Two new Marine Rescue NSW replacement vessels have undergone successful sea trials at Yamba ahead of going into service over the coming weeks.
Marine Rescue NSW Senior Manager Fleet Kelvin Parkin said the new Brunswick 30 and Trial Bay 30 rescue vessels were put through their paces off Yamba over the past two days.
“Their performance was excellent.
“They turned, handled and drove beautifully.
“Trial Bay 30 and Brunswick 30 are outstanding rescue vessels,” he said.
Parkin said the 10 metre Naiad rescue boats, built by Yamba Welding and Engineering are powered by twin Suzuki 300 horsepower engines, capable of reaching a top speed of 42 knots.
“These vessels will enhance search and rescue capability in their respective regions with both boats featuring state-of-the-art navigation and communications technology including a full Raymarine suite.
“The evolution in design has resulted in two outstanding Marine Rescue NSW vessels capable of heavy bar crossings and long distance offshore missions,” Parkin said.
Volunteers from Marine Rescue Brunswick attended the sea trial and were inducted on BR 30.
Brunswick Unit Commander Jonathan Wilcock said the new replacement vessel has improved speed and performance compared to the unit’s previous rescue boat.
“This new boat will allow us to get through areas and respond across our region so much quicker, it’s also much more comfortable for our crew.
“The layout of the new vessel is amazing; it gives us straight access to everything we need.
“The navigation equipment is absolutely amazing, it’s straightforward to use and an advancement on what we had previously which is invaluable for our mission of saving lives on the water,” Unit Commander Wilcock said.
Brunswick 30 is heading to its new home at Brunswick Heads Boat Harbour this afternoon with volunteer crews to undergo training and induction on the new vessel before going into service while Trial Bay 30 is expected to be delivered to the unit next month.
The NSW Government has contributed to the cost of both replacement vessels to support the vital work of Marine Rescue NSW and its 3,400 volunteers.
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