Poppa G
Commercial fishing boat, offshore service vessel, and passenger charter craft all rolled into one
This truly multi-role vessel was built for another Port Denison / Dongara company, Bass Marine, which has been supporting the offshore oil and gas industry, and providing other marine logistics services, for more than 20 years. The Bass family also has a long association with Western Australia’s fishing industry – Managing Director George Bass began commercial fishing in the early 1960s, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
Poppa G is used in the Western Rock Lobster fishery and incorporates the features and appearance of the typical, albeit large, ‘cray boat’. The boat’s operating requirement is, however, significantly more challenging as it also demands the versatility to undertake offshore support work including crew/supply vessel operations; charter boat activities; and both lobster and wet line fishing.
As with other recent lobster fishing boats from Southerly Designs and Dongara Marine, Poppa G has the size, seakeeping, capacity and onboard systems to fish in deep waters and rough seas well offshore and return the live catch in pristine condition.
This includes tanks for up to 6.5 tonnes (210 baskets) of live lobster including a 24 basket capacity live tank that doubles as bait freezer.
Reflecting its utility, the vessel can carry 20 tonnes of deck cargo and is fitted with a knuckle boom crane amidships on the starboard side. Foundations for larger deck cranes are provided on both sides at the transom to enable easy reconfiguration for offshore and construction support work.
Also differentiating Poppa G is its liveaboard capacity, with accommodation for eight personnel for unlimited periods at sea up to 200 nautical miles offshore, increasing to 13 personnel for up to 36 hours at sea. It can carry up to 70 passengers for crew transfer and charter / tourism operations in NSCV 1D operations.
The accommodation includes five cabins, as well as a separate bathroom compartment complete with full size shower and fully equipped laundry.
Poppa G has twin skegs that protect the running gear and enable the use of larger rudders supported with bottom pintles. The combination provides excellent directional stability, particularly in following seas, and reduces vessel roll motions. The boat is also fitted with a Humphree system to control and optimise running trim and ZF’s Joystick Maneuvering System (JMS) which provides automated station keeping functionality.
With Bass Marine wanting the new boat as soon as possible, and a number of other projects already underway, Dongara Marine had the aluminium hull fabricated in Geraldton by Xtreme Marine. It was then transported to the Dongara Marine facility where the composite wheelhouse was manufactured and fitted, along with all engineering, hydraulics, plumbing, electrical, and fitout work.
“Our requirement was for a vessel that could reliably deliver very high capability and capacity across multiple roles, and Dongara Marine have certainly delivered that through the successful combination of a proven, seakindly hull; sophisticated and complex systems; and very high quality workmanship.”
Clay Bass – Operations Director - Bass Marine
