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NEWS
Vindicator plate-alloy diveboat
Watson's Marine's new twin F115B Yamaha-powered Vindicator 6.8 AMSA-survey vesselWatson's Marine Centre in conjunction with Yamaha Motor Australia is proud to pioneer the way to safer boating by custom building the first vessel to the latest new national commercial safety regulations set out by the Australian Marine Safety Authority (AMSA).
In May 2014, Watson's Marine Centre in Gympie, QLD, won the commercial tender to build a new purpose-built dive boat for scientists at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in Townsville, QLD.
The design brief set by AIMS was simple; build a tough and reliable, fast-response dive boat to the new AMSA standard, which will transport scientists and their equipment to remote areas of the Great Barrier Reef.
Some 600 man hours of design and construction later and the team at Watson's Marine Centre delivered on its promise.
VINDICATOR 6.8
The Vindicator 6.8 metre plate aluminium dive boat has a 5mm bottom and 4mm floor and sides.
Meeting the new AMSA 2C Survey Standards, the Vindicator 680 was outfitted with an automatic life-raft, survey standard buoyancy foam sheets, as well as the latest in GPS, side-scan sonar, sounder navigation and satellite communications technology.
Also on request by AIMS, Watson’s Marine installed a purpose-built dive-tank locker, extended bimini cockpit cover and an extra-wide portside access door for added convenience.
SEAWORTHY AND STABLE
Built to ferry scientists and their equipment to remote areas of the reef, the boat boasts maximum stability and comfort in a wide array of conditions.
The custom-fabricated Vindicator was put through its paces during the commission survey (seaworthy and stability test), with the boat recording a maximum roll angle of half of the industry’s standard.
YAMAHA RELIABILITY
With incredible stability and exceeding the new AMSA standard, the new AIMS Vindicator 680 passed the commission survey with flying colours.
But with a “tough and reliable” design brief in mind, Watson’s Marine Centre turned to Yamaha Outboards for the power plants. The boatbuilder installed a pair of newly-released F115B four-stroke engines.
?"The test results of the twin F115Bs on a heavy plate boat of this size is nothing short of amazing," said Frank Watson, wwner of Watson’s Marine Centre.
"The performance and economy from the engines (F115B) matched with the rigidity of the Vindicator 680 have greatly exceeded everyone’s expectations," he added.
AIMS STOKED, MORE TO COME
Evidently, AIMS was delighted to take delivery of its new research vessel on December 2, 2014. ?
Meantime, Watson’s Marine Centre, a family owned Yamaha Dealership that has been in the marine industry for 48 years, is expanding its commercial-vessel manufacturing operations and is taking orders on custom-built Vindicator plate alloy boats.
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Written byBoatsales Staff
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