News

Clements Engineering joins National Workboat Association

Clements Engineering (known to its’ customers as Clements Marine) has been accepted as a corporate member of the National Workboat Association (UK).   

The association was formed in 1994 so that its’ members could have a say in the formulation of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Workboat Code of Practice.  The Association has also played its part in the new Harmonised Code and has been successful in keeping its’ members interests at the forefront of any proposed regulatory changes.

Celebrating 30 years in business this year, Clements Engineering has supplied propellers, marine shafts, stern tubes and ancillary propulsion equipment to workboat builders and now is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers. Clements Engineering recently supplied to the latest workboat launch from Safehaven, the multi operational Orca III and the South Boat Projects crew transfer boat Chinook.

Clements Engineering’s work with all members of the teams on boat builds, from the project managers to the engine manufacturers, this enables their products can fit easily into build projects, and work most efficiently. All products are designed and tested to the highest standards in-house. Appointments such as official suppliers to the Russian Rivers Authority and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) testify the quality build of Clements Engineering products. They supply to vessels built under specialist service craft rules such as Lloyds Register of Shipping or Norske Veritas.  Clements Engineering is accredited Germanscher Lloyd, ABS (ICE Class) and RINA approved manufacturers.

As well as new projects the team at Clements Engineering also provide propeller re-pitching, welding and repairs with short turn around times to enable their customer to have minimal downtime.

Clements Marine strengthens links with OYS

After completing many successful projects last year Clements Marine has worked on a major, landmark superyacht project with Ocean Yacht Systems (OYS).  Having established a close relationship with OYS over many years this project was for a state of the art 66.7m yacht built at Baltic Yachts in Finland called Hetairos.  

Using the Clements Marine propellers OYS produced 2 x 460hp hydraulic swing retractable primary drives for Hetairos, the first of their kind in the world. Combined they generate 14knts under power and provide a bollard pull in excess of 11000kgf. The units themselves rotate 360 degrees and are positioned either side of the centreline just aft of the keel, providing incredible manoeuvrability. Hetairos is built for performance, whether under sail or power, and therefore these hydraulic powered units fully retract into the hull within seconds when not in use, leaving a completely flawless hull.

For the project Clements Marine supplied a pair of thruster propellers 934mm x 1031mm manufactured from AB2.  The propellers were a 4 bladed design to fit in a custom composite thrust nozzle to develop 460hp each. 

The required bollard pull and required speed set out in the original specification was met and exceeded with the Clements Marine propellers. 

A great deal of research and development work went into this project during the initial stages of the build.  The technical team from OYS worked closely with Clements technical to achieve the perfect result.

The project is one that shows the true diversity of the Clements Marine product portfolio which is all designed and manufactured in their factory in Bedfordshire, UK.

OYS will be joining Clements Marine on their stand (B13) during the Seawork exhibition May 22-24 in Southampton.

Clements Engineering celebrates 30 years in Business

2012 sees Clements Marine celebrate 30 years since it was founded. 

Conceived as a general engineering company by John Clements in 1982, Clements Engineering originally manufactured parts for the Ford Cortina and also made the King Pin Lock, a neatly designed lock for articulated units. 

The company moved to its current site in Bedfordshire in 1989 and Clements Engineering looked towards other areas of manufacture.  An interest in boats and having seen an opportunity in the market place they increased the manufacture of marine parts, in particular, propellers, marine shafts and stern tube assemblies.

Over the years Clements reputation grew and as demand increased a key part of the quality process was to ensure all the functions were kept in house.  The Clements own foundry completed the expansion in 2000 and this has proved a key benefit in controlling the manufacturing process. 

Today the company employs nearly 40 people including its foundry and trains apprentices in its workshops in Bedfordshire.  The design of products is achieved using modern CAE techniques and all products are tested to the highest standards required by the industry in house. 

Last year saw Clements Engineering awarded certification to build their products to RINA, Germanischer Lloyd and ABS (Ice class) Standards.   Appointments such as official suppliers to the Russian Rivers Authority and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) are a testament to the quality build of their products.  The products are used throughout the world and exports remain steady despite the economic climate.

All propellers are scrutinised, tested and have attained the quality level of Class 1 as standard and Class S by request or as per the requirement of the authority. Clements Marine products are manufactured to exacting standards and matched prior to delivery at their factory to ensure trouble free installation and a long service life.

The team at Clements regularly advise customers on repairs, refits and re-pitching as well as the supply of new products.  From attending sea trials to liaising with naval architects and engine commissioning engineers, along with developing new designs for specific requirements, the qualified team at Clements have a wealth of experience and product knowledge.

New Propeller for Customer Prompts Praise for Clements Service

The supply of a new propeller prompted a delighted customer to explain his experience when he recently used the services at Clements Marine.

Here he details his experience with a much loved boat and his service with Clements.

We have owned Kiki which is a Turkish built Viki Sedan 32 built by Viking Marin in Istanbul for 6.5 years. She is a Semi Displacement Motor Boat weighing around 7.5 tonnes; initially she was based on the Norfolk Broads where we had forays to sea normally heading down the East Coast for holidays to places such as the Blackwater and Orwell. In year three we had a couple of nights at Shotley Marina near Harwich and liked it so much we stayed and have been based there since. The boat is used most weekends where we commute from our home in Derbyshire to Shotley a round trip of around 340 miles. Most of her time is spent on the East Coast which is a rich boating area; in 2010 we went to Belgium in her.

Just a week prior to our Belgium foray we had a ‘ding’ in the prop and our yard sought someone locally to repair it urgently before we went. Since that time the prop has never been quite right (no fault of the yard) we lost speed and were burning more fuel. I resolved at the back end of 2011 to sort the problem and contacted a number of propeller manufacturers following web searches giving them all the details of the issue and specifications of the boat and drive train. Clement Marine’s response was exemplary with Paul giving me guidance in addition to seeking more in depth details on our ‘symptoms’. I decided to visit Paul and take my old propeller to him, I was amazed at the time he spared and the genuine ‘non sell’ approach he had. The propeller was scanned so Paul knew exactly what he was dealing with this revealed the cause of our issues, the diagnosis sounded technically perfect and he recommended a specification with much more blade area to give thrust. Paul also offered to check our prop shaft and make a slight adjustment to ensure it was true, another example of not leaving any aspect of the drive train to chance.

It really is a leap of faith purchasing a propeller as you really do not know for sure if it is going to work until it is tested. If it does not work it is an expensive lift out, chock the boat, send the propeller away for alteration and lift in again so getting it ‘right first time’ is critical. How ‘cheap’ is the price of a propeller that has the associated costs of having to lift out and alter?

I can report that on testing our boat achieved a higher top speed but more importantly cruises now at lower revs and burns less fuel; we are delighted with the result. She hit just under 20 knots WOT (3300 RPM) with cruising weight and an additional two persons on board to the normal two. More importantly for me she will cruise very happily at 15 knots pulling 2900-3000 revs.

I am a firm believe in overall ‘value’ given the quality of the prop (class 1) the technical support and a work first time product I would say they deliver value in spades; I would heartily recommend Clement Marine.

Clements Marine supply Safehaven Marine Catamaran

Clements Marine has supplied all the stern gear and propellers to one of the latest launches to emerge from Safehaven Marine, the successful boat builder based in Ireland.

Orca III is the third of Safehaven built Wildcat 53/ 16m catamarans.   The vessel has been built for a customer who is based on the Isles of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides, which provide some of the most challenging sea conditions for any vessel operating in these waters. Safehaven's Wildcat 53 has a high buoyancy bow, twin chine symmetrical hull catamaran form that has proved very successful providing exceptional levels of sea keeping and performance. The design is 16m moulded (17m LOA) with a 6.1m / 20ft beam.

The vessel will have multiple operational uses from long range offshore work going out in the North Atlantic as well as being windfarm support, hydrographic survey and long range passenger and dive support, and for each role she has been specifically adapted.  The conditions regularly mean facing waves of 6m and it is important for as well as standing up to the test in reliability and efficiency the propellers also have to provide comfort for passengers. For this purpose Clements Hyperform blades were used.  These unique blade profiles allow for optimum speed and acceleration providing vibration free performance.

Clements Marine work closely with their customers and gain a good understanding of the day to day use of the vessel so that they can tailor the propellers and stern gear to the specific requirements.  Having worked with Safehaven Marine for many years, Clements have built up knowledge of their boats and were very pleased when the sea trials were completed successfully with their equipment onboard.  Orca III is powered by twin Scania D16 700hp engines and Twin Disc MG 5135 quick shift gearboxes driving conventional stern gear:  762mm (30”) propellers on 88.9mm (3.5”) diameter shaft and large balanced stainless steel rudders.

Clements Marine supply stern gear to South Boats

Clements Marine recently supplied the complete stern gear package to the latest project from South Boats Special Projects Ltd, the P&O Maritime crew transfer vessel Chinook. 

This multi-purpose crew transfer vessel was designed by Incat Crowther, Australia and built by South Boats at Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The vessel has now successfully completed sea trials and has been delivered to London Array offshore wind farm. Chinook demonstrates P&O Maritime’s commitment to become a leading player in the European offshore renewables industry.

South Boats has built a reputation over many years as the leading builder of wind farm crew transfer vessels. 

The vessel was built to Lloyds rules and as such the Clements Marine equipment needed to comply with the strict testing. It is something that Clements Marine has been used to having worked to various marine standards over the last 30 years.  2011 saw them attain company accreditation from Germanischer Lloyd, ABS and RINA. 

To achieve the optimum performance from products Clements Marine must first gain an in depth understanding of the use and vessel, taking into account details such as the strains and stresses, hours in used etc it is likely to be used in and situations it will face in its everyday life.  For this project two Super Duplex shafts were required as they have proved to be a lot stronger, less corrosive and are particularly suited to the demands wind of farm support vessels. The propeller was a 5 blade, designed and manufactured in Clements Foundry in their offices in Bedfordshire.

Clements Marine get ready for Galway Fishing Expo

Clements Marine will be attending the Skipper Expo International in Galway 2012 this weekend.  The event organised by Mara Media which is in its 8th year is held on the 24th & 25th February at the Galway Bay Hotel.  There are over 100 exhibitors at the event and they hope to repeat last year’s visitor total which was in excess of 5000 visitors. 

Having exhibited at the show for many yeas, Clements Marine has found the show useful as an opportunity to speak directly with many of their customers in the fishing trade.  

Clements Marine has provided complete stern gear and propulsion solutions to the industry for nearly 30 years. They have built up a reputation producing high quality equipment that helps boats reduce vibration and noise and improve fuel efficiencies. 

Testament to the strength of Clements Marine products they supply to many commercial vessels around the world and are also used by the RNLI and Russian Rivers Authority.  

Clements Marine joins the Passenger Boat Association

Clements Marine has joined the Passenger Boat Association an Associate Member. 

Having successfully delivered an urgent repair for a boat from Viscount Cruises, they were recommended to the Association as valued contributors to the passenger boat industry.  Clements Marine manufacture not only new products, they also provide repair services to existing stern gear and propellers.  The team have a wide range of experience and knowledge in dealing with various types of vessels from high performance craft, to barges, tugs and  various passenger vessels.

The Passenger Boat Association is a trade organisation, dedicated to furthering the interests of Britain’s passenger boat industry. Active since the early 1970s, the Association works to promote the prosperity of companies engaged in the industry and the safety of passenger boats operating on all domestic waterways across the UK.

Associate Members offer a wide range of specialist support to the passenger boat industry.  They cover such products and services as insurance, training, ship repair, safety equipment and employment law to name but a few.

George Campion from Viscount Cruises commented, “With a busy cruise company I was dreading time out of the water, which would lead to potential loss of bookings.  I discussed the issues with the team at Clements.  They are very experienced in dealing with all variety of propulsion enquiries and they felt they could provide a solution and quickly, but I had to get the propeller to them. We discussed the requirements of the boat, how often she was used, type of performance I was looking for etc, and I then arranged to have the broken equipment removed. The equipment had to work well with my Doosan 320hp engine which has a 3:1 gearbox. A new shaft was required, and they manufactured a new 70mm shaft in just 2 days.  The propeller was delivered to the Clements Marine factory in Bedfordshire on a Thursday and having assessed the problems, they decided the most efficient course was a new propeller.  This was returned to me on the Monday and fitted first time so my boat was ready for operation on the Tuesday morning”.

Clements Marine looks forward to working with more members of the PBA.

Clements Marine supply Wisbech Harbour Authority

Clements Marine recently repaired a propeller for the DAMEN built Tug Fenlander used by Wisbech Harbour Authority. Fenlander is a 14.05m Stan 1405 class Tug that is used for various duties in the busy East Coast Harbour area.  Having previously worked with the Wisbech team for some of their other pilot boats and vessels, Clements were approached to help with the vessel that had a history of bad vibration problems.  For a busy harbour boat the downtime can be a costly affair and Clements Marine worked with the engineering team to solve the problem in the most efficient way. Having considered that a major amount of work was needed, a simple repair and bringing the 5 blade propellers back up to class have saved them both time and costs.

James Hodge, Engineer for the Wisbech Harbour Authority commented “We've had the repaired propellers on for just over a week now and she feels like a new boat, I'm not getting any vibration at all. We have also noticed an improvement is pushing power. As yet we have not done any significant towing, but I'm sure if we did we would notice the difference.”

Clements Marine have all their repair and manufacturing facilities in-house at their Bedfordshire plant and this means that repairs such as the Wisbech Harbour Authority ones can be achieved quickly.  By making the propellers back to class means it is easier for the vessels to attain the correct RPM and therefore also have better fuel savings. Clements Marine work with many different Harbour Authorities and organisations and provide new propellers and stern gear as well as providing repairs and service work.

Clements Marine work on historic restoration project

Clements Marine has been instructed by ship restoration experts T.Nielsen & Company in Gloucester to work alongside them on London’s historic fireboat.  The 78ft Massey Shaw was built in 1935 and was the largest boat built exclusively for service on the River Thames by the London Fire Brigade.  During the Second World War the fire crew volunteered to join the fleet in the evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk, and in 3 complete trips rescued over 500 troops from the beaches and a further 110 whom she returned to London.  She was kept busy in the Blitz fire fighting along the riverbank and supplying water with her one and a half miles of hose, she retired from service in 1971.

The project is to bring her back to her original specification which is 12 knots with a low wash and the ability to pump 3000 gallons (13,640ltrs) of water a minute by spring 2012.

Clements Marine was approached to look at the propellers and stern gear on the vessel.  New shafts were required as the previous ones were very corroded and the propellers have to be re-worked and repaired.  The equipment has been sent to Clements factory in Bedfordshire, where the team can inspect, measure and ensure that the re-work is carried out to the original quality for this important historic ship.

The vessel is being restored for the Massey Shaw Trust and is partly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Delighted Arvor Customer for Clements Marine

A customer recently approached Clements Marine to see if they could help with a propeller for their Arvor 215 motorboat which is fitted with a VW 100hp turbo diesel engine. 

The customer wanted to ensure that he minimised the time his boat was out of the water and therefore gave Clements Marine all the information prior to sending the propeller to them.   It arrived and was immediately inspected and sent for re-pitching and was returned to the customer the same day.

The customer, Mr Dave Stenson commented “I really can not emphasise strongly enough the positive benefits it has given. The results are astounding and way beyond my even wildest expectations. The boat has been transformed, its quieter, faster, more fuel efficient, rides softer…… too many plus points to mention!”  Overall the fuel consumption has gone down on the boat by some 25 - 30%.

Clements Marine work with major OEM builders throughout the world but also work with individual customers.  Each propeller is so unique, taking into account many factors from each boat.  Another advantage that Clements Marine has in addition to their wealth of experience over nearly 30 years is that they design and manufacture all propellers on site.  From their foundry, to the final testing all is done in-house and so the knowledge of each propeller and process is second to none.

Clements Marine working with DIMO Sri Lanka

Clements Marine have formed a working partnership to supply propellers and stern gear with DIMO – Total Marine Solutions (TMS), Sri Lanka a diversified engineering organisation that represents some of the best engineering brands in the world covering the territories of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. 

With peace and a rapidly improving economy in Sri Lanka there has been an increase in demand for equipment in marine related projects.  DIMO, established over 72 years represents other major marine brands including MTU, and the company is in a position to provide Total Marine Solutions to the market.  The division is headed by Director/ General Manager Mr. Roshan Fernando, a fully qualified Marine Engineer with a chief engineer’s certification from the UK and Mr M. Shahzad Ghany, Manager of Sales and After Sales Service, who has wealth of knowledge and experience in the field. 

Clements Marine Managing Director, Paul Williams commented “Our exports have seen a rise in recent months; we have worked with DIMO who have approved the quality of both our propellers and stern gear.  All our products are built to a minimum of class 1 and when required to S class and we have recently obtained 3 significant world recognised accreditations for our build quality”.

Clements Marine are propulsion experts, designing and manufacturing using modern CAE techniques to tailor propellers to clients needs. All products are designed and manufactured in their up to date facilities, including in house foundry and CNC workshop.  They have recently attained their GL, ABS (ICE Class) and RINA certifications.

Clements Marine attains RINA Certification

Following just behind their recent success in attaining GL and ABS (ICE Class) certifications Clements Marine have now received RINA (Registro Italiano Navale) certificate of approval.

The RINA approval came after inspections were carried out on site for a client and has been awarded for copper alloy castings (AB2 bronze) propellers, propeller brackets (P Brackets) and rudders. RINA has been responsible for classification and certification of marine products since 1861 and is one of the oldest recognised classification societies.

Clements Marine won Germanischer Lloyd approval for shafts and propellers and ABS (ICE Class) approval for their propellers in June this year. 

Paul Williams, Clements Managing Director commented, “We have always known our standards are very high quality, all products are manufactured here on site to Class 1 and when required to Class S.  We have now started working to getting these high standards recognised by the official classification societies
Clements Marine are propulsion experts, designing and manufacturing using modern CAE techniques to tailor propellers to clients needs. All products are designed and manufactured in their up to date facilities, including in house foundry and CNC workshop.

Exports are on the Rise

We have just secured another overseas order, this time for 29 complete stern gear sets which will be exported to India. 

“We are delighted with the amount of exports. Many are repeat customers who have been pleased with both the quality of our products and the service they receive,” comments Paul Williams, our MD.

Exports have increased recently for us and in the last 8 weeks alone have shipped orders to Sri Lanka, Germany, Poland, Croatia, China, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Norway, Mauritius and Spain.

Clements Marine produce super sized P Bracket

Clements Marine has just shipped their 2 largest P Brackets that they have cast at their own foundry in Bedfordshire.

With a cast weight of 1.1 tonnes each and standing nearly 1.8 metres high the brackets have been built for RINA rules.  The brackets were delivered to Amartech for a 46m twin screw motor yacht

The P Brackets are cast nickel aluminum bronze fully machined and finished.

Clements Marine Sales Manager, Michael Major said, “We were delighted to receive this order. We have been manufacturing our products to very high standards for various certification associations around the world. Our propellers are already in use in thrusters on superyachts and now we have produced these propeller shaft brackets for a 46m motor yacht, which shows our capability to provide the best propulsion solutions for vessels from small workboats to leisure craft through to the superyacht market.

Despite the economic conditions Clements Marine have increased their workforce this year in order to meet customer demands and are continuing to see a steady stream of enquiries.  A higher percentage of orders are now coming from overseas and they have recently shipped their first order to a Far Eastern Navy.

Clements Marine builds to Germanischer Lloyd and ABS standards

Clements Marine have produced high quality solutions for marine propellers, marine shafts, stern tube assemblies and ancillary propulsion equipment for over 25 years.  In order to work towards a more formalised certification of their products they recently have fulfilled some orders which needed to be assessed for Germanischer Lloyd and ABS Standards.

The ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) is the World’s 3rd largest class society and has classed a fleet of over 10,000 commercial vessels and offshore facilities.  Clements Marine supplied a number of products which passed the stringent US Naval ICE class ABS standards

As well as ABS approved products Clements have built a number of shafts and propellers recently to reach Germanischer Lloyd approval.  The German based standards are known for approving only products manufactured to high safety and quality standards.

Paul Williams, Clements Managing Director commented, “We are delighted that our products have been assessed and achieved the quality standards required by these two prestigious class societies.  This is a great step towards our quality standards for the company as a whole”.

Clements Marine are propulsion experts, designing and manufacturing using modern CAE techniques to tailor propellers to clients needs. All products are designed and manufactured in their up to date facilities, including in house foundry and CNC workshop.

Clements Marine continues long relationship with Lyme Boats with the latest launches

Clement Marine have supplied to the Fred Buckingham Windwave Workboat. The design is one of Lyme Boats own in house designs, based on the popular Vigilante aluminium catamaran design.

The vessel called ‘Samson B’ is 17.5m LOA and fitted with a pair of Caterpillar C18 engines.  The 5 blade Clements Propellers and stern gear fitted, helped the vessel achieve a top speed of 27 knots, to the delight of the new owners.

Working closely with both Lyme Boats design requirements and the engine manufacturers, Clements Marine supplied a complete solution for all the stern gear, rudder gear and propellers.  Clements Marine was present at the sea trials to check and oversee the correct functioning of the propellers. 

The vessel is now in use at a busy offshore wind farm off the coast of Barrow In Furness, in the East Irish Sea.

Managing Director, Paul Williams commented “We have worked with Lyme Boats for many years and we have been delighted to be involved with these recent projects.  Clements Marine products have been proved time and again in a wide range of circumstances and it is great when a client returns to us it’s a good sign they are happy with our products and service.” 

Clements Marine has supplied propellers and stern gear for all Lyme Boat builds and have developed a strong working relationship with the team.  They have also supplied the propellers and stern gear for the new P&O vessel launched last week.

Clements Marine Increase Workforce to keep up with demand

Clements Marine has made a number of new appointments at the Bedfordshire plant and foundry due to increasing demand for their propellers and stern gear in the later part of 2010.

Customer service is important to Clements Marine, having built their business and reputation on recommendations through word of mouth.  Steve Gillings has been brought in specifically to look after all customer support for the company. With over 20 years experience working in the marine industry, most recently for a major UK boat builder, Steve has a broad knowledge and understanding of boats and their workings. Additionally he holds his skippers licence, and therefore appreciates the importance of the practical applications of systems, functionality and efficiency from a user’s point of view.  Steve will work with customers to resolve all propeller and stern gear related queries. 

Other appointments at Clements Marine include Propeller Engineers, Foundry staff as well as general admin staff.  The appointments were necessary to keep up with an increase in customer demand and the planned expansion of the company in the early part of 2011.

Paul Williams, Clements Marine Managing Director, commented “This year demand has increased, with a significant amount of interest coming from overseas.  Our products can be found on a range of boats around the world. The wind farm sector has had a good impact on our business as has the increase in the number of pilot boats being built closer to home across Europe.”

Clements Marine has operated for over 25 years designing and manufacturing propellers at it own foundry in Bedfordshire. They supply complete solutions for all stern gear with marine shafts, stern tube assemblies and ancillary equipment for vessels from High performance leisure craft through to pilot vessels, wind farm boats, workboats, Lifeboats and fishing vessels.

Clements Marine help celebrate BW SeaCats latest launch

Clements Marine has recently supplied all the stern gear for a BW SeaCat ‘Clarissa’ which was launched in December 2010. She is currently based in Plymouth and is used for commercial fishing.

The 5th launch from the S.P.E.E.D series vessels built by BW SeaCat performed very well during its sea trials.  ‘Clarissa’ achieved a maximum sprint speed of 20 knots with an average top speed of 18 knots over a number of runs with and against the tide whilst on trials. Keeping an eye on running costs a more comfortable cruising speed of 15 knots at 2300rpm is likely to be enjoyed more regularly.

Ben Plummer from BW SeaCats commented “The reason for choosing Clements Marine is straightforward. We’ve used their propellers and stern gear on virtually all of our vessels we’ve built and the propeller pitch and size is always spot on, with no adjustments required. They give great quality service and back up support as well”.

The owner took the new vessel to her home port of Plymouth and on route was delighted with the sea keeping performance. The vessel will be lifted in Plymouth for final fitting of all her fishing gear. 

Clements Marine appointed to supply propellers for RNLI's Trent Class Lifeboats

Clements Marine announced today that they have been appointed to supply propellers to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for the charity’s Trent class Lifeboats. 

The UK based propeller manufacturers have been appointed as suppliers following extensive testing in association with the RNLI engineering team. On the Trent Class Lifeboat the propellers and rudders lie in partial tunnels set into the hull that, along with two bilge keels, provide excellent protection from damage in shallow water.  The new Clements Marine propellers have seen reduced engine load and increased boat speed for the Trent Class.

The Trent Class Lifeboat was introduced to the RNLI lifesaving service in 1994 and currently there are 37 in the operational and relief fleets.  The 14m Trent Class Lifeboats are designed to lie afloat and have self-righting capabilities; they have a crew of 6 and are capable of 25 knots with a 250 nautical mile range.   Last year Clements Marine was appointed to supply to Severn Class range of Lifeboats as they underwent an extensive refit and repair programme.

Paul Williams, Managing Director of Clements Marine, commented: “Our products are proven with the work we have done on the Severn Class and now we are pleased to see that following extensive testing we are now supplying to the Trent class. Clements Marine products have to stand up to some severe conditions the Lifeboats face on a daily basis, our products have to be robust as well as help make the vessels smooth and efficient.” 

 

Clements Marine working with Marex Boats

Well known Norwegian builder Marex Boats has been working with Clements Marine to improve the performance of their flagship boat the 11.37m Marex 370 Aft Cabin Cruiser.

Marex has always worked very hard to reduce noise and vibration especially from the propellers. In order to find the perfect solution they tested 5 different propeller manufacturers with Clements Marine products performing the best in each test.

Aidas Margis, Purchasing Manager for Marex commented “As well as great performance, we were impressed at the technical knowledge and support provided to us by Clements Marine.”

Marex, a family run business has been building motoryachts for over 40 years and is known as one of Norway’s biggest and most well known builders of family cruising boats.  The 370 Aft Cabin Cruiser is the flagship of the Marex fleet and has been well received worldwide with many International awards including European PowerBoat of the Year and highly commended in Motorboat of the Year.  Clements Marine ensured that their products complimented the 2 engine options available on the model.

Managing Director Paul Williams commented, “These propellers have been designed to meet specific customer needs, Marex is delighted with the improved performance they are experiencing and Clements Marine are delighted with yet another happy customer.” 

Clements Marine supply to new Alnmaritec Boat

Clements Marine has supplied propellers and stern gear to Alnmaritec’s latest research vessel ‘Falcon Spirit’ which was built for Plymouth University and recently attracted a lot of interest at the Seawork Exhibition in Southampton.

Hyperform propellers were manufactured and installed by Clements Marine.  These unique 4 blade profile propellers allow for optimum speed and acceleration and are vibration free. Made to Class 1 they exceeded the required speed set out by the design. The stern gear was manufactured from F51 Duplex Stainless Steel, which is strong and has improved resistance to stress corrosion and cracking.

‘Falcon Spirit’ is the 5th project Clements Marine has worked on with Alnmaritec with a further 3 currently in build.  Each project is individual with tailor made solutions to meet the specific needs of the final vessel application.

This latest boat which was designed in-house and built by Alnmaritec is a derivative of the highly successful ‘Wave Commander’ class of offshore support vessels, many of which are already in service with wind farm operators in the renewable energy sector. The attributes of a high bow and wet deck, with a relatively fine entry ensure excellent sea keeping both in transit and on station and keeps the deck dry in the challenging conditions seen off the UK’s south west coast. This is ideal as her purpose is to assist with research and teaching on the University’s wide range of marine-related academic courses. It will also spend much of its time on the ‘Wave Hub’ renewable energy research project off Land’s End.

The hull structure is designed and built to Lloyd’s SSC rules under survey and the MCA Workboat Code Category 2 certification to allow it operate up to 60 miles from a safe haven. A specially-adapted skeg aft gives excellent protection to the stern gear and will allow the vessel to take the ground as part of the operational requirement.

The boat is a 14m x 6m aluminium alloy asymmetric catamaran powered by twin Cummins QSC 8.3 litre 500 bhp four stroke diesel engines, driving through Twin Disc MGX5114 IV vee-drive Quickshift gearboxes to conventional fixed-pitch propellers. This gives Falcon Spirit a cruising speed of around 18 knots as well as allowing for very low speed trolling during survey or trawling.

Clements Marine to Suppy to Lyme Boats

Clement Marine have just completed the contract to supply to the recently launched 22.5m monohull crew and workboat built by Lyme Boats for Inchcape Shipping Services.

Working closely with Lyme Boats design requirements Clements Marine supplied a complete solution for all the stern gear, rudder gear and propellers.

The Inchcape 23 is designed for use in Dubai to ferry crew and equipment quickly and safely around the Gulf. This vessel will join the 16 strong fleet operating in the Arabian Gulf region. The aluminium vessel is powered by twin 670 BHP Caterpillar diesels and operates at a service speed of 22 knots. She can carry 23 personnel and 25 tons of cargo on the aft deck.

Paul Williams, Managing Director of Clements Marine, commented: “We are delighted to be involved in the build of this boat. As British manufacturers it has been a pleasure to work with a UK based yard, building a truly excellent product."

Built to Lloyd’s Register +100 A1 SCC Workboat Mono: HSC:G3 MCH all of the Clements Marine equipment was also built to the approved certification.

Clements Supply Successfully to Saga Boats

Norwegian Boat manufacturers Saga Boats approached Clements Marine to assist them with some propeller issues that they had been experiencing.

Saga Boats A/S is one of Norway’s leading producers of pleasure boats ranging from 31 to 41.5 feet. For more than 50 years, all production has been based on the west coast of Norway. Saga Boats’ product portfolio consists of modern designs with semi-planing hull. The problems that they had encountered were issues with noise and vibration stemming from the propeller.

After some discussions with Clements Marine design team a 5 blade Hyperform blade was developed. The team took the propeller out to Saga Boats A/S and successfully trialled the new product. The results were excellent. The Clements Marine designed propellers provided a smooth ride and the decibel count was reduced by 6, making a significant difference to the performance. The super smooth propellers have enhanced the performance so much that within a year Clements Marine has supplied more than 50 propellers.

Managing Director, Paul Williams commented, “These propellers have been designed to meet specific customer needs, working with Saga Boats A/S to identify the particular requirements. The customer is delighted with the improved performance they are experiencing and Clements Marine are delighted with yet another happy customer.”

Clements Marine proud to supply British products manufacturer Fairline for over 25 years

Clements Marine Working with OYS

Clements Marine are key propeller suppliers to Ocean Yacht Systems (OYS) for their bow and stern thruster range, and suppliers of propellers for most of their unique primary drives. OYS were displaying a large thruster with Clements produced propellers on their stand at the METS exhibition 2009.

Produced onsite at the Clements Marine foundry in Bedfordshire, the special geometry propellers for the thrusters are made from nickel aluminium bronze. Paul Williams, Managing Director of Clements Marine commented “The propellers are designed to fit the specific requirements of the units. Our client’s design team specify the horsepower required, and the speed of the propellers and then using in-depth software my team design the propellers for maximum thrust with the correct sizing”.

Clements Marine and OYS are leaders in their specialist fields, the level of technical knowledge and understanding is essential for the production of quality products. Both companies are using state of the art design packages, resulting in a high end quality product that fits and performs first time.

OYS Thruster Director Ian Crowden said “The relationship with Clements has helped the development of our thruster range. Precision in design work and accurate manufacture of the propellers has helped to improve manoeuvrability and produce enhanced performance from our finished thrusters. Clements have provided our design team with good technical back up and responded quickly to our requests.”

Clements Marine products are designed and manufactured using modern CAE techniques in their Bedfordshire, UK plant and are supplied extensively throughout the marine leisure and commercial sectors. Clements Marine products are used by many boat manufacturers including Naval and Port Authorities throughout the world. They supply to vessels built under specialist service craft rules such as Lloyds Register of Shipping, Norske Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd.

Support for RV Actinia at Glasgow Fishing Expo by Clements Marine

Seaway Marine of Macduff has recently launched a new 11m survey and research vessel. The RV Actinia is a research vessel for Scotland’s University Marine Biological Station, which is located on the eastern shore of the Isle of Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde.

RV Actinia is equipped and finished to unique, exact requirements in order for it to carry out its duties in coastal waters. The vessel will be on display on the pontoons and available to give demonstrations to visitors at the forthcoming Fishing Expo 2010, which is held at the SECC in Glasgow on the 20-22nd May 2010.

Clements Marine supplied a total stern gear package to the vessel including their specialist 4 blade Hyperform propellers. Supplying to such a varied range of vessels means that Clements Marine customises each package of stern gear to their clients’ requirements. Often used in harsh environments the propellers and stern gear are built to the highest standards in Clements Marine Bedfordshire facility, where all products undergo rigorous product testing before installation.

Paul Williams Managing Director of Clements Marine commented; “Regardless if it is a high performance leisure craft or a commercial vessel such as RV Actinia each vessel has the same requirements from its propellers and stern gear; fuel efficiency, reliability and improved performance. This is something that Clements Marine can deliver”.

Clements Marine appointed to supply propellers to RNLI'S Severn Class Lifeboats.

Clements Marine has been appointed to supply propellers to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) for the charity’s 44 strong fleet of Severn class lifeboats.

The Severn class lifeboat, the largest in the RNLI fleet, was introduced into the RNLI in 1995 and the vessels are currently undergoing an update programme to ensure optimum performance. The lifeboats are used in the toughest offshore conditions for saving lives at sea and are known for their excellent sea keeping ability and manoeuvrability. The UK based propeller manufacturers have been appointed as suppliers following extensive testing in association with the RNLI engineering team.

Paul Williams, Managing Director of Clements Marine, commented: “Our products undergo vigorous testing and scrutinising before they are quality passed by our factory. For the RNLI, the products have to stand up to some severe conditions and our products are ready for this."

Clements Marine products are designed and manufactured using modern CAE techniques in their Bedfordshire, UK plant and are supplied extensively throughout the marine leisure and commercial sectors. Clements Marine products are used by Naval and Port Authorities throughout the world including vessels built under specialist service craft rules such as Lloyds Register of Shipping, Norske Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd.

Clements Marine appointed by Russian Rivers Authority.

Clements Marine Engineering has been appointed as official supplier of Propellers and stern gear to the Russian Rivers Authority. There are more than 30,000 boats registered with the authority, which controls and manages the country’s extensive inland waterway and intercoastal network. All vessels supplied and under the control of the authority will now use Clements propulsion systems.

Clements Sales Manager commented “this is a unique opportunity for Clements. Our products have been scrutinised and tested and have attained the quality level required by the authority. Clements Marine products are manufactured to exacting standards and matched prior to delivery at our factory in Bedfordshire to ensure trouble free installation and long service life. As a result of winning this contract we have been invited to participate at the St Petersburg boat show and it could open up wider market potentials".

Clements Marine products are designed and manufactured using modern CAE techniques in their Bedfordshire, UK plant and are supplied extensively throughout the marine leisure and commercial sectors. Clements Marine products are used by Naval and Port Authorities throughout the world including vessels built under specialist service craft rules such as Lloyds Register of Shipping, Norske Veritas and Germanischer Lloyd.

 

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