Article

Pilot Boat Review "Colne Leader" by BairdMaritime.com


by Baird Maritime - published on 10 May 2023 92 -

Article courtesy of www.BairdMaritime.com

The Brightlingsea Harbour Commission of Essex, UK, recently took delivery of a new pilot boat built by Seaward Boat Development Company based on the Isle of Wight.

The 8.8-metre-long Colne Leader will be operated by the Brightlingsea harbour patrol as a general-use workboat with
focus on providing pilot transfers in both coastal and inland waters. Its area of operations will also encompass its namesake, the River Colne, which is also a tributary of the Thames.

Having established the need to replace the harbour's previous pilot boat, the commission undertook an extensive
research programme to identify the type of vessel and equipment specification required. Advice was sought from the
Work Boat Association, coding surveyors, naval architects, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, other ports, the pilots, shipping organisations, and professional workboat skippers.
Photo: MarineTraffic.com / BairdMaritime
Photo: MarineTraffic.com / BairdMaritime
Photo: MarineTraffic.com / BairdMaritime
Photo: MarineTraffic.com / BairdMaritime
The commission said the consultation process was successful in helping identify what was needed in the new boat, though it also revealed a gap in the pilot boat market. Typically, pilot boats are designed for deep water ports and utilise vessels of over 15 metres in length and costing over a million pounds apiece. The commission deemed such a vessel to be far too large and expensive for the needs of Brightlingsea and other small harbours where boats of no more than nine metres long yet possessing multi-role capability were considered more suitable.

The chosen pilot boat needed to be small enough but also capable of meeting the wider needs of harbours like Brightlingsea, where additional functions include river patrols, inspection and maintenance of navigation marks on behalf of Trinity House, river surveys, and other general harbour duties. Seaward worked closely with the Brightlingsea Harbour team to create a boat that not only met the harbour commission's requirements but did so within the available budget. The resulting vessel thus incorporates a number of facilities and services not generally offered in a pilot boat of similar size.

The cooperation with Seaward also ensured that Colne Leader possessed key attributes such as a Raymarine radar, an engine compartment providing full standing-height access, MOB recovery equipment, and mooring cleats inset into the cabin coaming to keep the decks clear while still providing handrail accessibility for transfers to other vessels.
Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Colm O Laoi
Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Colm O Laoi
Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Colm O Laoi
Photo: MarineTraffic.com/Colm O Laoi
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video Kittiwake Mersey Pilot

published on 22 December 2021

KITTIWAKE ( MMSI 232008570) is a Pilot and currently sailing under the flag of United Kingdom (UK) Here she is speeding down the River this morning.

0

Video Life of a Marine Pilot: Work, Salary & Privileges ft. Capt. Shailendra Nautiyal (2025)

published on 5 May 2025

👉Ship To Shore Guidance Series For Deck Officer: https://courses.merchantnavydecoded.com/learn/Ship-to-Shore-Guidance-Series-for-Deck-Officer 👉Ship To Shore Guidance Series For Marine Engineer: https://courses.merchantnavydecoded.com/learn/Ship-to-Shore-Guidance-Series-for-Marine-Engineer 👉Ship Chartering And Ship Brokering Guidance Series: https://courses.merchantnavydecoded.com/learn/Ship-Chartering-and-Ship-Brokering 👉Check your eligibility for MEO Exam and Mates Exam: https://www....

0

Video Polaris Pilot Boat Antwerp Belgium

published on 15 March 2022

Vessel name: Polaris ; Year built: 2012 ; Flag: Netherlands ; Homeport: Rotterdam Length: 81.2m X 13.3m ; GRT: 2501 ; Callsign: PBZN ; MMSI:245142000 ; IMO: 9496915 Type: Special Vessel / Pilot Ship A "Pilot Ship / Pilot Vessel" is a "special type" of ship in which it accommodates a certain and limited Marine Pilots (Sea, River, Harbor Pilots), it also carries small boats/crafts that are used to tender services to and from the Pilot ship. In a Pilot Vessel, the Pilots can take their time...

1

Video Pilot boat LIVE LAUNCH EVENT today, 10:00 AM (CET)

published on 14 December 2021

Reminder: Sjöfartsverket is proud to announce the launch of the first FASTWATER demonstrator: The pilot boat.
They would like to celebrate this important milestone with you and invite you to our online pilot boat launch event on December 14th, 2021 from 10.00 - 12.00.

0

Article AIMPA Journal Issue VI - December 2020 for download here

by AIMPA - All India Marine Pilots' Association - published on 19 December 2020

The All India Maritime Pilots' Association has released its new journal for December

0

Video Simulation of the Collision of Norwegian Warship HNoMS Helge Ingstad

published on 15 November 2019

The following is the video presentation from a joint investigation into the Nov. 8, 2018 collision of HNoMS Helge Ingstad and the merchant tanker Sola TS. Video from Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN) and the Defence Accident Investigation Board Norway (DAIBN)

0

Article IMS Bahamas’ Marine Pilots licensed to Greater Bimini Area

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 26 March 2020

According to a report by thebahamasweekly.com, IMS Bahamas’ Marine Pilots have been licensed by the Ministry of Transport and the Port Department to Pilot vessels in the Greater Bimini Area.

0

Article Sandy Hook pilot Dennis Sherwood has died after falling during embarking

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 30 December 2019

A pilot of Sandy Hook, Dennis Sherwood fell off a ladder while boarding a ship today at 4:30 a.m. and died of his serious injury in Staten Island hospital.

0

Video A Day With Lough Foyle Pilots

published on 25 July 2022

July 21st 2022, a thrilling day for me when I met up with the Foyle Pilots and was given a tour and a trip out on pilot vessel Foyle Leader 2. I was in the company of Coxswain Tommy McDaid and several other pilots, I was taken out past tall ship Grace O'Malley then we collected the pilot from a cement carrier called Cemluna, then back to Greencastle, it was a fantastic experience. Many thanks to Tommy and the crew for making this happen. www.nightskyhunter.com

0

Article Three 16.2 m KEWATEC Pilot 1620 Vessels For Sale (located in Finland)

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 17 May 2021

Pilot Boats can be inspected in Finland. Price: € 590,000 each (new price approx. € 1,300,000 each).
They have been overhauled there and will be sold with a new shipyard guarantee on shipbuilding. IMCA MISW report is available

0