DuFLEX kits deliver access and adventure
Composites are the key to a lightweight, low maintenance “big ute on water” under construction at Noosa Marine.
Noosa River will soon welcome a state-of-the-art, Roger Hill-designed hybrid multihull, with all the aesthetic appeal of “Noosa style” and the capacity to accommodate 52 passengers, including 14 wheelchairs. Pitched as a totally inclusive cruise experience, the new boat is under construction at Noosa Marine, where Director, Julian Griffiths is overseeing a team of two labourers working on this unique 12-metre by 6-metre vessel.
David Stielow is the owner of Noosa Ferry & Cruise Company, which runs a fleet of three wooden boats the on Noosa River offering ferry cruises, sunset cruises and charters for special occasions from Tewantin to Hastings Street. The boats are traditional 1930s-style riverboats with two levels, featuring undercover seating on the lower deck and open-air top deck for up to 60 people. The new addition will be thoroughly modern, yet retain that laid-back elegance for which the Sunshine Coast is renowned.
“The brief was to design and build a fully-accessible, hybrid vessel for cruising, that would fit in with the fabric of Noosa,” said David, who bought the business in 2019 from the founder, Don McBride who operated the business for 20 years. David is no stranger to the maritime industry, having worked for 25 years on Hamilton Island, operating sailing charter yacht, Banjo Patterson, then working on Fantasea Cruises on the Great Barrier Reef, and the Huon-pine classic, Denison Star.
He managed the sailing, diving and snorkelling on the island, and then worked for the Oatley family as General Manager of Supply & Logistics, managing the barge for recovery operations after Cyclone Debbie in 2017. Taking over Noosa Ferry in 2019, just six months before Covid and its travel restrictions hit, David and his team worked on the boats and the business, devising the concept for an inclusive Noosa River experience.
“A year ago, we approached Julian at Noosa Marine and he recommended Roger Hill, who he has worked with for 10+ years or more. Our aim is to build a hybrid, fully-accessible boat for up to 14 people in wheelchairs, with brail signage, and have it in the water in time for summer.
“2023-24 is the Year of Accessible Tourism in Queensland, and we were able to access a grant towards building the boat. It’s a 35-week build, and then fitout, so we are now looking at around February-March 2025.”
Cruises will comprise “an all-inclusive boutique marine tourism experience at a quality currently not offered on the Noosa River”, according to David. “We will cater for up to 14 wheelchairs and with all seating on the one deck, it will be easily accessible for guests of all levels of mobility.” For minimal maintenance and low environmental impact, the boat will be equipped with a hybrid electric/petrol outboard motor. “The electric option we are considering is from a company called ePropulsion, and we’re yet to decide on the X40 or X20 model. We will combine this with two Suzuki low-emission petrol outboards with electric bow thrusters to assist with manoeuvrability within the Noosa River.
“We are hoping that combining the two petrol low-emission outboards with the electric will enable us to fully charge the electric outboard without having to plug into shore power. There will also be solar panels on the roof to assist with the charging of electric outboard batteries.” Three of Noosa Ferry crew are assisting with the build, which David describes as a “fantastic learning experience and very valuable for those who will be working aboard”.
Ten weeks into the build, Julian Griffiths and his team of two at Noosa Marine are bringing to life the as yet-unnamed vessel, using the DuFLEX panel system, Coosa boards, with WEST SYSTEM and Kinetix epoxy resins throughout. “There is not one piece of timber in the boat – so it’s totally maintenance free,” Julian said. Commenting on the challenges specific to this build, Julian said the fact that it was commercial and had to be durable and easily maintained, “everything has to be accessible and removable, impervious to wear and tear, to ensure a limited time off the water”.
“In the design, the rubbing strakes had to be easily accessible. It’s a beamy boat to accommodate wheelchairs and additional seating capacity, so it was a challenge to get the aesthetic right. This boat was designed specifically for passenger use. “Roger Hill has designed a very practical platform, a big ute on water, that is also beautiful. It’s a completely new, fresh design with a plumb bow, just the right hull displacement for load carrying and low wash.” As David asserts, “Our aim is to share what Noosa can offer, with a quality product that Noosa deserves. “We are continuing the tradition of our heritage fleet, with the addition of a modern, comfortable and inclusive boat that will open up the sights and sensory experiences to a completely different market.”
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