100 Percent Made in Antigua
For Gunter Doering and his family, Christmas came early this year. After nearly a year of construction, their pleasure craft MV 256 was launched with much pomp and circumstance from the Jolly Harbour boatyard on December 21st.
The journey of the 256 began when Doering and his wife spotted a local fishing vessel. Already owners of a catamaran, they were not wholly satisfied and longed for something else…a connection to nature…a wooden craft. Doering put the word out that he was looking to build a vessel and was introduced to Alford Cochrane, a third generation boat builder and Antiguan national. Cochrane and Doering formed an instant relationship and within minutes the boat was commissioned.
Cochrane went to the drawing board and created the original plans, influenced by the traditional lines of the Troller Yacht and local fishing boats. Once the design was set and approved, Cochrane cut local mahogany and started from scratch in the Jolly Harbour yard.
MV 256 would be a 43-foot vessel with a 14-foot beam and a 4.5-foot draft. She would be powered by both motor and sail and below deck; she would be modified to provide amenities befitting popular fiberglass yachts (galley, head and staterooms). Her most unique attribute, however, would be her bow thruster. A common feature in aforementioned fiberglass yachts, bow thrusters were unheard of in wooden boats. “A lot of people criticized [the plan for the bow thruster] and said it could not work.” Cochrane said and crediting “a strong working partnership” Cochrane and Doering decided to proceed. Over the next eleven months, 256 was built, framed and drafted using a team of five and to make sure they got the bow thruster perfect, engineer Carl Mitchell was brought in to assist.
Her journey nearly complete, the launch of MV 256 was as unique as her design. In front of a crowd that included locals, yachting community members and government officials, she hung proudly in the travel lift as on-lookers inspected the bow thruster. With champagne flowing and a steel band playing. Ute and Gunter were ecstatic. “This was a once in a lifetime experience,” said Ute as she thanked the team “[and that she is] handmade makes it all the more special.” Cochrane was beaming and understandably proud as he started his speech. He told the crowd that “boat building was his life” and he was looking forward to more opportunities rivaling this one. Finally, the Honorable Minister Baptiste stepped to the microphone to thank the owners for their faith in Cochrane. MV 256 was then lowered into the sea and after the traditional champagne bottle hit to the bow, the Antiguan flag was raised to cheers and applause. After a ten-day period moored off the yard to fine tune, she would make her maiden voyage to St. Maartin.
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