Page 33: of Marine News Magazine (June 2020)

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MULTIMISSION WORKBOATS

Two 32 x 15’ 6” Bristol Bay Gillnet boats built this year. One features a Scania 750 hp engine and HI 500 waterjets, and the other is equipped with a MAN 730 hp engine with conventional prop shaft.

All images: North River Boats ing steady from year’s past,” Blocher says. “A lot of it really depends on what [FEMA’s] Port Security Grant Program does from year to year and what agencies receive the grants. There is de?nitely a trend upward on the multimission style boats where they are used jointly by both ?re and police.”

With a number of these builds underway or lined up, Blocher says North River Boats has been able to keep its shop running throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with of?ce personnel working from home where possible. “We took very appropri- ate steps early to protect the safety of our employees and our customers,” he says. “Douglas County, Ore. has seen very few cases and we are now in the beginning stages of reopening.”

Over the past six months, and despite COVID-19, North

River Boats delivered a handful of commercial and govern- ment boats including ?ve patrol boats ranging from 21 to 27 feet, two charter ?shing boats, two research vessels, several rigid aluminum in?atable vessels (RAIV), a pair of gillnetters and a few multisession vessels such as a 33-foot survey/patrol boat and a 30-foot ?re boat/landing craft, among others.

North River Boats currently has a healthy backlog that in- cludes an array of commercial and government vessels under construction or waiting to enter production this year. These in- clude a number of ?re, pilot and patrol boats and other multi- mission vessels, as well as an assortment of charter ?shing vessels.

Looking ahead to potential long-term market impacts from the coronavirus, Blocher says, “It is too early to determine how much of an effect this will have overall, but we are optimistic that the impacts will be minimized as much as possible.” 33 www.marinelink.com MN