Page 46: of Marine News Magazine (November 2011)

46MNNovember 2011BOATBUILDING When vessel owners and operators opt to bite the bullet and invest millions of dollars into a new workboat, it is rea- sonable to assume that they will start shopping with the expectation ofprocuring the most boat that their Limited money can buy. Capital invest- ments of this magnitude are often justi- fied solely upon the premise that a new custom-designed vessel will have more functionality and thus greater rev- enue generating capability. Why buy a workboat unless it can pay for itself? With fewer dollars being spent these days, boat builders and designers are more eager to rise to the challenge, push the envelope, and create the revenue generating multi-mission marine machines that owners have long been dreaming about. SWISSARMYVESSELDESIGNPurely from an economic perspective, a multi-purpose tool makes the most sense ? right? Many owners will attest that the survival and success of their operation large- ly depends on their ability to employ each craft in a vast variety of jobs. The pros of a multi-purpose and multi- mission workboat sound great at the conceptual level, but pulling it all together into a package that floats is quitecomplex and often problematic. It may not be too much of a stretch to design a pas- senger vessel that can host burials at sea in the morn-ing, whale watching tours inthe afternoon, and a cock-tail cruise at sunset, but when the tasks at handrequire multiple pieces of machinery and a reconfigu- ration of the working deck, the complexity of the boat design is taken to another level. Alaska Ship and Drydock?s latest launch, the M/V Susitna, is the epitome of versatility in vehicle ferry con- figurations. Not only does the vessel feature a highly sta- ble, ice strengthened SWATH hull, but its adjustable vehi- cle deck gives the vessel the ability to vary the draft for landing craft capability. While this kind of Swiss Army Knife design approach offers great versatility, it also comes with a premium price. RIGHTTOOLFORTHE JOBIn certain applications, the mission is so critical and unique that a specific vessel configuration is absolutely required for completing the job. Over the years, basic marine missions have remained virtually unchanged. Harbors still require patrolling. The sea floor requires By Joe HudspethMission PossibleReinventing the KeelMN#11 (32-49):MN 2011 Layouts 11/4/2011 2:15 PM Page 46