Page 17: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 1971)

Teledyne Sewart Seacraft Delivers

New Turbine-Powered Aluminum Vessel

Hi

Powered by a pair of turbine engines, the 65-foot crew boat Jet Star will transport crewmen to offshore oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico. be used to

Teledyne Sewart Seacraft, Ber- wick, La., one of the world's most experienced builders of high per- formance boats, in cooperation with Ford Motor Company, an- nounced in New Orleans a revolu- tionary installation of twin gas tur- bines in a 65-foot all-aluminum

Sewart-built crew boat. The fully air-conditioned T/V Jet Star, built for R.A.G. Boat Contractors, Inc., and outfitted with comfortable air- craft-type reclining seats, is certi- fied by the United States Coast

Guard to carry 33 passengers up to 100 miles offs'hore at speeds up to 26 mph.

The new vessel represents a first- of-a-kind application in the marine industry of a scheduled production model of the remarkable Ford gas turbine. This installation is part of a wide-ranging program for field testing the new turbine engines prior to production. The Jet Star engines are in Ford's 3600 Series, which will be production-rated at 450 horsepower.

Wilson W. Sick, general opera- tions manager of the company's in- dustrial engine and turbine opera- tions, said the marine-engine mar- ket is one of the first in which Ford turbines will be sold. "We are ex- tremely pleased with the way this new boat and our engines have taken to each other," he said. "With the turbine's high power-to- weight ratio, plus its inherent lack of vibration and low noise levels, we felt confident that teaming our engines with a first-class hull such as Sewart Seacraft's would turn out to be a winning combination.

And it has."

Mr. Sick and other Ford officials from Dearborn, Mich., plus officials of Sewart Seacraft, which built the boat, and R.A.G. Boat Contracting

Inc., which bought the Jet Star for transporting offshore oil-well crews, were in New Orleans on

February 16 for the official presen- tation and christening of the vessel.

Other Ford turbine prototypes are on test in a diverse range of applications, Mr. Sick said. They are installed in construction equip- ment, oil well servicing rigs, elec- tric generator sets and portable air ling and contiol functions were easily adapted to utilize our stand- ard throttle, clutch and steering systems. We are extremely proud that our engineering and produc- tion abilities have again produced a vessel of such truly exceptional quality."

Future applications, in addition to offshore crew boats, are expect- ed to include United States Navy and Coast Guard patrol boats and a variety of other commercial and pleasure craft.

The presentation of the new ves- sel took place at the Plimsoll Club in the International Trade Mart, with the actual christening on the

Mississippi River at the foot of historic Canal Street.

PACECO Announces Three Promotions compressors. In addition, a major pleasure boat builder soon will in- stall a matched pair of prototypes in one of its new cruisers.

Mr. Sick also reported that prototype automotive turbines have rolled up more than 250,000 over-the-road miles in Ford's own fleet of parts-carrying trucks and a Continental Trailways bus.

He emphasized that the first en- gines produced at Toledo will be for industrial and marine use. But, he added, the company has definite plans to produce turbines for trucks and buses in the mid-1970s.

The new Ford industrial and marine engines will be offered in three series, ranging in horsepower from 320 to 525.

The turbine utilizes conventional marine gearboxes and controls, and is responsive to conventional ma- rine throttle control commands. He said it takes no "special training" to operate a turbine boat.

The Ford turbine produces levels of emission that are among the lowest of any existing internal combustion engine.

The president of Teledyne Sew- art Seacraft, Bert Chauvin, said: "The Jet Star is of particular en- vironmental interest due to the very low level of her engine ex- haust emissions. The unique re- generative nature of the Ford tur- bines is an especially valuable fea- ture in an application such as this vessel, which will transport oil field personnel on the nature-rich waters of south Louisiana. We feel this is a shining example of man's ability to control pollution and aid conservation."

Sewart has a history of success- ful prototype developments, in- cluding advanced military and ci- vilian applications. The Jet Star represents a major breakthrough in efficiency and practical operations.

Dan Sentilles, marketing mana- ger of Teledyne Sewart Seacraft, pointed out some of the outstand- ing performance characteristics of the vessel, including unusual accel- eration ability and smooth quiet operation. He said: "She has a cer- tain quickness unlike similar boats with heavier piston engines. Hand-

W. Graham Fraser

Three internal promotions have been announced by PACECO, a division of Fruehauf Corporation, in Alameda, Calif.

W. Graham Fraser has been ap- pointed manager of engineering, from his former position as chief engineer and naval architect; Chet

W. Rensink moves up to chief en- gineer, and Larry A. Wright be- comes assistant chief engineer.

The PACECO promotions will provide increased supervisory per- sonnel for the company's recently expanded engineering department. 60:1 RATIO SPEE-FLO COMMANDER 4631 WINFIELD, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77039

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April 1, 1971 19