Operating a commercial fishing vessel in the northern reaches of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New England is a demanding and taxing job. Headquartered in one of the busiest commercial fishing ports in the United States – New Bedford, Massachusetts – Imtra is intimately familiar with the unique conditions and challenges that commercial fishermen face, and we offer solutions and equipment to make their time on the water safer and more comfortable.
Helm Seating
Anyone who has spent long hours at the helm of a fishing vessel knows that ergonomics and support are paramount to the captain’s comfort more so than a soft and spongy captain’s chair you might find on a pleasure yacht. Imtra offers just that thanks to Norsap seating, which is designed and manufactured in Norway with the objective of providing comfort and support for long days at sea in rough conditions, allowing operators to spend hours at a time seated without developing aches and pains. Tested and proven in the waters inside the artic circle, these chairs can keep you safe and comfortable in sea conditions the Atlantic Ocean throws at you.
Norsap’s range of chairs offer many attachments and features and almost all of the dimensions of the chair from the backrest down to the footrest are adjustable so that the chair can be tweaked to provide comfort to an operator of any size and body type. The chairs are also customizable with different fabrics to choose form, or you can supply your own, and you can configure attachments like cupholders, controls and monitors any way you want so that the chair can suit your specific needs.
Windshield Wiper Systems
The weather off the coast of the northeastern US is notoriously unpredictable, and often quite miserable in the winter. Commercial fishermen in this area of the world often find themselves in rainy and rough conditions that require clearing raindrops or sea spray off the windshield. Imtra offers three brands of robust marine windshield wiper systems to improve your visibility when fighting stormy seas.
Decca Wipers, manufactured in Norway, offer a straight-line wiper system that is great for clearing large rectangular sections of glass. It’s also a great solution for fishing vessels that operate in icy conditions, as the system can include a built-in heater that keeps the motor and track warm so it won't get jammed up with ice. Imtra also carries more traditional pantograph and pendulum wiper systems from Exalto & Roca, both of which offer heavy duty wiper motors for continuous operation over long hours.
Navigation & Deck Lighting
While using windshield wipers systems in stormy conditions to improve your own visibility is important, being seen by other vessels on the water is equally important, and that’s where navigation lighting comes in. The areas around Nantucket Shoals, the Gulf of Maine & George’s Bank are notorious for bad weather and thick fog, so having bright and powerful lighting is important for all fishing vessels, even if you don’t plan to operate at night.
Imtra offers a complete line of durable and powerful navigation lights from Den Haan Rotterdam (DHR) that have built-in fail-safes and are field-serviceable. Their navigation lights meet all international and US Coast Guard standards and come in different sizes so that they can be suitable for any size of vessel. DHR also makes both LED and traditional bulb-type searchlights that can help fishermen keep an eye on buoys or trolling nets & lines.
Imtra also offers a wide range of deck and utility lights to illuminate the working areas of your vessel to ensure the crew on deck can see everything going on and ensure their safety. In addition, Imtra carries all the interior lights you could ever need from the engine room to the galley to the living quarters. With over 1,000 light fixtures to choose from, Imtra can outfit any fishing vessel with a complete lighting package both interior and exterior.
Bow & Stern Thruster Systems
Thrusters are extremely helpful for maneuvering large fishing vessels in the tight quarters of busy fishing ports and crowded piers. Sleipner (Side-Power), based in Norway, has been manufacturing thrusters since 1985 and have over 170 different models to choose from in DC Electric, AC electric and hydraulic models, so there’s a solution for just about any boat and it can integrate right into whatever power supply exists on the vessel.
Additional Equipment
Commercial fishing is a demanding and often dangerous job, so having reliable and high-quality equipment and systems on board your fishing vessel is paramount to making sure you haul in a big catch and keep everyone on board safe and comfortable. Imtra has the highest quality equipment to outfit your vessel with everything you need for your next trip to go smoothly. To learn more about everything Imtra has to offer, check out this page and don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or requests for additional information.