Incat Tasmanian based shipbuilder wins local and foreign contracts.

Bill M · 02-05-2015, 06:23 PM

Given the amount of negativity raised with Australian shipbuilding this is some welcome news.

Quote:

Hobart-based catamaran builder Incat has won contracts to build four new fast ferries for the Manly run in Sydney.

Incat chairman Robert Clifford said the Sydney orders, and construction of two passenger ferries for the Thames in London, would create more jobs in Tasmania.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-0...erries/6440034

**Raptor** · 02-05-2015, 07:10 PM

Great news.

I fondly remember taking the SeaCat from the mainland (Welshpool, Vic) to Tassie (George Town) and return all these years ago. What a fantastic trip and wonderful vessel, cute staff too but that's another story

Great to know Incat is still in business and winning local contracts as well as sending their ships all over the world.

Road_Warrior · 02-05-2015, 09:08 PM

Huh. Didn't know Incat was still around even.

Dr Jekkyl · 03-05-2015, 12:06 PM

Good news!

shazaam · 03-05-2015, 03:17 PM

Yep have always been there building away. Building overseas vessels and stuff. Interesting it's hit the news for you fellas as this is the first I've heard about it.

mik · 03-05-2015, 03:35 PM

what sort of speed do these cats do? pity we dont have some doing shuttles across to the main land, just looking at the spirit of tasmania site i got this .....

The trip on board Spirit of Tasmania takes approximately 9-11 hours. On days of single sailings, the voyage takes 11 hours. On days of double sailings, the voyage takes 9 hours.

wouldnt it be nice if we could wizz across in an hour or two.

nuthin' fancy · 03-05-2015, 03:38 PM

Mik,

I travelled once on the 'vomit comet' and ten times on the Spirit.

There is a reason why an 11 hour trip is better than a 6 hour one.

**Raptor** · 03-05-2015, 05:30 PM

6hr? You must have had bad weather - hence the vomit I suppose.

Maybe I got lucky but both of my trips were smooth and done in about 4 hrs, I think at an easy 40 knots cruising speed

nuthin' fancy · 04-05-2015, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor

6hr? You must have had bad weather - hence the vomit I suppose.

Maybe I got lucky but both of my trips were smooth and done in about 4 hrs, I think at an easy 40 knots cruising speed

Mine was late in the process when it was leaving from Station Pier.

mik · 07-05-2015, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuthin' fancy

Mik,

I travelled once on the 'vomit comet' and ten times on the Spirit.

There is a reason why an 11 hour trip is better than a 6 hour one.

you`ve talked me out of going on .... the vomit comet

,
ive always wanted to see a bit of tassie, but doing the run on the able tasman/ spirit of tasmania, always seemed a bit of a hassle ......i`ll have to just bite the bullet and go one summer .... its on the bucket list

.

nuthin' fancy · 07-05-2015, 08:23 AM

Mik,

It s a great trip. Day trips only run during busy periods, night sailings all year long. If there are two of you, a deluxe cabin is good, at least one way.

I'm too old an soft to sleep overnight in a chair.

Our last crossing (Easter 2013) was a mill pond both ways.

You can take as much as you can fit in the car and the holiday starts in your driveway.

Lots of good food and wine in Tassie.

zilo · 07-05-2015, 09:10 AM

I am on tomorrow night, it will be my 28th trip in 12 months on the Spirit of Tasmania.

I have had every type of cabin and every meal on the menu in both restaurants.

Get a cabin in the middle of the ship...it is the smoothest sleep.

Do not book the ocean recliner...its where the bogans sleep...farting, snoring, IPOD'ing, filthy socks, screaming kids...etc

VEry important..wait till the last 15 minutes before cut off for the vehicle check , don't race in as soon as they open check in.. else you'll just sit in your car for an hour and a half...absolutely mind numbing stuff.

It is $285 for me in a two berth cabin on my own (with shower etc), the car fully loaded with "stuff" and the dog ($22).

It is fantastic value, particularly with a car....($83)

BUT......

DO NOT TAKE A TRAILER OR CARAVAN....you have been warned ....$$$$$$$

mik · 07-05-2015, 12:40 PM

Thanks guys, sounds great, i might have put it at the sooner rather than later priorities.
cheers for the heads up.

zilo · 08-05-2015, 12:21 AM

They just emailed me a you tube video of their new fit out for August this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVMC...6-4302D70A9284

tex · 08-05-2015, 04:57 AM

Incat has stood the test of time and economy, local and globally. Kudos the mr Clifford Snr and Jnr, they are good operators in a very tough industry. To successfully compete with the Asian ship builders is testament to their business skill.

Many have come and gone, I believe Austal has folded, they too set up shop for a period in Tasmania - this reflects the strength and depth of ship building skill in this state. RDM is another local success story in the small ship (sub 30m) segment. They build some great commercial product which like Incat, competes in a global market.

No small part of Incats success when others have gone to the wall has been their ability to change their business model to meet the sectors challenges. Incat Crowther design has been instrumental to this, and when global demand for large vessels stalled, the design arm remained strong. Tough decisions were made along the way, I fondly recall the glory days when Incat at Prince of Wales Bay had 4 ships under construction, all with owners, and a workforce getting close to 1000. Businesses like this are very important to Tasmania. I've also seen first hand the workforce locally reduce to a couple of hundred, that's got impact on our small economy. Several ships at various stages of construction, non with homes, all built on "spec" must surely give everyone involved cause for sleepless nights. The last several years have been tough, really tough. With a gummit apparently dis interested in supporting local product through Naval procurement, the local builders could have been forgiven for just throwing their hands in the air and closing the doors...

And the 90m cats are a truly awesome platform for high speed, heavy lift operations, with Incat now pushing very hard to get a 100m+ vessel into service that will set new bench marks for military / border protection vessels. Troops, tanks, helicopters, supplies.... You name it, these platforms can deliver them anywhere in the world at close to 50knots loaded. That's incredible. And despite some poor press in the Bass Strait crossing days (keeping in mind they were far smaller vessels) the concept works. I've done many crossings, on the spirit and in the days of the Devil Cat and personally preferred the fast option, even in weather. Although I will concede that paying passengers need to be comfortable, and for maybe half the market - sea sickness is relevant lol. But for military and humanitarian response, speed and lift capability is more important than comfort.

The platforms successes in East Timor and in Service for the American navy (HSV2) are proof of concept. And who could forget that infamous grounding? The three weeks a big cat sat high and literally dry on Black Jack rock south of Hobart, run aground at 30knots, very little damage, repaired in only days, with the re float taking the time. That's a seriously tough ship

With the struggling manufacturing sector in Aus going from bad to worse, loss of car makers, on a local perspective, loss of Cat Underground in Burnie, good news stories like this news out of Incat is a welcome relief.