Cape Rose

In 2020 Dongara Marine was announced as one of only four boatbuilders selected by Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) to be on a panel of contractors for the supply of new ‘fit for purpose’ rescue vessels and vessel refit services.

Our first order, confirmed in May 2020, was for a new 8.3 metre rescue craft for Marine Rescue Shark Bay. Cape Rose was completed later in the same year and is now based in Denham, Western Australia.

Designed by the naval architects at our long-standing partner Southerly Designs, the aluminium hulled rigid inflatable boat (RIB) has foam filled collars. It features an enclosed cabin with seating for three crew. The cabin is open at the rear, enabling direct access to the work deck which is sheltered by a fixed canopy.

Bayside Marine supplied the boat’s twin 200hp Yamaha outboards, while another long term Dongara Marine supplier, Geraldton Marine Electronics, provided a comprehensive suite of navigation and communications electronics. This includes radar, chart plotter, sounder, a forward looking infra-red (FLIR) thermal camera, and underwater cameras.

The Shark Bay volunteers are one of 37 Marine Rescue WA groups situated along Western Australia’s coastline from Esperance in the south to Kununurra in the north. They have been formally approved under Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Service’s (DFES) Act. A further two Marine Rescue groups – at Christmas and Cocos (Keeling ) Islands – are Commonwealth-funded.

For more information on Volunteer Marine Rescue Western Australia (VMRWA) visit www.vmrwa.org.au or its Facebook page.

You can read more about this project in our News section here.