Eco Abrolhos Tenders
These custom tenders enable passengers on the cruise catamaran Eco Abrolhos to undertake a range of activities.
In 2016 Eco Abrolhos Cruises acquired a fleet of four new tenders for its charter tourism operations along the West Australian coastline from the Abrolhos Islands to the Kimberley. The vessels are in full AMSA survey to carry up to 10 people.
These custom aluminium boats enable passengers to fish, dive, snorkel, sightsee and undertake other adventure tourism activities in both offshore waters and on extended voyages in rivers and inlets.
A key requirement was to enable passengers of varying mobility to safely embark and disembark onto beaches, which is achieved through the use of a folding bow door design that provides steps when deployed. Other features include dive boards and ladders on the stern and a winch to help when pulling craypots.
Southerly Designs also designed the boats to meet the pre-existing tender stowage and handling capacity of the 35 metre liveaboard catamaran Eco Abrolhos. The centre console tenders are registered as auxiliary craft to the mother ship, enabling operations in offshore areas.
To enable delivery for the start of the 2016 Kimberley cruising season, Dongara Marine constructed two of the four cruise vessel tenders, with other builders each building one boat.
These vessels are highly flexible and could easily be adapted to other tender roles, to operate as small work or dive boats, or even as recreational boats.
“These boats are amazing with a drop down bow for easy access onto beaches, then folded up we just push them into the platform at the rear of the Eco and passengers just walk up the steps onto the back deck. Could not be happier with their performance.”
- Eco Abrolhos Cruises
