Lobster Boat Catamaran for Canadian Fisherman

Yarmouth Nova Scotia lobster fisherman Steve Corkum of Yarmouth Sea Products owned a catamaran lobster boat a few years ago. He liked the concept but sold the boat to an Icelandic fisherman. Now he is taking delivery of his second catamaran from A.F. Theraiult & Sons of Meteghan River, in southern Nova Scotia. The boat is built to a design by the yard’s in-house naval architect Stephane Bertrand. "The catamaran design will give me speed with the ability to carry all my traps and an excellent sea boat," says Corkum who owns a dozen other lobster boats and draggers. The 45x23-foot aluminum vessel is capable of transporting all 375 of the 48x24x16-inch regulation traps allowed in the Canadian fishery. Although it is built for a day boat fishery, the main deck house includes two bunks and a galley. Each of the two hulls is seven-feet 8-inches wide, with a 15-foot section just ahead of the engine room designed as hold space. Lobsters will be stowed in the hold in crates for a day fishery. If there is a need to stay out overnight, insulted totes with circulating water will be carried on deck. Powered by a pair of six-cylinder Cummins QSM11 engines rated for 580 HP at 2300 RPM the boat is designed for 25 to 28 knots. The engines turn into V-drive ZF325 gears with 2:1 ratios. Each engine has a power take-off for hydraulics to provide redundancy. A Cummins Onan 9kw gen set is also onboard the new boat. The boat is scheduled for delivery in time for the opening of this year’s lobster season on November 25. Photos will be available from the builder following that date.