Floods rescue Boat for SES?

Nannups SES volunteers have a sizeable sum of grants funds to spend as a result of the shires newly introduced emergency services levy, in the shire rates.

They are in the market to buy a rescue vessel for floods - which have been known to happen in Nannup from time ti time - being on the Blackwood river as we are.

I am helping my son whose a member of the SES volunteers crew - (and their only qualified boat handler with a TL3 certificate), to research what type of vessel they should buy, so that he can report to his bosses at the next meeting.

They have to spend the funds (which are topped up By FESA) before June 30th so time is an issue.

The need has arisen as a result of the tragic drowning of 2 kids last August when their parents 4wd was washed off a river crossing on the Blackwood, and they were trapped in the rear of the vehicle. the SES unit didn't have a vessel to be able to reach the trapped kids. They wish to remedy this situation ASAP (as winter rains are here with a vengeance!).

I am of the opinion - they need something with these sorts of perameters.

1. Positive Bouyancy Foam Filled (unsinkable) in case it is flipped against a tree in the strong currents.

2. 16 ft long to take 2 crew and rescue 2 Passengers

3. Stable - i.e Punt style or Rigid Inflatable style with a lot of water blockline stability, so that they can drag people over the gunnel without hurting them or lowering the gunnel sufficiently that current sucks the hull under and flips it..

4. Lightweight in case they can't get the trailer near the river - they can man handle it into the water down the bank if necessary.
(Aluminium or Rotothene rotomoldedpolyethylene)

5. Blaze orange (or bright yellow) so it can be seen from the air.

6. Capable of carrying all the gear needed for safety (i.e. commercial passenger survey)

7. Powerfull enough to be able to combat current strengths anything up to 20 knots in places and maintain headway / control.
(40 or 50 Hp 4 stroke?)

8. Resilient enough not to be crushed if pushed side on against a tree midstream with current acting on it, even in a submerged state.

9. Within their budget (which is substantial for the vessel and as much again for fitting it out with safety / rescue & commercial survey gear etc)

10. With a trailer suitable (heavey duty enough) to be towed thru bush of the type around Nannup (read forest) by a 4wd and with similar ground clearance to the tow vehicle.

Anyone with any thoughts as to a brand, type, model & supplier who cares to chime in - the info will be passed on to the Local SES folks - who hope to do some preliminary looking around in Bunbury soon! (You Millard guys and others - who sponsor this site might like to give this some thought/research - I'm reasonably sure they will be coming to talk to you and soon!).

Interested to hear whats available that possibly fits the bill...

Photo's would be great as well.

Cheers!

[yogi]

Hi trouty,
the 1st brand that comes to my mind when you mentioned rescue was Zodiac or other air filled boats. From the last boat show in Perth, I seemed to recall that they have quite a few models that seemed to fit your need. I'll find out more about the models and update this thread. Cheers!


Yogi

Thatd be neat of you can find anything.

I read that in one of the recent big floods in Qld - surf rescue zodiaks performed some thousands of rescues successfully.

The sure sound like they might be the go - I'd have some worries about getting apuncture maybe in our tree filled water - but they are pretty tough these days.

I was thinking one of the solid alloy tube type RIBs where they have the pontoons around the outside, but these people should weigh everything - the lightness factor would likely be in favor of the inflatable zodiak as you say.

There are apparently some spefcifcations under SES rules that flood rescue boats have to meet.

I'll try and find a copy!


Cheers!

[bubba]

Why not look at a Stabicraft Trouty.

Sorry to sound higgerant, but whats one a them?

I think they are the type of alloy tube things like a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat), arent they? which is exactly what I had in mind - I thought they were called an Ocean Cylinder or something?

Anyway if anyone has a link to Stabicraft - that'd be great.

I did find the SES specs for a flood rescue boat - but it's a pdf file - which when I view it as html, I can't "copy" the stats to paste into a post here - it seizes up my puter every time...

Someone should blow up 'puters!

A fundraising event maybe to raise bream re-stocking funds - the lousey computer toss - who can chuck theres the farthest, and whos puter throws up the best rooster tail when towed at speed behind their bream boat!

Cheers!

[bubba]

http://www.stabicraft.com (Google is your friend )

[yogi]

Here's one of the rescue boat models that they have. It's a 4.2m boat rated to 40hp and can seat 6. http://zodiacrescueboats.com/products/ribo420.cfm
There's a couple of other models in different sizes as well. Here's the contact for the Australia/New Zealand distributor.
ZODIAC GROUP AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd
gsmith@zodiac.com.au
23 Rowood Road
PROSPECT NSW 2148
Tel: (61) 298 965 755
Fax: (61) 298 967 972
Contact: Grahame SMITH
Cheers!

Yogi

[dan_WA]

"Scorpion" Boats in Freo build those ally 'zodiac' style boats. They have built ones for a few govt. agencies, and build to custom specs. They're in Strang St Sth Fremantle - 9336 1677
Good looking boats and almost unsinkable !

Thanks heaps.

Dan's come up with some really good info - I spoke to Scorpion and they have a website and are already biuilding rescue boats for FESA.

http://www.scorpionboats.com.au



This one looks like a pretty good contender for the task at hand.

Why don't the rotomolded poly people make this style craft? surely there would be a demand?

Maybe because zodiak have that sector so well covered already?

Heck - theres som choices to be made here.

From what I can see of satbicraft - they all seem to have a cabin and screen and SES specifications say that you must be able to load a stretcher with person on it over the bow, so no forward screens etc....

Maybe Stabi would also manufacture one to order?

Will pass all this info on to the local lads at the SES and let them figure it out!.

My pick would be the scorpion so far, but the same style in rotothene would likely get a lookin from me too if it existed.!

Cheers!