The new Crystal Sea SS-118, built for David Stevens and his sons David and Alec, is an all-Macduff build; developed by Macduff Ship Design from the yard’s 24 metre model, and built at Macduff Shipyards from a kit produced by Macduff Profilers.
The new Crystal Sea is the latest in a series of trawlers to carry the name, replacing the Stevens family’s previous boat which was also built at Macduff in 2008.
David and Alec Stevens took their new twin-rigger home to Newlyn through some heavy weather, first sitting out a storm in Newcastle and then seeking shelter in Brixham before making it home to Newlyn.
The 24.50 metre LOA, 7.60 metre beam Crystal Sea is built completely from steel, apart from the wheelhouse and masts, and features a double chine hull form, transom stern and soft nose bulbous bow which is faired gently into the main hull body. The layout below deck features the cabins, engine room, fish hold and a large freshwater tank forward of the collision bulkhead. Above the deck is the aft shelter, galley/mess and side passage area, fish processing area and then a winch room forward where three split winches are sited.
Macduff produced a tailor-made deck machinery package, with three split winches, two split net drums, two split sweep winches, two small gear handling winches and a dedicated anchor windlass. The hydraulic system was also designed and installed by the yard. A gilson winch was supplied by MacGregor Ltd along with the fishing crane and landing crane. Main hydraulic power is provided by a dedicated 385hp Caterpillar C12 engine, with secondary hydraulic power provided by two electric motors each with an output of 45kw.
The propulsion package has a Caterpillar C32 main engine rated at 660hp, coupled to a Masson Marine gearbox with a reduction ratio of 9.077:1. This drives a 2500mm diameter propeller fitted within a nozzle, both of which were supplied by Wärtsilä. Other elements of the stern gear were designed and manufactured by Macduff Engineering. Steering gear is from Scan Steering.
Two Beta Marine generators are fitted, based on Cummins 6BT5.9D2(M) engines with Mecc Alte alternators and each with a 81.6kW output. The electrical system on board was designed and installed by R D Downie of Fraserburgh who installed the system to their usual high standard and built the switchboards in house.
Crystal Sea has a 700-box capacity fishroom with the refrigeration system and ice machine supplied by Premier Refrigeration.
