New crabber arrives at Fisherman’s Wharf

A NEW crabber boat is being fitted out at Shoreham, after the hull was transported from Wales.
The 12m hull was transported from Wales to Shoreham by roadThe 12m hull was transported from Wales to Shoreham by road
The 12m hull was transported from Wales to Shoreham by road

The 12m hull was carried on a transporter for the long journey to Shoreham, where it negotiated some narrow streets before arriving at Fisherman’s Wharf, Brighton Road.

The new crabber boat was ordered by chairman Jim Partridge for fishing business Monteum, where it will join his company’s other boat, Royal Rebel.

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The hull was made by established boat builder Dale Nelson in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, and then delivered by road.

It will be fitted out at Fisherman’s Wharf as a joint venture with Sovereign Boats, so it can be launched into the River Adur when completed.

Matthew Barker, from Dale Nelson South Catamarans, said: “This is one of the first builds which has resulted from a 2014 coming together of three of the most formidable names in the world of commercial boat building.”

With 50 years of boat building behind them, the Dale yard is best known for building the Nelson hulls which have become a popular choice with operators who place a high value on seakeeping abilities – most notably the police and port pilots.

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South Catamarans Ltd also shares the philosophy that excellent abilities at sea are a key to the success of any commercial operator.

Mr Partridge said: “No one earns money from a boat that is forced to stay in port when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of the fitting out at Shoreham. It will take a while, but we will be able to design it to our specific requirements to work along the south coast.

“Once completed, it will also give us an opportunity to employ hopefully more young staff, who want to learn about the fishing industry, which I know has a future once the many hurdles within it are overcome.”

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Monteum sells its fish to both the retail and wholesale markets through its shop, La Poissonnerie, in Brighton Road, as well as exporting to Europe.

Fresh fish is landed daily on the quayside at Fisherman’s Wharf and goes on display within hours of being caught.

People in the area have been buying Mr Partridge’s ‘catch of the day’ since 1957. Monteum was established in 1974 and originally operated from Shoreham Beach.

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