Marine | Boatyard

We operate a fleet of sampans to assist members in getting to and from their boats and from the Seafront Promenade to and from Middle Island. The sampans have a long and checkered history.

Our oldest sampan is the M2 which we purchased in 1974 and it is still operating. M2 was originally a ships lifeboat that was converted into a sampan.

M71, also a converted ships lifeboat, is a sistership to M2 and was purchased in 1976. They are the same shape and size except M2 is actually a wooden hull where M71 was a fiberglass hull. M2 was given a sheathing of fiberglass in 2003. Both of these sampans were originally based at Shelter Cove. We are unsure of when they were moved to Middle Island but we think it was 1989 when the M60, pictured right, and M70 were purchased.

M71 was retired in 2021, after we had used it for 46 years, when it was found that the fiberglass on the hull was getting soft and there were problems with delamination of the fiberglass as shown in the photograph. The condition of the hull was such that economic repair was not feasible. As the hull had been a ships lifeboat previously it is suspected that it’s actual age was at least 20 and possibly 30 years above the 46 years that we owned the boat. Definitely value for members money there. M60, pictured right, and M70 arrived in Shelter Cove in 1989 and it seems that they were new when they arrived. The were used as sampans at Shelter Cove up until the Club purchased the white fiberglass sampans in 2010. In 2016 M70 and M60, pictured right, and were moved to Middle Island due to increased sampan usage during major regattas.

All the sampans that operate at Middle Island are powered by outboard engines. This is due to the lack of water during low tide at the steps at the Seaview Promenade. At extreme low water there is not enough water for the sampans to go alongside the steps to load passengers and the sampan has to nudge bow up alongside the rocks for boarding. This results in the sampans having to have heavy fendering at the bow which can be seen in the photograph of the M60.

This results in the speed of the sampans being reduced and also the fuel consumption to increase due to the severe lack of hydrodynamic shape at the bow of the sampan.

M880, M871 and M872, pictured below, the the white sampans, were built in Hong Kong by Regatta Yachts in Pak Sha Wan. Two are stationed at Shelter Cove and one at Kellett Island.

These sampans were based on the hull of a wooden sampan that was built by Islander Yacht Basin in Pak Sha Wan for Hebe Haven Yacht Club. John Grendon, who used to work at the RHKYC boatyard before moving to HHYC, had a mould taken from the wooden sampan hull by Regatta Yachts from which our sampans, and two for HHYC, were moulded. Close inspection of the sampans shows the hard chine marks from the original wooden hull. The original engines on the wooden sampans were the Yanmar 3GM30 which lasted many years due to their very strong heavy construction and low revs. When these finally gave up the sampans were fitted with modern high revving Yanmar’s. There unfortunately were not man enough for the work, especially the gear boxes. The saying they don’t build them like they used to was very true in this case. And so the new sampans were fitted with Beta Marine marinised Kubota engines, low revving, high torque engines designed for narrow boats in the UK. Drive is hydraulic

power and these have endured the start stop ahead astern movements characteristic of sampans very well.

In 2015, due to the requirement for extra sampan capacity at Middle Island, the Club purchased the K8, pictured above.

The K8 was built in Qingdao, China by the Gather Sport Co. Ltd. She has had a succussion of different engines varying between 70 and 80 horsepower. Unfortunately, whilst she can carry a total of 18 people her length, at 9.61m makes maneuvering her difficult, especially turning her short around, and this results in a lot of wear and tear on the engine and gear box. Again, with a lot of old car tyre fendering required at the bow, horse power and fuel are wasted driving her through the water.

With the demise of the M71, the Club examined the options available for a replacement sampan. The criteria for a new boat were that it had to be operated by an outboard engine, have a capacity to carry at least 12 persons, be long lasting, be sustainable and be fit for purpose. Various options were considered before the committees agreed to purchase a hull manufactured of High Density Polyethylene. HDPE is a very strong material, long lasting, UV resistant and fully recyclable. Three manufacturers, from the Netherlands, South Africa and Thailand were asked to provide quotations. After consideration of the quotations from the three manufacturers the build contract for the boat was awarded to Tideman boats in the Netherlands. Tideman have been building HDPE boats for over 15 years and they have a wide range of sizes. The model that the sampan is based on is the model RBB 700.

As I write this the basic hull has been completed as seen in the photograph. Finishing off of the hull by fitting the bench seats, extra fendering at the bow, handrails forward, a hard top cover, helmsman’s seat etc. is underway.

Happy ‘Sampan-ing’!

Further information on Tideman boats can be found at https://tidemanboats.com/

YOUR MOORING IN HEI LING CHAU SOON AVAILABLE WITHOUT ANY WAITLIST