Claire D – Cray Fishing Vessel

The hullform used for the ‘Claire D’ exhibits the pronounced flare and fine entry forward that was pioneered by Southerly Design. This feature, now a standard on WA cray boats, minimises pounding in head seas and exhibits sure handling in a following sea. The design presents a fairly high beam to length ratio, being at the higher end of the traditionally beamy Southerly hulls. This combination works particularly well on cray fishing vessels that operate relatively highly loaded a large proportion of the time. The vessel does not bog down to the extent a narrower hull may and can still achieve high cruising speeds loaded with pots and catch, without resorting to excessive horsepower.
The vessel features a large wheelhouse with plenty of room including galley, shower & toilet. There are bunks for four below, two in the forepeak and two below the wheelhouse. Aft of this space and ahead of the engine room is a large gear store for keeping ropes and floats out of the sun but ready for quick use. The live tanks have a capacity of 40 baskets, with a corresponding bait capacity.