when you can.