'Air Rider': Kirby's abalone boat goes lobster fishing

摘要

A couple of years ago Kirby Marine built what was probably Australia's first purpose-designed abalone boat. 7.3 metres long, it was off the board of Gavin Mair's Global Marine using Gavin's Air Rider hull principles. It was intended to put dynamic andstatic stability, sea keeping and load carrying capacity into a small, high-speed package. Nobody is in any doubt that designer and builder succeeded, to the extent that a family has grown around the design with a variety of layouts to suit more than just abalone diving. Among others, there has been considerable interest from serious recreational fishermen who travel to the edge of the shelf off the south coast - about as serious as it gets - and also from smaller commercial lobster licence holders inVictoria and NSW.