White Maiden History

September 2005
 
Due South was first tested by me with a view to purchase, in September 2005, with Ted and the Trident SAC aboard, we spent the day round the Light. Ted insisted that I did not fish at all and just skippered the boat, that was hard. She was an 8m South Boat, built and designed specifically for Ted Entwhistle and Mike Hannam. Ted decided to retire from Skippering and Mike retired from the Police about the same time. Ted was a well known angler in the 80's, fishing for England, writing a Sea Angler Magazine column and was a well respected EFSA sports angler. However their loss was really my gain and Due South got me into my part time business, looking after crews, allowing them to sample what I love, a good days fishing in the famous Needles area.

Due South is still local to me as I sold her to three fellow members of Ashlett Sea Angling Club and she is heavily used privately and running very well too! While South Boats is now a very large and successful employer and business.

This was the problem I had, Due South was a good boat, but I knew I needed something else, in my heart and mind, and got restless with it.

October 2007
 
Was this a dream boat or a possible reality? I was excited about White Maiden when I first set eyes on her and so I had to show the real boss, the Mrs, as soon as I could.

Due South is a great boat but she is a bit tight for me standing at 6'3" full stretched and I wanted the stability and safety of a twin engined Catamaran.

Anyway I went for a quick test run, from Wicor Marine up to Portsmouth Harbour and back, with the family. There were no definite plans at that point but 14 knots on twin 25HP outboard engines was an incredible economy and nearly unbelievable at only 1.4 litres per mile.


February 2008

February is a bad time of year for charter skippers, as the weather can be poor and the fish are often well offshore which allows too much time to ponder on how to improve the business.

So in February 2008 I started getting more serious about White Maiden. I organised a Skippers test run. Unfortunately it was flat calm on a twenty mile round trip, out to Bembridge Ledge Buoy and back. But we witnessed a measured and incredible economy and speed from the two tiny 25Hp engines.

I got a follow up call from Ben at BWSeaCats, giving me first refusal over their test boat, 'White Maiden', labelled a 'Classic 995' Displacement Catamaran.

So aiming for a quick project turnaround, I paid the deposit and took the dive! As soon as I told friends that I was buying White Maiden, Due South was practically sold. This certainly helped the money situation but the whole thing was and still is a massive financial commitment.

March 2008
 

Next, was the preliminary MCA surveyors report and stability tests, which soon followed the fitting of the new and latest Yamaha 60 HP Long Shaft Eco Tech Outboard Engines.

Then she came indoors for completion and modification to my turn key options that I had selected.

On the whole I am very pleased with the layout and only a few minor things would be different, if I were to start all over again. So no complaints.

April and May 2008

'White Maiden', in the BWSeaCat boatshed. Note that all boats look much bigger out of the water but 'White Maiden' looked huge! Next to 'White Maiden' is 'Aristocat'. Mine powered by petrol outboards and Denis' powered by 60Hp inboard diesel Nannis.

The only other BWSeaCat Classic 995 in existence is 'Aristocat'

Here is Denis Froud's 'Aristocat', with out-riggers fitted and the copper bottom applied. 'Arsitocat' is the same Classic 995 vessel as 'White Maiden' but she is fitted with twin inboard 60 Hp Diesel Nanni engines, has a range of about 700 miles and is being setup to catch the very first Rod and Line caught Bill fish from a UK Port.

I still think that what I have is a great and economical boat, ideal for my needs and I wrote this up three years on in 2011.

BWSeaCat now build a much bigger and heavier boat; the new SPEED 11. They are much more expensive too!
 

Handover Day - 12th June 2008
  
The 10th to the 12th of June 2008 was the Sea Work 2008 commercial boat show, at Southampton. Both 'White Maiden' and 'Aristocat' were starring for BWSeaCat- http://www.seawork.com  . Thursday 12th June was the 'White Maiden' handover, during the last hours of Sea Work '08. Ben and Iain are toying with the keys even though they know I have purchased their baby, along with 'Aristocat' this is just the beginning of a long BWSeaCat story. I am sure White Maiden means a lot to them, and they should be pleased to know she is still both lovely to fish from, look at and incredibly frugal on the fuel!

It is my honest opinion that the design is just about right for my crew (payload), sea area and part time business.