Cape Wickham’s impressive RIB tender

The requirement for the tender for the Tasmania Police vessel was something of a contradiction. It needed to be compliant to the local NSCV 2C survey yet still remain a simple vessel that allowed the operators the ability to use the vessel for a broad range of compliance operations in a variety of sea states in and around the island state of Tasmania.

It needed to be fast and easy to handle, have a large carrying capacity, a decent operating range and above all be safe in all seas including Bass Strait.

The vessel also needed to be extremely rugged, strong enough to handle being launched and retrieved from the back of the mothership Cape Wickham in open seas in sometimes very difficult weather conditions. The vessel also has to be able to handle beaching on rocky shores without the risk of hull damage.

A Naiad-designed, Kirby Marine-built, aluminium-hulled 5.8-metre RIB in a centre console configuration was chosen for the task. The hull was constructed using a longitudinal keelson and bow was reinforced with additional protection, the decks being left clean and clear of clutter. The boat was fitted with a large diameter collar and a full transom splash well and battery storage lockers were welding into the transom to prevent water ingress when launching.   

The vessel is powered by a single 150kW four-stroke Yamaha outboard with hydraulic steering. She has a fuel capacity of 200 litres and a top speed of over 45 knots.