Clare Island Ferry “Pirate Queen” Major Repair Completed In Mooney Boats Ltd

 Clare Island Ferry “Pirate Queen” Major Repair Completed In Mooney Boats Ltd  

Mooney Boats Ltd have just completed a major repair job to the “Pirate Queen” which is owned and operated by the O’Grady family, natives of Clare Island and who have been operating the Clare Island Mail Boat Ferry service since 1880. In December 2011 the vessel got into difficulty while entering the harbor at Roonagh and ran aground. Luckily nobody was injured but the vessel sustained substantial damaged to the hull.

Brian O Grady contacted Money Boats Ltd yard in late December 2011 and explain what had happened and said he wanted to arrange to bring the vessel to the yard early January 2012 to begin the repairs. Brian had to wait until the Marine Survey Office had inspected the vessel before he could take the Pirate Queen to Killybegs. Early January the weather was bad so Brian could not get to Killybegs until 17^th January 2012. On Wednesday 18^th the vessel was lifted out on the 75 ton travel lift and the boatyard and washed down before she was taken inside to begin the repair work on the vessel.

That same day the Marine survey office inspected the vessel along with Sean Mc Neil’s acting on behalf of the owners and it was agreed what work had to be carried out on the vessel. There was substantial damaged to the port and starboard side hull plating and also to the skegs, rudders and keel cooling. The boatyard began work immediately and as access was difficult both main engines had to be disconnected at lifted off the engine beds with chain blocks to allow the yard to get working at the hull plating. The rudders were removed and also the propeller shafts and bushing taken out. Both skegs port and starboard had to be cut off and straightened and then refitted. The centerline skeg was also damaged which was also renewed.

The forward and middle cabins had to be stripped out to gain access to the hull plating which was had all to be cut out and replaced. This also involved empting the fuel oil tanks and degassing which allowed access into the hull. On the underside of the hull the box coolers were cut off and then the hull plating was removed. Some frames had to be cut out and replaced also. When all the cutting was completed the yard fitted new Lloyds Grade A steel plate and fitted into the vessel under the watchful eye of the marine survey office and Sean Mc Neil’s.  A complete new keel cooling system was fitted and air tested on completion.

Other work included the 2 propeller shafts been put into the lathes and checked for wear and straightness. The shafts were reversed and machined so that they fitted the new cutlass bushings which were fitted in the tubes. The rudders shafts were also damaged and the yards machine shop fabricated new S/S top shafts and flanged them so that the rudders can now be removed without disconnecting the steering system. There was also a new seal system fitted on top of the rudder shafts.

While the vessel was in the yard Brian also got the yard to complete other work which included new access stairs which were fabricated and fitted onto the top deck, a new stainless steel water tank was fitted in the aft hold. All the windows were removed from the vessel and Mooney Boats Ltd fabricated and fitted new aluminum frames and then refitted the glass. The after deck crane was removed shot blasted and metalized and they refitted. The yard then fitted a new MG Duff Anode on the vessel. On the port and starboard side forward and aft the yard fitted a new D fendering system to the vessel.

On completion of all the steel work the vessel was washed down from top to bottom. The Marine Survey Office and Sean Mc Neil’s completed there final inspections and gave the go ahead for the painting to begin on the vessel. Once again Gerard Bray & Sons Ltd applied there magic touch and a complete new Jotun & Clarke paint system was put onto the vessel which made her look like new once again

When the vessel was in the yard Brian and his own crew also worked on maintenance jobs which they had to do on the vessel. They had the use of the yard canteen and anything they needed they could just walk up to Mooney Boats Ltd Marine Chandlery shop and get immediately. “

The vessel was put back into the water on 28^th March 2011 and sea trials where completed the following day and everything was perfect. Brian and the crew left Killybegs early on Friday 30^th March and are now back working.

The management and staff of Mooney Boats Ltd would like to thank Brian & Chris O Grady for choosing Mooney Boats Ltd to complete the repair work and we wish the “Pirate Queen” and all here crew a safe and prosperous 2012.