Mooney Boats Ltd has just completed a major refurbishment of the “MFV Relfasa” G155 for Pat Bailey of Galway City. Due to the decline of the salmon fishery and the inshore sector becoming more difficult to make a living at Pat decided he was going to convert his vessel back to trawling. She would still be capable of fishing pots but Pat would now also have the option to go trawling when the pot fishing became quite.

 

Pat took his vessel to the yard on the 27^th June where she was lifted out of the water. Pat spent the first few days washing his vessel from top to bottom to prepare her for painting and she was then taken inside the yard where the work began. The fist job that yard completed was to fit a new steel keel band on the vessel and reinforce some of the fibreglass where the pots where been hauled in.

 

While this work was been done there was a new 1.5 Ton Aluminium Net Drum been fabricated for the vessel in Mooney Boats Ltd machine shop and a second hand Stainless Steel Trawl winch which Pat had purchased in Cork was been stripped down and fitted with a brand new Staffa HMB60 Hydraulic motor which would give the winch a pull of 2.5 Ton. The yard also fabricated a new galvanised steel gantry and fitted it to the vessel. The gantry was fitted with towing blocks and a base was fitted on top of the gantry to accommodate the new Aluminium Net drum. The reason Pat wanted the Net Drum up of the deck was to leave as much working room as possible. When the winch was completed and tested it was fitted on the deck just behind the wheelhouse. The existing hydraulic pump and clutch were reconditioned and fitted back in place and the complete hydraulic system was drained and refilled with oil. The Net Drum and Trawl Winch were then fitted with new hydraulic control valve blocks and positioned where Pat wanted them and new hydraulic piping was installed by Mooney Boats Ltd engineers.

 

Other work on the vessel included a new Stainless Steel Mast, a new Landing Derek, new Rubbing Boards on the transom where the trawl doors would be coming up and also new galvanised Belting Iron around the Transom and up the sides of the vessel. A new starboard side sliding window was fitted in the wheelhouse. Mooney Boats Ltd Electricians were also busy and the vessel was completely rewired which included new Navigation Lights, new Deck Lights a New Fuse Board and all new wiring from wheelhouse to the top of the new mast. Pat also worked on the vessel while she was in the yard and he painted her from top to bottom inside and out to leave her looking like new. Pat said it was just so handy and anything he needed for the work on his vessel all he had to do was walk up into the Mooney Boats Ltd chandlery store. The weather was not a problem as all work was completed inside the yard under cover.

 

The vessel was launched on the 5^th of August and Seatrials and testing where completed on the same day. The vessel was brought back to the yard were she was filled with Fuel oil and water and Pat took her back to her home port of Galway City on Saturday the 5^th August. Mooney Boats Ltd wishes Pat and his “New” MFV Relfasa continued success for many years to come and we would like to thank him for all the work.