Page 32: of Marine News Magazine (January 2012)

32 MNJanuary 2012 From 6 inches to 60 fathoms, this boat can do the job of a back country flat-bottomed patrol boat and handle the 6 foot swells of the deep sea. Arguably, the new boat is the per- fect rapid response boat that can han- dle rough water, surf, river inlets, lakes, bays and estuaries, especially inshallow draft conditions. The extreme shallow water capabilities of the Latitude 27-ft. NSRV are what sets it apart. Draft on plane is 6-in., com- pared to an average of 24-in. of simi- lar boats in its class. A dual tunnel hull and twin highspeed jackplates allow raising of the engines and props above the bottom of the hull while running. The three independent hulls break up the incoming water and channel it down a series of grooves and strakes into the tunnels which feed the water to theelevated lower units of the twin out- boards. An average maximum speed of 58 mph assures fast, shallow draft response for a myriad of missions. Coast Guard Retools with Metal SharkIn a major contract announcement late last year, Metal Shark Aluminum Boats won a $192 million contract toreplace the U.S. Coast Guard?s fleet of Response Boat ? Small (RB-S) vessels. Up to 470 boats will be delivered across the Coast Guard fleet, with an additional 20 boats will be available to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with another ten slated for purchase by the U.S. Navy. One of the largest deals of its kind for theCoast Guard will also allow Metal Shark to expand its 65,000-square- foot manufacturing facility, as well as increasing its production and installa- tion professionals from 80 to 120 employees. Based on Metal Shark?s exceptional Defiant platform, the 28-foot RB-S is powered by twin 225-horsepower (hp) Honda outboards for speeds exceeding 40 knots with a minimum range of 150 nautical miles. RB-Smeets all Port Security Grant require- ments and is suited for a host of othermissions, as well. Transportable by road or air between missions, the boat includes a full complement of communicationsand navigation gear, as well as shock- mitigating seats for enhanced com-fort. The crew is further protected by a fully-enclosed cabin enhanced withballistic materials. RB-S is alsoweapons-ready, with multiple weapons racks and an integrated weapons-ready mounting system at the bow. The forward-mounted gun- ner?s platform provides 180-degree firing capability while a pass-through hatch leads to the cabin for easyaccess in any conditions. Latitude 27? Near Shore Response VesselMetal Shark Builds for USCGMN#1 (32-42):MN 2011 Layouts 1/5/2012 1:28 PM Page 32