Fibretech News

NEW C-SKI 444 RELEASED

2009-12-03T20:58:00.001+02:00

The NEW C-SKI 444 Hull was released today, an exciting day at Fibre Tech.
The C-SKI 444 is a wider, stable and has more deck space.
There will be more pics on the progress of the production of this boat so
keep in touch.

Fibre Tech
Commercial Workboats & Specialised Mouldings
www.fibretech.co.za
Workshop: +27 (0)32 486 1715
Fax: +27 (0)86 545 3931
Cell: +27 (0)72 1245 604
Em: info@fibretech.co.za

2009-05-29T11:32:00.002+02:00

A Spearo’s Meditation

Spearfishing has been called many things over the years. It was first skindiving and harpooning fish; then spear fishing or free-diving and lately underwater fishing to de-emphasize the perceived “reckless bloodsport”.

Spearfishing, A sport that captivates so many minds and souls and primitive fears of the unknown, with its stories since it’s humble beginnings in the 1940’s as a way of life to becoming the extreme sport it is recognised as today. And who would have thought that we have some of the best playing fields for this sport fight here in our backyard.
With thousands of kilometres of coastline bordering the Indian and Atlantic oceans, the choices of gamefish (pelagic fish) are endless.
Spearfishing is done with the minimum of equipment, mask and snorkel, wetsuit, fins, weight belt and a rubber–powered speargun, turning the hunt into a challenging one where the fish mostly wins.
The very best of spearfishers can hold their breath for durations of two to four minutes and dive to depths of 40 or even 60 metres. However, dives of approximately one minute and 15 or 20 metres are more common for the average experienced spearfisher.
Len Turner is one of these experienced ocean hunters and with forty years of experience, he knows the sport, it’s rules and the injuries that can possibly occur.

Len, what does it entail to be a spearfisherman?
Once a spearfisherman – always a spearo!
Spearfishing is not a way of life, it is “life”. Every dive could possibly take you to the very edge of existence, so for me, spearfishing is a continuous celebration of being born free and living free to free dive.

Apart from the personal satisfaction, where has spearfishing taken you?
Spearfishing is a sport for the restless soul.
Spearfishing takes you on an everlasting journey, both literally and figuratively. I remember driving in a car, with two dive buddies from Durban, 200 km north and then turning around and driving another 200 km south in the elusive quest for clean water and good diving viz (visibility). As a spearo living in Gauteng now, I have to travel many hundreds of kilometres every month to the nearest sea (north coast or Mozambique).
Apart from the places spearfishing has also taken me to places that are not geographic. A place of tranquillity and altered states of consciousness through meditation, it’s a place of health through all the cardio-vascular and anaerobic exercise. Being over 50 years old now, I don’t have my schoolboy figure anymore, but I have an adolescent constitution and zest for life. It is also a place of excitement; nobody can describe to you the sheer exhilaration of having a 55 kg sailfish on the end of your spear line or a 50 kg ignobilis kingfish “reefing” your rig, unless you have experienced it yourself.

What and where has been your greatest hunting experience and why?
I have written up many of the stories over the years that my friends and I have experienced together.
I had a fatal encounter with a Tiger shark at Kozi bay when a huge Tiger swallowed my Spanish Mackerel (‘cuda), buoy and all and then proceeded to try and swallow me. It was sadly fatal for the shark, as I did not taste so good. Another was spearfishing, Tigerfish and great Vundu barbel, Bottlenose, Cornish Jack and Niloticus bream in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. This was amazing and not even the crocodile attack on my mate Rob Gates could deter from this experience.
Diving the deep drop-offs at Cape Vidal’s Levin point where the continental shelf comes close into the shoreline. I have seen leatherback turtles the size of Volkswagen beetles with moss and barnacles growing on their shells and 1000 lb marlin, so big that they look like nuclear submarines. And one day seeing a shoal of eight sailfish, herding bait fish in the dance of life.

In rugby one can get hurt from a bad tackle, what had gone wrong for you before?
Too much to tell. My nine lives are well used. I have been knocked against a cliff face on the Transkei Wild coast and been knocked unconscious. I have got a cramp in both hamstrings when chasing after a fish in 20 metres of water on Aliwal Shoal and then still have to try and swim to the surface with no breath left only with my arms. I have been on a flipped boat on a surf launch three times. And I have been bitten by a moray eel, poked by a sailfish bill, a fin bitten off by sharks, swallowed a blue bottle that exploded in my stomach and gave me violent cramps. I have been chased by crocodiles in Lake Kariba, and also attacked by a pack of sharks on Protea Banks. Yet I still feel safer in the sea diving the deep blue than walking down the street in Jozi.

Tell us about your boat?
I have had a number of really good boats. My current rig is a little C-SKI 4.40 m made by Steve at Fibre Tech. It is powered by a single 40 HP Yamaha. It is a spearfishing boat made by a spearo for spearo’s. I really recommend it to anyone.

Johann Stadler and Len Turner

Len Turner is a member of Gauteng North Underwater (GNU) “Blue GNU’s’ spearfishing. Anyone who wants to join their Pretoria based club or who is interested in learning to spearfish can contact him 0836332851.

NEW MARINE WORKBOAT LAUNCHED !!

2009-05-28T10:22:00.000+02:00

NEW MARINE WORKBOAT LAUNCHED !!!

880 C-WORKER

Exceeded all expectations - Very stable, glides into corners beautifully and
with two 130 HP Outboard Motors on flat water reaches speeds upto 33.4
knots. Full cabin giving the ultimate protection and comfort.
Different configurations available, contact Steve 072 1245 604

New American Style Vessel

2009-03-23T20:47:00.001+02:00

Fibre Tech's producing a New American Style Vessel, which is 9m in length,
2.6 metre beam and has a cabin wheelhouse. This 9 metre vessel is suitable
for marine survey industry, navy, port facilities, fisheries or any
commercial sector.

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THE C-SKI 560 EVOLVES

2008-12-18T12:32:00.006+02:00

The C-Ski 560 has become very popular, and we've been making numerous different layouts for this vessel. From commercial applications where skippers have loaded over a ton of fish on board and planed home, to more refined leisure vessels that are still essentially robust and extremely sea-worthy boats.

The wheel-house version is favored by commercials, and the forward console with T-top seems to be the recreational layout. We've also modified an option for a higher gunwale, making the boat even dryer under power, although the massive, splayed bow kicks spray down and away already.

The vessel in the photos with twin 60 hp motors still planes on one motor with three crew. Quite amazing for a 19 foot boat.

C-SKI 440 Conquers Namibian Atlantic Seas

2008-09-16T14:44:00.002+02:00

Dear Steve and Joceline,

It's a year down the road since Craig and I made the pilgrimage to your place from Swakopmund Namibia to pick up the boat and trailer from you in Darnall, Kwazulu Natal. The year has gone so fast and so many times I have been meaning to write to you and report back on things here in the far West.

The C-SKI 440 is great. We have beach launched from Mile 17 in all sorts of conditions, set out into the mist without much visibility, and anchored behind very shallow reefs with crashing breakers less than 20m away. We have done a 50km trip from Walvis out around Pelican Point and southward to Donkey Bay towards Sandwich Harbour and back with viz less than 50m, navigating only on GPS, a round trip of 50km (on one tank!).

We have fed the seals at Pelican Point and even ended up with one sitting on board! Was quite difficult to get the damn thing off! And now (Wednesday) returned from the Zambezi Classic Fishing down stream of Katima Mulilo (a tow of over 1200km to get there). A great 4 days fishing, not much fish, but we didn't come last! (of some 31 boat teams). And finally can report back on the boat and its character.

The C-SKI 440 is a fantastic versatile boat & small enough to take anywhere and big enough to take on anything. I put on standard Hi-Lux 4x4 back leaf springs which take the punishment of bumpy roads and soft enough to be comfortable for the boat and motor and not need shocks. By the way, I do get many people coming over and remarking on the boat, and there may be a market for this part of the world too).

Best regards and hope you are well and doing well,
Regards,
Tim

New C-Ski 560.

2008-06-08T15:27:00.000+02:00

The first C-Ski 560 is out and on the water. This impressive, big shouldered boat is certainly an all weather craft with its heritage in the commercial fishing industry.

This particular boat is owned by a spearfishing syndicate, and is designed as such. The C-Ski 560 is very light for a boat this size, and uses no wood in the construction of the hull or transom, leaving nothing to rot with age.

Like all Fibretech boats, this one is for life...

The new C-Ski 560!

2007-08-29T19:55:00.001+02:00

Steve's popped a new C-Ski 560 out of the mould and is in the process of finishing the bulkhead system. As you can see, this is a very deep V hull without any wood used in construction. The bulkhead system is a glass fibre "chassis" which is blown with foam, and fitted into the hull. The bulkheads created by this structure are then foam filled making for a very rigid, strong and cohesive structure.

The transom is a high density composite designed specifically for this purpose and the deck will be a rigid composite sandwich.

All this will result in an extremely light and practically indestructable vessel.