10M Thai Long Tail

[S.E.A.]

Dear All

Recently I posted some images in the gallery of a 10M Long Tail project that is currently going on in Thailand. Due to the emails I have been receiving asking for more information please find below the information on the project.

The 10M Long Tail was a design innitiative set up and put into action to cater to the needs of the Thai Fishermen who lost their boats during the recent Tsunami. The project has been a collaboration of the following marine professionals who took it upon themselves to design and build a Long Tail in FRP to try and stem the ever decreasing timber stocks in Thailand due to the current rebuilding of the fishing fleet, which some estimates have at 5,000, using traditional methods.

Umberto Petricich of 3DW Moulds in Italy who put together the design package. (upetricich@yahoo.it)

Bunchong Kunuchit of Star Marine Engineering Co. Ltd in Bangkok whose shipayrd and resources are being used. (bunchong@starmarineeng.com)

S.F. Wong of Fadara Yacht Sdn Bhd the project manager for the materials, molds/ tooling and first hull fabrication. (fysb@streamyx.com)

Now With The Design, Mould Building And Preparation Work All Completed They Expect To Be Able To Build At Least 3 New 10M Long Tail Boats A Week Utilising The Existing Mold Set Up. Once More Molds Are In Place They Can Then Cater To Increased Demands Accordingly.

Anyone Interested In Finding Out More On This Long Tail Project Or How They Can Be Of Assistance With Funding Or Mould Set Up For Their Own Boat Yards Can Contact Either Of These Gentlemen Who Will Gladly Provide The Relevant Information And Help.

[Mikey]

I am glad to see that the design has not been changed much, good since I find that the Thai longtails actually are pretty decent sea goers. I have been out in violent rain storms with very heavy wind and rather upset seas and the long tails handles that with ease.

To all involved in this project, a big Thank You for helping out (and for not changing what does not need to ).

It would be very interesting to hear if seaworthiness of these new boats are as good as the old wooden ones.

[S.E.A.]

Hi Mikey

Thanks for the comments, have passed them on to the respective parties involved in the projetc. They have advised that they will keep us updated with the upcoming first two launching ceremonies and give a sea trial report.

[tom kane]

It would be interesting to know if they will be fitted with the traditional long tail motors,which is how they got the name I believe.I have been trying to get more of the history of the longtailed boats which I believe originated from France about 1900.The were the first racing outboard motors offered to the public.

[Mikey]

Oupps, very good question Tom. I took that for granted but maybe I was wrong.

No, don't think so, although they are surprisingly heavy to manouver, I still don't think that the Thai fishermen would want to change that.

S.E.A., please let us know the answer to this

[Alik]

Thai longtail use car engines, also their props have very low efficiency due to high RPM. Also I mind that engine location is very high, that decreases the stability for smaller boats. Thai marine society is conservative, but their boats have many things that can be improved.

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by Alik

Thai longtail use car engines, also their props have very low efficiency due to high RPM.

Don't some of them use those small air cooled industrial diesel engines by the Japanese? I've forgotten the name of them.

[tom kane]

Long tailed boat propulsion is not as basic as it may seem,there are some very interesting aspects about the positioning and design.They are in fact the for-runners of some modern surface propulsion systems(guess which one) The design is of course changed to suit different hulls and hydralic systems make using the easier.If any one would like to give me any information or good close up images I would appreciate that.I have started a thread (no response yet) Long tailed boats and history.

[Mikey]

Most longtail boats in Thailand use Yanmar diesels, I think Yanmar refer to them as horisontal diesel engines. Similar models are also used a lot on farms all around Thailand. Don't know how to describe them, square with huge exposed fly wheel something... The one in the pic is not exactly the right one, closest I could find (looks too modern...)

The longtails using car engines are quite a lot bigger and are mainly used around Bangkok (in the canals as part of Bangkok's public transport system and as water taxis), big rivers like Mekong and Chaophaya. These are not used as fishing boats.

I was expecting the high placement of the engine to affect stability but I could not feel that was a problem, maybe it is because the longtail fishing boats are actually pretty heavy. I would not make the new FRP's lighter that the wooden ones though, that would probably affect sea worthiness and sea kindliness.

Mikey

[Alik]

I am not much familiar with fishing longtail boats, mostly with tourist ones as we deal with pleasure craft. One more point for longtails is that trust is applied too high, that requires carefull operation when turning. I'll try to upload some pictures of longtails to my gallery...

[Mikey]

Good pic of the bigger longtail boats using car engines Alik.

It was surprisingly difficult to find good pics of the fishing boat longtail. Here is a brand new one built after the tsunami. As we can see, they are quite different from the "car engine ones", looks more sea worthy and less flashy.

Mikey

[Mikey]

And here is a close up of a very authentic engine. Complete without muffler..

[Mikey]

OK, and here is one photo where the bow can be clearly seen.

All of you, what is your opinion? Do you think that they are pretty sea worthy or not???

Mikey

[Alik]

This is good boat, but not matching today's regulations Also, these boats are over use of materials (have You seen how they cut these pieces of wood?), so use of FRP seems great improvement. I only not sure, if it is reasonable to copy the wooden craft lines and proportion, can propose safer and more effective fishing craft. But I understand, Thai are conservative...

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by Mikey

Most longtail boats in Thailand use Yanmar diesels, I think Yanmar refer to them as horisontal diesel engines. Similar models are also used a lot on farms all around Thailand. Don't know how to describe them, square with huge exposed fly wheel something... The one in the pic is not exactly the right one, closest I could find (looks too modern...)Mikey

That's the engine I had in mind, the horizontal diesel, just couldn't remember the exact manufacturer. I don't think we ever see that equivalent engine here in the USA.