INDIGENOUS PROJECTS
Download letter of appreciation from the Australian Government for Pelican's involvement in the Coral Bleaching Project 2006. DOWNLOAD PDF.
FILM & VIDEO PRODUCTION
Peter Talbot, Dive Supervisor and Marine Co-ordinator “Big Blue” March - April 2005
Having initially tried a variety of other craft ranging from large fishing boats through to fast inflatables, we were unsuccessful until we applied the unique characteristics of Pelican. Pelican provided an ideal platform that offered amazing stability, copious storage, easy diver access and retrieval, and the ability to operate silently under sail.
Pelican’s crew were competent seamen, always ready to lend a hand with any task. The friendly atmosphere onboard made the project all the more enjoyable. After such a positive experience I would strongly recommend Pelican as a boat to be considered for filming and expedition applications."
Rory McGuinness ACS, Cinematographer, “Big Blue” March - April 2005
Through the summer and early autumn of 2005 I was employed as a cameraman to work on a project for the ABC and NHK filming blue whales and other marine life off the southern Victorian coastline. In the planning stages of this job one of our concerns was the problem of finding a suitable vessel as a platform for our operations. Given the difficulties of approaching the whales, diving and working some distance off the coast in the Southern Ocean we needed a boat that was light, fast, quiet, stable and seaworthy and could accommodate up to 12 people with all our equipment. We needed good dry working spaces as well as ready access to the water with some very heavy gear.
As it turned out we were very lucky to use the SV Pelican. This catamaran could not have been better suited to the job. As a stable filming platform it was excellent compared to a monohull vessel. I have never been on a boat before where a cup of coffee can sit all day on a table without moving regardless of weather! As a dive platform it allowed immediate access to the water with all our gear via the well conceived "beach" or ramp at the stern. This also facilitated very easy retrieval which is perhaps the most challenging aspect of multiple dives with a camera.
The crew were very efficient and always committed to our getting the best results possible. Skipper Garry McKechnie handled the boat with panache and always put us where we needed to be. The superb functionality of his vessel and it's unique and attractive design are all the product of Garry's inventiveness, passion and a commitment that he applied over the 5 years it took to construct it. He also brings these qualities to the job when on the water and it was great to work with a skipper that contributed in such a positive way to the day to day problem solving that our work seems to require!
Overall she was a great little ship to work from and I would be delighted to have the opportunity to spend more time on her. On the Pelican we managed to keep everything working, we ate well, we slept well, and as a bonus to our film, she looked beautiful under sail. I can recommend the Pelican for any research or filming project where quick access to the water, stability, manoeuvre ability, quietness, good food and plenty of laughs are a prerequisite.
RESEARCH
Dr Peter Gill, Blue Whale Researcher
The first thing about Pelican is that she is no ordinary boat. She's been designed and built with extraordinary care, so she's a beautiful craft with many unique features, using modern materials and methods but inspired by traditional Pacific Island voyaging canoes. She turns heads and feels good to sail. But under all that, she is extremely functional, an expedition boat that is meant to go places and do things. She's fast, so you can cover miles quickly, and safe, which means you get to your destination in one piece.
From a whale research point of view, she has the initial advantage of being a sailing vessel, so you can operate quietly around whales under sail, which means they will approach you, and allow you to approach them. The blue whales we worked with have often swum right under the boat, probably being very curious about something roughly their own size, but so different.
She's well set up for scientific work, with a great wheelhouse which can house computers and other instruments, and down aft, 'the beach', that wonderful platform that can be lowered into the water to launch divers, sea kayaks, and scientific instruments. She's also very comfortable, with a very functional galley, comfy cabins, and the open shaded deck amidships which is particularly good in the tropics, and a good work area for scientific projects (and a great dining room!).
I look forward to working with Garry and Pelican in the years ahead.
May 2005
|
