Galtex Pilots Order New Jet Boat

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding started construction on its first water-jet-propelled pilot boat for the Galtex pilots in Galveston, Texas. Delivery is planned for March 2005. The Galtex pilots chose waterjets to avoid costly repairs to propellers and shafts from debris in Galveston harbor, particularly at high speeds, and enjoy improved maneuverability and safety during boarding and pilot rescues, said Peter Duclos, shipyard president. Designed by C.

Raymond Hunt Associates of Boston, with its continually-evolving deep-V hull the all-aluminum vessel measures 70 ft. overall, with a 21-ft. beam and a 3.9-ft. draft. Powered by twin Cummins KTA38-M2 diesel engines, each producing a conservative 1,300 bhp at 1,800 rpm, the boats will be driven by Hamilton HM 571 water jets.

Each engine will turn a remote-mounted Reinjtes WVS 430/1 gearbox. Top speed is expected to reach 30 knots. The engines feature Cummins' Centinel oil lube management systems, which continually add fresh oil to replace oil burned through the fuel system. The Centinel systems combined with the Eliminator oil lube filtering systems lengthen oil change intervals to more than 4,000 operating hours, said Duclos.

Circle 3 7 on Reader Service Card

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 9, Apr 2004

Read Galtex Pilots Order New Jet Boat in Pdf, Flash or Html5 edition of April 2004 Maritime Reporter

Other stories from April 2004 issue

Content

Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.