The Scania-powered Australian ‘Force of Nature’ crayfish boat commissioned by loyal Scania marine engine customer, Geraldton-based Dave Perham, is happy with the boat’s quality, innovation, reliability, utility, economy, sustainability and style.
Powered by a pair of Scania 900 hp V8 engines, ‘Force of Nature’ is returning a 20% fuel saving in operation compared with the previous (and smaller) vessel Dave operated, which was also powered by a brace of Scania engines.
The new vessel is a seven-berth, 22.4 metre Southerly Designs monohull and is longer than the 17.1 m Conquest 55 ‘Natural Selection’, which Dave has owned and operated since 1994. This one was originally powered by Scania and underwent two repowers with Scania engines over its 26-year working life. Natural Selection had a capacity for 64 cray fish baskets, whereas the new vessel takes 84, reflecting the growth in size of cray fishing boats in Western Australia over the period.
Force of Nature’s twin Scania DI16 076M engines are rated for 662 kW (900 hp) at 2300 rpm and each drives a fixed pitch propeller via a ZF gearbox. During sea trials with full 7500-litre fuel tanks, a maximum speed of 24.5 knots and 18.5 knots cruise speed were achieved, both about 1.5 knots above expectations.
Reliability and Economy Before Speed
Dave Perham has worked the Western Cray fishery for more than 40 seasons, and says reliability and economy are more important than speed. “I’m not the kind of skipper that runs at wide open throttle,” he said. “What’s important to me is knowing I can rely on the boat, and the engines, to be ready to fish whenever the market conditions are right.”
The choice of engine rating reflects this operational profile, configured to allow unlimited operating hours each year. “Scania engines have given me excellent reliability over the years, and the quality of the workmanship throughout the boat’s structure and systems gives me absolute confidence that I can depend on Force of Nature to deliver the outstanding performance it produced on trials for many, many years to come,” Dave says.
Careful planning means the cruise speed is achieved when the engines are at their most efficient, a factor in making the latest crayboat highly economical to operate.
“We are pleased that Dave Perham has once again come to Scania to provide the power, economy and reliability for his new boat, which is significantly larger than the one he replaces,” says André Arm, National Manager for Scania Power Solutions.
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