Page 29: of Marine News Magazine (January 2006)

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By Larry Pearson

Not all Subchapter K vessels are 150 ft. long with three decks, enclosed cabins and fancy food service. The ones built by shipyards such as Island Boats are more basic people carriers.

For example, Island Boats recently delivered the Island

Expedition and the Island Discovery to Harbor Express of Boston, Mass. The two catamaran vessels will provide ferry service to the Boston Harbor Islands, a part of the

Massachusetts State Park System, from downtown

Boston. With a passenger capacity of 200 plus four crew, the vessels are Subchapter K boats operating less than one mile from shore. Using high-density ferry seating, the vessels are 65-ft. long and 20 ft. wide with passenger seating on the main deck that is covered and partially enclosed and an open top deck. Aluminum bench seating if featured on both decks. Designed by Morrelli &

Melvin of Los Angeles Calif., the vessels have a top speed of 25.2 knots. 'This is a great project for us," said

Miles Thomas, president of Island Boats. "We have delivered a vessel that is an excellent performer with modest horsepower that posted a 10 percent better per- formance than contract requirements," Thomas added.

Power is from a pair of Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines, rated at 600 hp each driving twin propeller via

Twin Disc reduction/reversing gears. An Isuzu genset provides 20 kW of electrical power.

A rubber bow bumper allows quick passenger loading and unloading.

The main deck enclosed passenger space is air-condi- tioned and is outfitted with wool carpet, low fire load seating and wall panels, a bar with coolers and drink dis- penser and head.

Windows are clamp-in frames by Beclawat who also provided the large sliding doors at the front and rear of the passenger space. The pilothouse is placed far forward on the top deck for maximum visibility during passenger loading and unloading operations.

The next vessel to be delivered by Island Boats is an 82-ft. aluminum catamaran for use transporting guests between Southport on the North Carolina mainland to

Bald Head Island of the coast. The two-deck Ranger can hold 236 persons with baggage and 284 passengers with- out luggage. Top speed is 21 knots.

A pair of Cummins KT-19A engines rated at 640 hp each drive propellers through ZF reduction gears. Two

Isuzu 40 kW gensets provide electrical power.

The 28-ft. wide Ranger was designed by Schuller and

Allen of Houston, Texas and built from marine grade alu- minum to USCG Subchapter K standards which include structural fire protection in the machinery spaces and low fire load interior materials and finishes "The Ranger is a solid, heavy catamaran but due to its efficient hull makes good speed with modest power," said Thomas. "The vessel has a high auxiliary load of 18,000 pounds on its rear deck to supply the resort island with supplies and to transport passenger luggage, "Thomas added. In addition to a propulsion engine and a genset, 700 gallons of fuel are carried in each catamaran hull. Two four-ton Ac units keep the passengers cool and seating is by Turnball.

Bald Head Island Ltd., has four other passenger vessels including an Island Boats-built sister ship Patriot.

January, 2006 • MarineNews 29

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Special K Boats

The Island Expedition with an almost full load of passengers in

Boston Harbor.

The 82-ft. Ranger was completed in the Fall 2005, and will be deliv- ered to Bald Head Island early next year. According to Island Boats

President Miles Thomas, " This has been a victory for us as our cus- tomer has evaluated our proposal for price and quality against local yards on the East Coast."

Top deck of the Island Expedition with bench seating aft of the pilothouse.

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