Page 49: of Marine News Magazine (November 2011)

www.marinelink.com MN49mise that calculated for both missionswas a design that incorporates twodifferent sized engines in each spon- son. High speed missions can now succeed when all four engines are running and likewise the low speed missions are efficient with the opera- tion of just two smaller engines.The workboat industry benefits over the pleasure craft market in that our vessels are custom designed and fabricated, without the restrictions and confines of a pre-shaped mold. Every new workboat project gets the benefit of lofting from a clean slate, but typically it is without the budgetsfound in the fat wallets held by yacht buyers. Our industry is truly forced to do more with less. By choosing a vessel design that is too mission-specific, thecraft may lose usefulness and value over time, through lack of versatility or adaptability. Conversely, installing too many features and adaptations leads to higher maintenance costs andincreases the capacity and require- ments of onboard support systems. THEWINDSOF CHANGEWorkboat designs are changing and will continue to change. The newly emerging wind farm industry is bound to generate the need for manynew mission-specific and multi-mis- sion platforms. Forthcoming regula- tions will continue to impact thedesign of workboats and how they are operated. Tighter capital budgets will push workboat buyers to ask for more ? and, if you don?t ask, you won?t get. The silver lining is that technology is on everyone?s side and will continue to push our working boats upstream, at least until Ron Popiel unveils the one workboat that can do it all. BOATBUILDING Joe Hudspeth is Business Development Manager at All American Marine, Inc., a manufac- turer of high speed passenger ferries, excursion vessels, and work boats, in Bellingham, WA. Hudspeth current- ly serves as a regional co-chairman for the Passenger Vessel Association and participates regularly on several committees concerned with marine related issues. [email protected]#11 (32-49):MN 2011 Layouts 10/27/2011 10:03 AM Page 49