New Opportune plans to pair-trawl and land south

Skipper Ross Christie and family after arriving in Scalloway Saturday. Photo: Ivan Reid

The whitefish trawler Opportune arrived back in Shetland on Saturday, but not for long.

Unabashed by sinking this time last year, skipper Ross Christie and crew have rigged up their new boat for computer-operated pair trawling – a more efficient, but riskier setup in rough weather.

The set-up will also see the Burra boat landing most of her fish on the mainland with Fraserburgh-registered partner boat Helenus.

“It’s not been a big celebration; it’s just getting the families together,” said engineer and assistant Sam Young from a berth in Scalloway on Saturday afternoon.

A downturn in fish landings at Scalloway last year was partly credited to losing the Opportune after she sank suddenly in March.

Pair-trawling works by pulling a single trawl net behind two boats at once – saving fuel for both crews, which then split the catch.

“It’s easier on the boat, easier on the kit, easier on the hydraulics,” Mr Young said.

The set up also comes with the risk that either boat might career into the other, particularly in poor weather.

The Opportune sailed back south yesterday to be fitted with “pair link”, a computer system which allows a skipper on one boat to oversee and partly take control of the other in an emergency.

The new vessel is also slightly smaller, with a “modernised” helm and fresh, black and white paint job.

Read the full story in this week’s issue of The Shetland Times, out Friday 14th March.