It is powered by Perkins Marine Power engines and is expected to attract the attention of harbour authorities throughout Britain and around the world. Based on Lyme Boats’ tried-and-tested Vigilante GRP hull, it is described by Wisbech Harbour Authority as: “an extremely rugged, competitively-priced, shallow draft boat that fills a gap in the pilot boat market.” It is powered by a pair of the most popular commercially-rated engines, the M215C.

The new design capitalises on the Chard, Somerset-based boatbuilder’s experience of successfully designing and building workboats, and Fenland District Council’s experience as a harbour authority and pilot boat operator. Wisbech Harbour Master, Peter Harvey, and his Marine Services Supervisor, John Allen, played key roles in the design process, including selecting the Perkins Marine Power engine. This decision was undoubtedly influenced by the track record of the Perkins engines powering Fenland’s existing 13.7-metre harbour craft, and its reputation for consistently delivering the lowest cost of ownership of any engine in its power output class.

The new 10-metre Nene Pilot has a 3.73-metre beam and a shallow 1.0-metre draft. In addition to transporting pilot crew to and from ships visiting the harbour, the boat will also be used when undertaking hydrographical surveys and harbour patrols. The six-cylinder, six litre wastegated turbocharger, charge air cooled M215C engines are coupled to Twin Disc MG 5061A transmissions and give the boat a top speed of 24 knots. While Nene Pilot has a crew of two, she is equipped to carry a total of six people.

This is the latest in a catalogue of pilot and rescue boat operators to opt for the M215C. Dart Harbour and Navigation Authority recently repowered Lynx, a pilot boat that doubles as the harbour master’s launch, with a de-rated version of the engine. Further afield, a new breed of emergency rescue and supply boats built by Diva Mariner D.O.O. in Croatia is being powered by the same Perkins Marine Power model.

The engines for Nene Pilot were supplied by Cannock-based Finning (UK), the Perkins distributor for England, Wales and Ireland. Parts and service support are available only through the Perkins distribution network that today numbers an unrivalled 4,000 distributors in 160 countries. Full details of the M215C and the other propulsion and generator set engines in the current Perkins Marine Power range, including contact details for the distributor network, are available on www.perkins-sabre.com.