A REDLAND boat building company has turned a potentially disastrous loss of contract on two large catamarans into a business coup.
Last year Eprapha Creek-based Reefmaster Custom Aluminium Boat Builders built two 300-seat fast ferries for a Mexican buyer.
The 30 metre boats were the biggest contract that company boss Steve Cordingley had signed but as the big cats were going through sea trials out of Raby Bay, the contract fell through.
Just a week later, Mr Cordingley received an unexpected phone call from the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.
A businessman had seen his site on the web and, with the sweetest of timing, phoned to say he was looking to buy two big and fast catamarans.
Nine months on Mr Cordingley’s worries about the multi-million dollar boats and the potential impact on his business have been erased, with the boats heading off as deck cargo this week to the Caribbean.
Mr Cordingley and staff were to drive the boats up the Brisbane River today.
“They are painted differently and with different logos but otherwise they are exactly the same. The new owner loves deep green,” he said.
Mr Cordingley’s original contract – the largest he had won in 42 years of boat building – was for six ferries worth about $10 million.
He has since won another contract for a boat which is destined for the Great Barrier Reef.
Mr Cordingley said Australia was known as a nation that could build outstanding aluminium ferry catamarans and he had built his reputation on building strong and hard-wearing craft.
The cats going to the Caribbean are fitted with the first 1000hp Yanmar electronic common rail diesels to be put into a vessel in Australia.
The six cylinder engines are low revving and can burn 300 litres of fuel an hour when pushed hard. At a cruise speed of about 20 knots they would burn a bit more than 200 litres per hour.
The company can build to 45 metres and has so far launched more than 90 vessels, ranging from 10m up.
Many are sailing in Queensland waters to places like Heron Island, the northern Great Barrier Reef and in the Arafura Sea off the north Australian coast.
Others are in more exotic places, including the Seychelles and Bahamas.
