Seen here, off Pendennis Point in Falmouth in a very brisk South-Easterly, is the latest Typhoon 33, for the Curtis family of Looe in Cornwall. All three generations came out on sea-trials, and delivery voyage home, grandfather Ernie, Philip the Skipper, and his son Jamie, who together with his sister Jessica carried out the ceremonial naming and bottle smashing on launch at Penryn. This vessel is something of a departure, being the first Typhoon model with a “trawler type†wheelhouse, which is usually found on our 40/44′ heavy displacement hulls. This has been specified to allow a generous and comfortable five seater dinette unit to port, with helm and galley to starboard. Most instruments and smaller electronics are neatly located in an overhead console, and well protected, leaving most of the dash free. A full maxi-size roof is fitted, giving great protection from the elements, and incorporating a full size easily cleaned WC compartment.
As with Ernie Curtis’s previous vessel, the Cyclone 29 “Tryaâ€, there is a large alloy after gantry and mizzen sail, for steadying and keeping head to wind purposes. “Tryaâ€, now 7 years old, has been sold to new owners in Essex, with Cygnus carrying out it’s normal “guaranteed price†minimum part-exchange valuation, as part of the new boat build contract. There are two berths up in the forecabin, with large alloy mooring post right down to the keel. Looe is a drying harbour, so needs strong fore and aft mooring points, and legs are also fitted to this craft. The stainless steel keel is also a special channel section, with reinforced skeg.
Construction is generally to SFIA standards, with provision of their HCC, and MCA for passenger carrying. Particularly of note is access/escape from the engine room, with no fewer than two flush deck hatches, and also two bulkhead hatches in the fish hold. Twin stainless steel fuel tanks are located aft, total capacity 1,200 litres, and of course the whole compartment is fireguard intumescent coated. Engine room breathers are trunked from the wheelhouse roof, with dorades, and shut-off valves operable from the deck. Fire bilge and smoke alarms are fitted by the yard, and a sprinkler system to the engine room is augmented by extinguishers and a fire hose. Propulsion is a Volvo TMD121C, fitted with a Twin Disc MG 5081A 1½:1 reduction, and Halyard waterloc wet exhaust system. The engine was maintained and commissioned by that most experienced and knowledgeable of Volvo agents, Robert Newton of Looe. Sterngear came from BT Propellers, with 2†TEMET shafting and a 27½†x 20†4 bladed propeller, to achieve max speed on trials of 15 knots, but which it could do all day every day. A trolling valve and PTO are also fitted to the gearbox.
Some work was also carried out by Ernie & Philip Curtis at the Cygnus yard, including epoxy coating the hill, and the anti-fouling, to keep costs down. Avid interest was shown during the build, with the family coming down every month at least to check on progress, with Margaret especially to the fore, with her video camera recording work. All concerned have expressed their total satisfaction and happiness at the end result, everything turning out exactly as required, and dead on time, and possibly more importantly, dead on budget. The yard and shipwrights working on the boat would also like to say that it has been an absolute pleasure building the Curtis’ new boat, and looking forward to the next generation in due course! First charters were booked for 2 days after sea-trials “Typhoonâ€, being charter angling (and charter diving – especially bearing in mind the new “Scylla†wreck around the corner in Plymouth Sound) in the summer, reverting to commercial netting/long-lining/mackerel drop lining in the winter months.
Please Contact sales@cygnusmarine.co.uk for more information
