Do-it-yourself dredge ready

Press, 15 October 1976, Page 17

Do-it-yourself dredge ready

Staff reporter. Picton. The auction dredge Kaituna. built by the staff of ’he Marlborough Harbour Board for operation by the board, has been launched at Picton. When commissioned, about early December, she will begin deepening and enlarging the marina and ’he commercial basin at Havelock. The vessel is a squat, all-steel structure without any frills — a work-horse. Lack of interest by con-

tractors in the work of deepening basins and approach channels a’ Havelock forced the board to take a hard look at future development work throughout the board's area with a view to the board’s owning its own dredge. Investigations disclosed figures of between $150,000 and $200,000 being sought for suitable dredges, and so the board decided to build its own. The initial estimate of cost, $75,000, was soon increased to $95,000. The

final cost was about $130,000. The dredge was built mainly by two men initially, but an addtional two men joined in and the vessel was ready for launching after 18 months. She will use a 200 mm pipeline laid over pontoons to dispose of the spoil by the cutter. For most of the time, about 300 m of pipe will be used, but the dredge has the capacity to pump through up to 600 m of pipe. At. 300 m. she can

pump out 76 cu. m. an hour. The launching ceremony was performed by Mrs H. J. Stace, wife of the chairman of the board, who named the vessel Kaituna. The bottle of christening champagne proved too hard to break when swung against the cutting blade, but Mrs Stace made certain with the second swing. She was later presented with a silver salver to mark the occasion.