Chapter 1698: Pioneer No. 1

The two children talked around the phone, one sentence after another, competing to speak, exposing each other's old bottom, or the embarrassing things they did recently. Ye Yaodong listened to the phone and felt exceptionally relaxed.

They talked for half an hour, and Ye Mu came over with the almanac, only to find that they were still holding the phone.

"Still talking on the phone? Don't you need phone money? This has been more than half an hour."

"Dad hasn't called back for a long time! If you call for 10 minutes a week, we can talk for an hour!"

"Dead girl is so good at calculating, it was when your dad called back that you weren't there, where did he not call back."

She muttered in a low voice, "I didn't receive it either......"

Ye Mu walked over and took the phone from their hands, "Dongzi, I have already chosen a good day for the fishing boat, the fifth day of next month is auspicious, everything is fine, it is the best day in these two months."

"Next month? That won't work, it's too late, it's too late, change to a recent day, the sooner the better."

Ye Mu flipped through the almanac in her hand again, "Then I'll see, the earliest is this Saturday, the ninth, the day is also okay, can travel, pray for blessings, seek wealth, and many auspicious gods come."

Ye Yaodong also took down the calendar hanging on the wall and flipped through it, "Okay, then this Saturday."

"I have also chosen the day for the car, the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month. If it's too late, then the third day of the first lunar month. The first day of the first lunar month is also a good day, but don't go out on the first day."

"Okay, it's quite busy this year, and I didn't go back for the New Year so early."

"Hey, remember to tell me in advance when you come back."

"Definitely, but is your day accurate? Do you need to find someone else to see it?"

Ye Mu said angrily: "The days you need to see in the past two years are all seen by me for you. Where is it inaccurate? It's not smooth sailing, and everything is smooth for you."

"Nowadays, many people in the village like to find me to pick a date for them because they want to share in our family's good fortune."

"You actually doubt whether I see it accurately. The characters I know in the whole book are more than you."

Ye Yaodong hurriedly echoed and begged for mercy, "Yes, yes, yes, everything is smooth this year, thanks to your good days. You continue to study hard, read the almanac more, and rely on you in the future."

"Relying on me is fine, it's just that I'm old now, my eyes are a bit blurry, and my eyes are not as easy to use as before."

"If you wear glasses, that's fine, then you have to be a cultural person?"

Ye Mu was a bit happy, the corners of her mouth were raised, "What cultural person or not, it's just that my eyes are a bit blurry when looking at things, and my eyes are not as easy to use as before."

"That must be because you read too many newspapers and books, too enterprising. Wear it, you must wear a good one. I will

"Let's talk about it whenever there's a chance to go again."

"It's nothing, I'm hanging up now, I've noted down the date."

After confirming the departure date, Ye Yaodong went to count the workers; they would set sail this Saturday, which was only three days away.

Once this super-large fresh-catch transport ship was in hand and put into use, they could free up one of the smaller transport ships to send goods back every few days.

Ye Yaodong planned to arrange the manpower and go over two days early to finalize the office location and handle the necessary registrations.

The workers would follow him a step behind and just needed to arrive that same day; he would wait for them at the pier ahead of time.

This thousand-ton fresh-catch transport ship was about 70m long when he went to see it, and now the delivery measurement was 71.8m, making it a "mobile ice house" on the sea.

It had a standard displacement of 1350 tons and a full load of 1800 tons. It looked more slender and upright than common fishing boats, with a towering wheelhouse and a lower freeboard. Most eye-catching were the huge gantry crane at the stern and the flat, spacious working deck.

It lacked the traditional fishing boat's trawl winch and mountain of nets, replaced instead by the core equipment—a giant refrigerated hold.

There was also high-efficiency transmission equipment; the catch could be transferred directly from the transport ship via conveyor belt or lifted by crane nets and sent straight into the pre-cooling area, minimizing exposure time to the maximum extent.

The unique "fresh-transfer" crane, that huge hydraulic folding-arm crane at the stern, was the arm of the fresh-catch transport ship. It had a rated lifting capacity of 5 tons, but in good sea conditions, it could safely transfer about 8 tons of catch. It could extend directly over the deck of the transport ship to work.

For the bottom layer, he had specifically requested a fishmeal processing area, and the equipment and scale had been doubled, so the daily output could increase to seven or eight tons in the future.

The original construction cost discussed was around 1.7 to 1.8 million, but later, due to continuous improvements and with his consent, the cost had already exceeded 2 million.

People were dumbfounded when he brought them to the shipyard to see the new ship.

They had thought the Dongyu No. 1 had already exceeded their understanding, but they hadn't expected something even more shocking; some people were even stuttering when they spoke.

"Is... is this the ship?"

"Too amazing, won't this ship dominate the entire port once it's sailed back?"

"It's going to be a sensation again; we're going to crush the fishing company again."

"How could that be? They are much more impressive than me, don't talk nonsense."

"Really, one person like you can compare to a state-owned unit; no matter what, you've won."

"That's impossible with just me alone; one person can't handle it, you are all my helpers."

"It's different..." The uneducated boatmen didn't know how to put it.

Ye Chenghu chimed in: "You mean to say that my dad is an individual, while they are a company, a collective, a state-owned unit, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

It wouldn't be long before the state-owned ones would have to reform too.

"Let's go, I'm going to handle the paperwork, and then we'll take the ship away."

When it was delivered earlier, all the necessary paperwork had been completed; now he just needed to sign a paper and take the ship away.

Director Zhang was exceptionally enthusiastic every time he saw him, not just because he was a big customer, but because he was a benefactor.

"Mr. Ye, next time you need to handle anything, just give me a call. Like this time, wanting to buy an office, just a phone call and I would have had people arrange it for you in advance. Once you arrived, you could just pick one and it would be done, without wasting your time."

"That's great. Mainly, I also wanted to come over and see my son's recent situation. This trip is a bit rushed, I have to hurry and sail back, so I won't delay. I'll treat you to a meal next time."

"What are you saying? It should be me treating you to a meal."

"My new ship, such a big one in hand, shouldn't I treat you? Don't argue with me."

"Hahaha, alright, alright. You sail back first, have a smooth journey, and may your wealth continue to grow!"

Unlike fishing boats that pursue stability, the wheelhouse of the fresh-catch transport ship seems more "urgent."

The main engine is a German MAN, 5200 horsepower! The designed speed is 16.5 knots, and it can run at over 14 knots even at full load, one-third faster than most fishing boats!

High speed means it can shuttle between fishing grounds and ports faster.

To accurately find scattered fishing boats, the ship is equipped with a more powerful communication system, a satellite communication station.

Ye Yaodong touched the satellite terminal in the wheelhouse; relying on this, even in the Bering Sea, he could maintain contact with the fishing fleet at any time and receive their accurate locations.

This ship is practically equivalent to a central control; it wouldn't be outdated even decades later.

The high cost is also due to this.

"Dad, I just toured it, this ship is too awesome. When my winter break starts, I'm going to work on this ship." Ye Chenghu's eyes were sparkling, and he was still in a state of high excitement.

It just so happened to be Saturday, so he could bring him out to see it.

"Is that all you can say to describe it? How many years have you been studying, and all you have is 'awesome'?"

"Ah? Then how else should I describe it? This isn't writing an essay, do you want me to write an essay for you?"

"Sure, write me an essay on your impressions when you get back, at least 800 words. Submit it during winter break, I'll see how you write, and then I'll consider whether to let you on this ship."

"Ah..." Ye Chenghu wailed, "Can I describe it to you again, please?"

"Sure, but I still want the 800-word essay."

"Forget it, even if you ask me to describe it again, I'll only be able to say 'damn, too awesome, my dad is too awesome'."

Ye Yaodong laughed and slapped him, "Get lost, notify everyone, cast off the cables, prepare to leave port."

"Received, Captain."

The cockpit also had a microphone to notify the whole ship. After Ye Yaodong issued the notice, he blew the long whistle.

While the crew was preparing, he took the opportunity to test the refrigeration unit and the crane. Watching the hold temperature drop steadily and the crane arm flexibly and steadily lift the simulated heavy object from the sea into the hold, he felt confident.

He picked up the satellite phone microphone and connected to the shore station headquarters: "This is Pioneer No. 1, I expect to arrive at the DYD fishing ground in 72 hours. Please notify the Dongsheng Fishery fishing boats to move toward this area and report their catch situation and precise locations."

"Received."

The voice was clear and distinguishable.

After the operator received the notice, they still had to keep transferring and conveying instructions; it would take at least several hours to make contact.

Now it was just a preliminary test; he should be able to arrive about 48 hours early, and the extra 24 hours were left for the headquarters operator to have time to notify them.

And the ship also had to sail back to Zhoushan first, while waiting for the shore station headquarters to reply to him via satellite phone.

This fresh-catch transport ship with a satellite phone became the only reliable relay hub and information command center for the entire deep-sea fishing fleet to maintain effective contact with the rear base in the vast ocean.

Although it couldn't call those fishing boats that only had SSB directly, through the circuitous but ultimately effective information chain of "satellite phone -> headquarters -> SSB radio," it achieved the dispatch and support of the entire fleet.

It also allowed him to grasp the information of those ships at sea while on shore.

The river breeze, carrying the scent of rust and paint, rushed toward him. Ye Yaodong stood in the wheelhouse, watching the steel giant break through the waves.

All subsequent fishing boats would follow the standard of this ship; once they were put into use, they could maintain contact via satellite phone.

Ye Chenghu was even more excited than him, running around the ship, and before long, he came to his side again.

"Dad, when can you teach me how to sail a ship?"

"You haven't even finished your studies, and you want to drive cars and sail ships?"

"Having more skills doesn't weigh you down. If I learn early, I won't starve in the future, and you'll have a successor. Isn't studying for the sake of getting ahead? Learning skills is the same; I can study and learn skills at the same time."

"So awesome?"

"Look, you only know how to say 'awesome'. You can change the adjective and say I have ambition."

"Still nitpicking with your old man, you've gotten capable."

"Dad, teach me, learning more isn't a bad thing."

"If you were this proactive in your studies, I think you could get into Tsinghua or Peking University."

"Hehe, everyone's interests are different. Some people like studying, others like mechanical power."