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 Hvasser Pilot Station, Norway

published on 16 November 2020

The pilot boat in Hvasser is going to pick up a pilot from a tank ship.

1

Video Lita Ocean 15m Pilot Boat

published on 9 October 2020

MPA 7 and MPA 8 are our latest 15m Pilot Boat built for the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore.

0

Video PILOT68 17m Self-righting Pilot Boat | self-righting test

published on 10 January 2022

17m Self-righting Pilot Boat by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Name: PILOT 68 Designer: Camarc Design Overall length: 17.3m Designed speed: 25 knots https://www.cheoylee.com/product/detail/66/ Performance • Innovation • Reliability • Quality • Service #HKPA #cheoyleeshipyards #cheoylee #pilotboat #selfrighting #shipbuilding #Caterpillar #CamarcDesign Ref: 5217 (sister-ship: 5209)

1

Video Pilot Cutter in Action (Shoreham Port)

published on 14 January 2020

Watch this video to get a behind-the-scenes look into training aboard our Pilot Cutter with Alexandra Pearson, Marine Operations Assistant at Shoreham Port.

0

Article Louisiana pilots launch state diversity initiative

published on 24 January 2022

"Last legislative session, river pilots committed to making African Americans and other minorities aware of the growing number of career opportunities in Louisiana's maritime industry," said river pilot Captain Lee Jackson in a statement.

0