Stornoway Port Authority has finally broken its silence and issued a robust explanation of events surrounding the sinking of its potential new pilot boat.
The MV Pathfinder went down, tied to a pontoon in Stornoway harbour, one morning in September following a voyage to North Uist.
An inspection indicated the seal -
An independent inspection and survey report of the vessel seems to refute an accusation that the vessel was purchased with a known serious defect and was not safe to go to sea.
The Mitchell 31 type vessel, a model commonly used as a pilot boat, was declared
to be in sound condition by experienced boat marine surveyors, Murray, Cormack Associates
of Argyll, following a thorough pre-
In an e-
Capt Frater explained the 13-
The cost of the Pathfinder was not disclosed but Hebrides News understands the figure was around £50,000.
Costs were well within the budget set by the board, and reflected value for money even taking the expense of planned alterations into consideration, indicated Capt Frater.
Strongly challenging rumours it had significant defects, Capt Frater pointed out the surveyor did not find any significant defects and there were no issues which required urgent attention.
He emphasised: “If the vessel had been unseaworthy the surveyor would have said so, unequivocally, in their report.”
He added: “In no sense was the vessel deemed to be unseaworthy. “
“The surveyors used are leaders in their field which is the reason the board appointed them.”
Allegations by a critic that the survey report made several references to a supposed “significant defect affecting her seaworthiness,” are untrue, he pointed out.
No such allegation was made by the surveyors, he stressed.
Capt Frater’s assertion is borne out by the survey report conclusions which highlight the boat is in generally sound condition.
Claims that the boat required excessive bailing out is a “gross exaggeration,” he said.
“The boat was bailed out on three occasions. On not one of these occasions was the harbour master informed of any concern,” states Mr Frater.
He stressed it is “entirely untrue” gossip to suggest the boat was not seaworthy.
Water in the bilges is a common feature of vessels large and small, he points out.
Thus, “there was no question of the vessel being unseaworthy.”
The voyage to Lochmaddy was not potentially hazardous and there was no significant defect in the vessel, he said.
The question of the personnel on board on the voyage “is an issue that the board has addressed within its governance procedures,” he added.
Emergency measures were taken to recover the Pathfinder when she partially sunk at her mooring. A large floating crane working on the new ferry pier in the outer harbour was used to lift the submerged boat.
Suggestions that the operation should have been delayed so a tender process for the salvage could be carried out has been dismissed.
Any delay would result in the pontoon being damaged by being dragged down with the receding tide, said the harbour chairman.
Claims the crane barge grounded are wrong, indicates Mr Frater. It used its legs on the seabed for stability.
Harbour board slams “entirely untrue” gossip
4 December 2014
Princess Anne admires the Pathfinder in Lochmaddy harbour