Built for the McHugh family in Killybegs, Ella G-233 replaces Star of Hope and is part of the Atlantic Dawn Group’s ambitious programme of fleet renewal.
Ella has been delivered by Mooney Boats and has stylish lines, courtesy of its Vestværft design. At 24.47 metres and with an 8.10 metre beam, this compact pelagic catcher complements the company’s three new 64 metre vessels currently under construction in Turkey.
Atlantic Dawn’s focus in outfitting Ella has been to source expertise locally, and the majority of the systems on board are from suppliers located in and around Killybegs.
There’s plenty of exceptionally high standard work to be seen in Ella’s outfitting, including bespoke timber furniture throughout the accommodation areas, alongside accessible charging ports, modern LED strip lighting, distinctively Mooney-style mess and relaxation areas, underfloor heating, air conditioning and innovative storage options. Ella is expected to work with a crew of six and accommodation is in three two-berth cabins and a single skipper’s cabin.
The deck is laid out with a comprehensive package of SeaQuest Systems hardware, including 20-tonne main trawl winches, twin 20-tonne, 9 cubic metre net drums and a 20-tonne topline winch, as well as 15-tonne midline and tailend winches, plus a net sounder winch. A Triplex 380/225 net hauler is mounted at the starboard rail.
Catches can be bagged forward over the starboard side, or pumped on board at the starboard quarter using the SeaQuest Systems fish pump.
Catches are held in tanks on board and KER Group supplied the 275Kw RSW system with R134a as the refrigerant as well as the vacuum pump with a 2000 litre tank, plus the 3-tonne icemaker and the fishhold chiller system. KER Group also supplied Ella’s heating and air-con systems, as well as refrigeration for the galley cold room.
Both of Ireland’s major fishing gear producers have provided gear for Ella, with Swan Net Gundry supplying a Guider herring trawl and codends with a DynIce handling system, while KT Nets supplied a 44×39 scad/mackerel trawl, plus a 39×33 tuna trawl for Ella to start fishing, a package of chandlery and the 22mm diameter Bridon Dyform warp spooled onto the trawl winch drums.
The wheelhouse is laid out with a pair of skipper’s chair facing the console of three 55-inch main screens, and Barry Electronics supplied the fishfinders, navigation and communications setup with mainly Furuno systems.
The key fishfinders are Furuno FSV-25 low frequency and FSV84 medium/high frequency sonars, and the sounders are a Furuno FCV-1900L Broadband set connected to CM599LHG Broadband Transducer and a Simrad ES-80 38/200kHz Echo Sounder with Combi D transducer. The JFV130 50kHz net sounder is a JRC unit and the M3 receiver, catch sensors, door sensors and tunnel sensor are from Marport.
Ella’s main engine is a Mitsubishi S12R-(Z3)MPTAW, driving a 2780mm four-bladed controllable K600 pitch propeller via a HG510 2PTOCR gear, both supplied by Nogva Heimdal Propulsion. The harbour set is a 40kVa Mitsubishi S4SDT and the auxiliary engine powering the hydraulics is a Mitsubishi S6B3-MPTAW, while a John Deere WDJ140 powers Ella’s electrical systems.
