·The shipyard provides the best technical solutions for the tuning of the Sarah

The German NGO Search and Rescue for all Humans (Sarah), which is dedicated to rescuing people at sea, repairs its first own boat -also named Sarah-, in Varador 2000, in Arenys de Mar (Barcelona). The boat arrived at the shipyard recommended by Lifeline, another German company that last year already repaired its Rise Above vessel in its facilities and was impressed by its technical solvency. The Sarah arrived at the technical yard of the shipyard in March to carry out small repairs, but the check carried out by the professionals of Varador 2000 brought to light important defects and finally a comprehensive refit has been carried out, which is now practically finished. The boat will be operational again this fall.

To know the real state of the ship, the Varador 2000 engineering team carried out an ultrasonic analysis that detected serious damage in several areas of the hull. The engineers also carried out a 3D scan to obtain a precise and high-quality measurement of the entire vessel. Thanks to the application of these techniques, other major problems will also be detected in engines, axles, rudder and propellers. During the last few months, a complete refit of the boat’s propulsion lines has been carried out; the mechanical, hydraulic and electrical problems detected during the inspection have also been solved, and the metal sheet has been replaced in various areas of the hull, especially in the aft area under the engine room and the line of flotation This required high-precision boiler work, the design of new custom-made parts and a welding process certified by Bureau Veritas under ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards.

 

In addition to these operations, several important modifications have also been made to the structure of the boat to adapt it to the needs of rescues. The 3D scan has facilitated the remodelling process of the entire interior area, which is to accommodate a small first aid clinic, showers, toilets and a cabin for a hundred people and the rooms of the crew, which includes medical personnel.

The fuel tanks and the water desalination plant have also been enlarged, and the stern has been adapted to hang a large auxiliary speedboat. This adaptation has entailed the installation of two custom-made stainless steel davits designed to navigate in adverse conditions, a high-precision approved metalwork service.

According to Markus Groda, a person from the NGO who acts as liaison with Varador 2000 and its professionals, “the refit carried out is very complex, because it affects many different parts of the boat”. This complexity has brought up many problems that were not initially foreseen. “Fortunately – he assures – the shipyard has top-level professionals and they have solved all the problems that have arisen very quickly, providing the best technical solutions. It was a good idea to come to Varador 2000”. The spokesperson for Sarah also values very positively that the technical coordinator of the refit by Varador 2000, Ralph Bender, speaks perfect German “because that has made things much easier for us, both on a technical and human level”.

The Sarah, 22 meters long, is a fast and light first aid boat. Acquired in Málaga at the end of last year, its main mission is to arrive before the big rescue boats in the areas where shipwrecks have occurred and to provide first aid to the affected people with its life preservers, inflatable rafts and the medical equipment of emergency traveling on board. The NGO, which was founded three years ago in Germany, has so far participated in various rescue operations of other organizations in the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean.

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