Lloyd Klee and his team at Safety at Sea in Westhaven scored an $A750,000 ($912,00) Christmas bonus: an order for 240 EPIRBS to go into liferafts aboard Royal Australian Air Force Hercules and Orion aircraft.
The EPIRBs are tested to 500G force, can survive avgas flame for two minutes and an altitude of 16,000m. The order is scheduled for delivery to the RAAF in May.
Safety at Sea is the Australasian agent for the Kannad units and Klee says the contract was won ahead of intense international competition.
New mega-yacht
French designer and builder Guy Couach has started construction of what he calls a new concept in mega-yacht design. He has five orders for the 2800 YLR (for Yacht Long Range), which he says will allow owners to enjoy cruising in a performance boat without the need for a large and highly qualified crew.
The boat's profile has been kept low to reduce wind effects when manoeuvring. The yacht's outsize gangways, which provide lateral access on both sides to ensure easy movement during docking, have been borrowed from the company's workboat designs.
The first 2800 YLR is due to be launched in April.
Satellite launch
Yachtsmen will get an extended range of services from the new Thuraya-1 geo-stationary satellite. Allied to Thuraya dual-mode telephones, the service includes messaging, fax, voice communications and GPS.
The new mobile phone service was launched at the London Boat Show, which ends tomorrow.
<i>Tidelines:</i> Safety scoop
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