Page 40: of Marine News Magazine (October 2022)

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MN

Gladding-Hearn

Shipbuilding

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding

An Incat Crowther licensee since 1987, Gladding-Hearn

G -H SLADDING EARN HIPBUILDING became the second shipyard in the country to build high-

For almost 65 years, Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding has speed passenger catamarans and has built the majority of built steel and aluminum commercial vessels operating fast ferries on the East Coast and Great Lakes. The builder in the U.S. and foreign countries. Located on seven acres has also recently won its ? rst CTV orders for the growing along the deepwater Taunton River in Somerset, Mass., the

U.S. offshore wind industry, including one for May? ower family-owned and operated shipyard is currently under the

Wind, as well as another for Patriot Offshore Maritime leadership of co-presidents Peter Duclos and John Duclos. Services that will be operated for Vineyard Wind.

Nearly all of the several hundred vessels built by the ship- yard are still operating today, and some 90% of Gladding-

L A B AKE SSAULT OATS

Hearn’s business is from repeat customers.

Lake Assault Boats offers a wide range of custom hull

With in-house naval architecture and engineering capa- bilities and a cross-trained workforce, Gladding-Hearn is designs and con? gurations suitable for use on inland lakes and rivers, and inter-coastal and offshore waters, to meet well-known for applying some of the most advanced ship- building techniques that rival many bigger yards, while still the needs of ? rst responders. The company’s craft are built to exceed USCG, ABYC, and ISO based design standards. providing the personal customer service of a smaller yard.

The builder’s primary products include pilot boats, The boat manufacturer says it offers custom hull designs high-speed passenger catamarans and mono-hull ferries, to ? t any department’s primary mission, which is particu- tugs, patrol and rescue boats, crew transfer vessels and larly important as today’s patrol, ? re, and emergency re- research vessels. Since 1955, Gladding-Hearn has been sponse craft are constantly evolving. Equipment technol- synonymous with pilot boats, having built more launches ogy is advancing quickly, and it’s important to keep up than any other shipyard. In 1978, the yard joined forces with new technologies. The ? re pumps are more powerful with designer C. Raymond Hunt to build the ? rst launch and ? exible. There are stronger and more ef? cient propul- with a deep-V hull, soon to become the industry standard. sion engines available from a wide range of manufacturers.

In 2014, the shipyard built the ? rst pilot boat application In the past ? ve years, Lake Assault Boats has invested ap- of Volvo Penta’s IPS drives in the United States. Having proximately $10 million in new equipment, including a new high-de? nition cutting table, new dock facing, and built over 200 tugs, barges and bridge tenders, the ship- yard delivered America’s ? rst Z-drive tractor tug in 1977. upgrades to electrical infrastructure.

40 | MN October 2022