FISHING VESSEL LAUNCHED

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25548, 16 July 1948, Page 3

FISHING VESSEL LAUNCHED

PRODUCT OF FAIRLIE FIRM CEREMONY AT TIMARU From Our Own Reporter TIMARU, July 15. A large fishing trawler built at Fairlie, 30 miles from the sea, was launched and christened at Caroline Eay, Timaru, this morning. The vessel was built for Mr Manuel Aspros, of Oamaru, at the factory of Jones Motors (Fairlie), Ltd. Miss Maria Aspros. the owner’s daughter, broke a bottle of champagne over the boat’s bows, and named it the St. Michael. The trawler is the third large craft to come off the stocks at Fairlie, and the second fishing boat, the Jov having been launched at Timaru about a year ago. The whole mechanical and trawling equipment was also installed at Fairlie. The St. Michael is 41 feet in length, with a beam of 11 feet four inches, and a draught of four feet two inches. She is powered by a 110 horsepower G.M. engine. The vessel is the first in New Zealand to be built with a V bottom, the latest American design, which aims at higher speeds and a greater degree of seaworthiness. She has been five months in building. From the Fairlie factory, where munitions were made during the war, and a staff of 30 is now engaged, the boat was brought to Caroline Bay by a transporter of Burnetts Motors, of Ashburton, where it was towed off by the Timaru fishing boat Centaurus. The St. Michael will operate from Oamaru.