Displaying items by tag: Interceptor

2nd March 2019

Safehaven Marine Makes Deal With Two Spanish Ports After Latest Pilot Boat Delivery to Portugal

The new pilot boat for Leixoes in Portugal caught the attention of two new Spanish clients

Following delivery of their latest pilot boat for the Port of Leixoes in Portugal, the Cork Harbour performance boat specialsts at Safehaven Marine announced the signing of contracts with two Spanish ports.

The port of San Ciprian has contracted for an Interceptor 42 pilot vessel while the larger Port of Coruna to the south-west has commissioned an Interceptor 48 pilot. Both are to be delivered in mid 2020.

Safehaven Marine says its pilot craft have proven very popular in the Iberian Peninsula.

Once these latest commissions are delivered — and the ports of Gijon and Algeciras begin undertaking pilot transfers with their own Interceptors — Safehaven will have 14 pilot boats working in the peninsula.

Both new contracts were signed simultaneously after pilots from Coruna and San Ciprian were impressed by sea trials of the new Leixoes pilot, named Lada, on delivery last month.

Published in Safehaven Marine

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Safehaven's Barracuda Latest Video – She's as Mean as She Looks!

#safehaven – Now here's is a harbour-hog deterrent to absolutely Die Another Day for. Afloat.ie reported on the The Bond-style interceptor earlier this month, the brand new design boasts a 40-plus knot top speed, stealthy low-radar profile, nightvision cameras, ballistic crew protection and even a remotely controlled machine gun that pops up from below deck.

Above is the latest promotional video of Barracuda, an 11-13m, high speed low RCS Interceptor / patrol vessel built in Cork.

But rather being the brainchild of MI6's gadget quartermaster, the Barracuda is the latest design from Cobh-based pilot boat specialists Safehaven.

Following a year and a half of design development and building work at its hi-tech manufacturing facility in East Cork, Cobh-based Safehaven Marine has unveiled the prototype of its latest design. And she's as mean as she looks!

Published in Safehaven Marine

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour