The All Weather Canoe, the SNSM's flagship
The All Weather Canoe (AWC) of the SNSM is an emblematic boat of the Sea Rescue Association. It is capable of going out to sea for rescue operations, in any weather conditions, as its name indicates. It is also unsinkable, self-righting, fast, stable and maneuverable.
Faced with the ageing of the fleet, the association worked on a new boat that would best respond to the evolution of sea rescue and its current context. A prototype of the All Weather Canoe NG was born, much more efficient, thanks to the technological progress of the last years and more respectful of the environment. This new boat is part of the modernization process of the sea rescue fleet, which started a few years ago.
A new CTT NG, much more modern and technological
The SNSM launched a call for tenders to design this new boat, which was won by Pantocarène, a firm based in Port Navalo (Morbihan). This European specialist in fast rescue craft had already designed the prototype of the 1 re class (V1NG). The CTT will thus be recognized by its rostrum, trademark of the architect Didier Marchand, head of the firm.
The construction was entrusted to Sibiril Technologies, located in Carantec, in the Finistère region. It is thanks to its experience in the construction of service boats (SNSM launches, harbour pilots�) that the shipyard was chosen.
This new All Weather Canoe measures 17.80 m and is 5.20 m wide. Adapted to offshore rescue, it sails in all conditions, even in the most difficult seas. It has a long autonomy. Much larger, it can accommodate more shipwrecked than the old âeuros model up to 70 people, including 15 seats and 2 stretchers against 40 people, 6 seats and a stretcher for the old âeuros model and facilitate rescue operations.
It is equipped with a propulsion system that complies with IMO environmental standards and has innovative technological equipment for searching for boats and collecting passengers. It will be able to reach a speed of 25 knots, compared to 20 knots for the previous model. It is also the first time that an SNSM boat has a space reserved for the care of the sick or injured on board.
Technical specifications
| New CTT | Former CTT | |
| Length | 17.80 meters overall | from 14,8 to 17,6m |
| Width | 5,20 m | from 4,22 to 4,4m |
| Electricity | Equipped with 220 V | 24 V |
| Draft | 1,62 m | 1,30 m |
| Material | VR (Glass Resin Composite) | CVR |
| Engines (highest ecological standards) | 2 engines of 650hp | 2 x 380hp |
| Full load speed | 25 knots | 20 knots |
| Moving | 28 tons at full load | 18 to 23.5 tons |
| Onboard crew | 8 | 8 |
| Reception of the shipwrecked | Up to 70 people including 15 seats and 2 stretchers | 40 people, 6 seats and a stretcher |
This prototype will replace the CTT "Ville de Paris" of the Ile de Sein, launched in 1980 and having performed a long service since. The design of this new boat was made possible by a donation from a donor. It is part of a program of 3 units: the boat of Sables d'Olonne, ordered in December 2015 and built in 2016 and then the one in Sète in 2017.
"The CTT NG, because of its size, its onboard technologies, its carrying capacity, its power, becomes the new emblematic vessel of the SNSM but it is a very high-end and expensive product which is not intended to systematically replace all the current CTTs of the SNSM explained Xavier de la Gorce, national president of the SNSM.
A positive turnaround test
This Friday, November 13 was organized the test of the CTT NG prototype, in the fishing port of Roscoff. The operation was a real success. The boat was voluntarily turned over, wheelhouse in the water, thanks to a crane. As soon as it was turned over, it was raised to the right side, after having made a turn on itself. In order not to damage some secondary equipment, these had not been brought on board.
Rollover test - credit: Joseph Moysan SNSM Roscoff
"This qualification operation attests to the real guarantees of safety offered by this vessel in all weather conditions, both for the rescuers and for the people rescued in the event of an accidental overturn in a stormy sea says Christian Hélou, the technical director of the SNSM.
The boat has returned to the shipyard in Finistère for finishing touches and should be completed in early December. She will then begin a trial period.
The first CTT dates back to 1950 and was 14.20 m long. Today, the SNSM's operational fleet includes 40 CTTs in service. In 2014, they carried out 749 rescue interventions.
A new lifeboat of the future
Due to the high production costs of the CTT NG, it will not be able to replace all the aging CTTs. However, a new rescue boat of the future will soon be studied, after several months of reflection. It could therefore replace a certain number of CTT currently in service. 11 of them will reach the end of their life in the next 5 to 7 years out of the 40 SNSM boats.
Technical specifications
| Overall length | 11,40 m |
| Overall width | 3,80 m |
| Hull | aluminum |
| Propulsion | 2 x 300 horsepower Z drive |
| Speed | 25 knots |
| Draft | Less than 1 m |
| Crew | 4 rescuers |
This new prototype rescue boat is intended for the Gravelines-59 station and should be launched in 2016. It is currently under construction at the Socarenam site in Étaples (62) and was designed by naval architect Pierre Delion. A possible mass production will only be considered after the results of sea trials in early 2016.
