Alert – Tea Rose – Leslie Campbell

Tea Rose S 73 - formerly Alert FR 417. Photo courtesy of Donal Healy.

We are grateful to Leslie Campbell, who runs the A Day in the Life of Kilkeel Harbour Facebook group (worth a look!), for the following information on the history of the Campbeltown Alert FR 147 (Yard No. 19) – 1974. We’re not sure who has taken the photographs that Leslie has sent so if they you know the photographer just get in touch by email and we can happily add names.

The boat Tea Rose was built at Campbeltown in 1974 as ‘Alert’ FR 147  for ian Smith & Partners of Peterhead, later being re-registered PD147, before being renamed ‘Sunlight’ PD 187, ‘Boy Andrew’, was raised and slipped at Lerwick, where Malakoff and Moore Ltd carried out hull repairs.

The boat was then bought by John Martin of Oxfordshire, and renamed ‘Tea Rose’ K 136, after which she lay at Bressay for several years awaiting her fate. Mr. Campbell bought the boat at the end of 1993 before Jim Hill towed her to Kilkeel with the former Buckie trawler ‘Capella’, for the start of a four year rebuilding programme. After stripping the boat back to the bare hull and shot blasting all the remaining steelwork, rebuilding work began.

Patterson Engineering, which is currently fabricating an 18m trawler for its own account, was the main contractor. IK MacLeod & Associates looked after the design work and stability calculations. In order to increase the vessel’s fuel capacity Ian Newell fabricated two additional 3500 litre wing tanks in the void left in the fishing room after squaring off the sides of the hold for boxing. Local company Patterson Engineering installed all the engine-room machinery and wired the vessel. Mr. Campbell purchased the Caterpillar 3508B main engine, which delivers 605kW.

Alfred Cheyne Engineering of Banff supplied the 20 tonne core pull three drum trawl winch that is positioned forward on the main deck. ACE engineers also designed and installed the full hydraulic system, with stainless steel pipes being used throughout. Macduff Shipyards supplied a 2×10 tonne split net drum, which is located at main deck level forward of the cruiser stern.

A 5 tonne Pullmaster Gilson is fitted atop the wheelhouse roof, bringing the catch aboard in conjunction with a tripod cod-end lifting gantry. After being released into the reception hopper, the catch is led forward by a conveyor from where it is sorted and gutted before being passed down into the fish-room. This is fully insulated and refrigerated on the deck-head and engine-room bulkhead. A 2 tonne per day flake ice machine is also fitted with all the chilling equipment being supplied and installed by John White’s Kilkeel Company Sea Ice Ltd. A 4500 litre freshwater tank is situated forward. Mr. Newell of Kilkeel fitted a three-quarter length watertight steel/aluminium shelter-deck, while Patterson Engineering fabricated a new aft mast housing the engine exhaust, giving ‘Tea Rose’ a modern and streamline profile. The redesigned mess-deck and galley has been equipped with the usual array of electrical appliances and fitted out to the same standards as the single eight berth cabin aft and the wheelhouse. IC Trawls Ltd of Howth supplied Tea Rose’s full set of fishing gear through its Kilkeel agent Jim Hamilton. Jim Graham of Kilkeel Steel products supplied the 9ft. midwater trawl doors. ‘Tea Rose’ is expected to go twin rig trawling later this year, using 2 x 34 fathom fishing line, high opening IC prawn trawls with deep covers, with 100mm mesh in the wings and bellies, with the gear being spread by a set of 8ft Dunbar Vee trawl doors. She is agented by Kilkeel Fishing Selling Ltd. and a member of the Anglo North Irish FPO. She was sold to Southern Ireland, became S 73.

Ian Campbell, Kilkeel, Ireland.

Campbeltown-built Alert FR 147 (Yard No. 19) – pending her restoration. Photographer unknown, courtesy of Leslie Campbell.

Campbeltown-built Alert FR 147 (Yard No. 19) as the Tea Rose – pending her restoration. Photographer unknown, courtesy of Leslie Campbell.

Campbeltown-built Alert FR 147 (Yard No. 19) as the Tea Rose – pending her restoration. Photographer unknown, courtesy of Leslie Campbell.

Article from Fishing News. Courtesy of Leslie Campbell.

The Tea Rose now, 2019, formerly Alert FR 147 (Yard No). 19. Photo courtesy of Donal Healy.

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