As a proud West Country business, our fishing activity helps to generate income for regional companies, particularly those producing materials, such as nets, or those providing services, such as vessel maintenance. The port dues, market fees and processing of fish products contribute further to local economies, and Waterdance also provides regional employment opportunities directly as crew and shore-side staff.

The recent collaboration between Waterdance and Teignbridge Propellers is a good example of this local approach, as we commissioned them to produce a propeller for our newly built vessel, the Georgina of Ladram. Based in Newton Abbot, Devon, Teignbridge Propellers is Europe’s largest producer of quality propellers and sterngear, with over 65,000 sq ft of floor space, more than 100 employees and an on-site foundry. The company innovates, designs and manufactures quality marine engineering products.

The propeller Teignbridge Propellers designed and supplied for the Georgina was cast from nickel aluminium bronze, Lloyds Grade CU3 – BS1400 AB2. Produced to a skewed Kaplan design, it is 3.2m in diameter with five blades and a finished weight of 2,396 kg. The propeller was cast using virgin ingots, was CNC machined and approved by the Classification Society RINA. It was finished in just 10 weeks after receipt of the plan approval from RINA.

After a week of testing, sea trials, bollard pull tests and the necessary inspections, Georgina of Ladram demonstrated a 23 tonnes bollard pull and a top speed of 11.5 knots, both exceeding our initial expectations. Waterdance owner Rowan Carter stated, “the propeller supplied by Teignbridge provides fantastic performance for our vessel, and we would definitely recommend them.”