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fore launching it into the water. The pound curvature on it so it will take a modules will be built concurrently very skilled person to ensure that the and then pieced together and welded connection is watertight.” to the hull. Most of the ? reboat will As with the Phoenix and the Guard- be handcrafted with some welds be- ian, SFFD will use a two-tone red and ing done automatically by robot when white paint scheme to combat corro- the situation and conditions warrant. sion from the foggy air and sea salt of

Naturally, crafting a ? reboat from the San Francisco Bay waters. Once scratch requires enormous attention built, the boat gets launched into the to detail. Some of the trickiest and water and docked pierside to undergo most labor-intensive areas revolved intense builder’s trials of the propul- around the installation of the two sion, steering, safety, navigation, com-

Cummins QSK19 propulsion en- munications, auxiliaries, and electronic gines. “The propulsion engines are components. After builder’s trials, Vig- arranged in an unconventional man- or will commence open water sea trials ner, meaning that the ? re pumps are with the customer on board and Jen- driven from the rear of the engine and sen Maritime Consultants as the cus- the red gear/propeller is driven off tomer’s representative. These sea trials, the front (Power Takeoff) of the en- expected to last three to four weeks, gines. We will be required to align the cover the testing of the ? re? ghting propeller shafts from the rear of the pumps, monitors, and apparatus, run- engine and also align the shaft for a ning through required sailing param- ? re pump on the nose of the engine,” eters and courses to test the hull and mentioned Will Lietzenmayer. An- engines, and operational troubleshoot- other unique construction area occurs ing. Lietzenmayer emphasized, “The at the bow. “There will be very de- boat will be 100% fully-functional be- tailed ship? tting work where the bow fore delivery to the San Francisco Fire thruster penetrates the bow shell plat- Department.” Delivery is expected in ing. The bow shell plating has com- the ? rst quarter of 2016.

The ? reboat under construction in Vigor’s Seattle yard.

Photo: Vigor www.marinelink.com

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