Page 16: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 15, 1981)

a 180-foot liquid mud supply boat in October. "This will bring our total fleet to 19 — including a crewboat fleet of 11. Our crewboat capability is one of the largest in the Gulf of

Mexico," Mr. Schmidt stated.

Offshore Express services cli- ents exclusively in the Gulf of

Mexico.

The Lightning Express is the 21st crewboat to be completed and delivered by Progressive Ship- builders and Fabricators, Inc. which, though a relatively young company in the industry, has be- come one of the most active crew- boat builders on the coast, noted

Joe Steverson, Progressive's pres- ident. Mr. Steverson attributes his company's growth to "rigorous testing and inspection standards, and the fact we offer a package of extras which we consider stan- dard on all of our 100-foot or more crewboats. One major extra, a result of design, is the 35 per- cent more open deck cargo capac- ity, a factor that enables the op- erator to squeeze all possible prof- it out of his runs."

The Lightning Express has a 22-foot beam, is 102 feet long, car- ries 3,000 gallons of fuel and 600 of potable water. Seating capacity is 56 and crew quarters accom- modate five, plus captain's state- room. Cruising speed is 22 knots.

Full instrumentation includes radar, Loran, single-sideband ra- dio, VHF radio, Fathometer, com- pass, and searchlight.

The main propulsion engines are three GM Detroit Diesel Al- lison Model 12V71TI. The genera- tor engines are two right hand rotation GM Detroit Diesels Mod-

A $10-million expansion pro- gram has been announced by Off- shore Express, Inc., a Houma, La.- based marine transportation firm.

Robert C. Schmidt, vice presi- dent and general manager of Off- shore Express, said the company has taken delivery of the 102-foot crewboat Lightning Express (shown above) by Progressive

Shipbuilders and Fabricators of

Houma. This is the first of five new boats the company will add to their fleet in 1981. Other fleet ad- ditions include a 166-foot liquid mud supply boat in July; a 110- foot utility boat in July; a 110- foot utility boat in August; and

Offshore Express In $10-Million Expansion- 'Lightning Express1 Delivered

By Progressive Shipbuilders

How to get a cold shoulder and like it!

Sometimes a "cold shoulder" can put you at a real disadvantage. With BFGoodrich Cutless® rubber bearings from Lucian Q. Moffitt, you'll get a cold shoulder that you'll like. Here's how.

Thanks to a unique "Water Wedge" design, circulating water is carried over the shoulders of the bearing. The wedge of water, flowing through rounded rubber grooves, forms a lubricating film between the bearing and shaft. This allows heat to dissipate and keeps the bearing shoulders cool even when abrasive materials are present. By eliminating excessive friction and heat, two major causes of bearing failure, the bearing's service life is extended.

Available world-wide through yards and marine stores. Or phone us for same-day shipment from our large inventory of Cutless rubber bearings that give you the cold shoulder you'll like.

LUCIAN

MOFflTTINC.

NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS

P 0. Box 1115, AKRON, OHIO 44309 el 3-71, one air start and one 24V electrical start.

Primary ac power is supplied by two 30-kw generator sets or al- ternately by shore power. Emer- gency power for lighting, run- ning lights and VHF radio is sup- plied by battery.

In addition to the 100-foot- class crewboats, Progressive also builds smaller inland crewboats ranging in size from 48 to 65 feet.

These are produced in two mo- dels — a deep vee drawing 3y2 feet, and a shallow draft capable of operation in 21 •_> feet of water.

For further information on

Progressive Shipbuilding's facil- ities,

Write 11 on Reader Service Card

Literature Available On

Hunt Company's New

FuelKleen Filter

The Hunt Company, Houston,

Texas, has introduced the new

FuelKleen, a unique, dual-stage filter designed to remove foreign particles as small as one micron in size and damaging water from diesel engine fuel.

Designed primarily for EMD (Electro-Motive Division) drill- ing-rig, stationary and marine power units, the FuelKleen filter is available in kit form for a va- riety of applications. Its unique feature is a centrifugal inertial separator that removes 100 per- cent of the water which, if al- lowed to reach the engine injec- tors, causes damage and resulting engine downtime.

For more information and lit- erature on the FuelKleen's per- formance, design and installation,

Write 20 on Reader Service Card

Shell Caprinus® R Oil 40

Meets Requirements

Of Auxiliary Engines

Caprinus R Oil 40, Shell's med- ium viscosity index (MVI) lubri- cant for medium-speed diesel en- gines, is now an API CD quality oil for marine diesel engines.

This means Caprinus R Oil 40 meets the performance require- ments of Cummins and Caterpillar marine diesels—both frequently used as auxiliary engines aboard shallow-draft vessels.

One-oil purchasing convenience is now possible, thanks to the API

CD designation, states a Shell spokesman. It is also believed that chances of mislubrication will be reduced because of the broader field of application of Caprinus R

Oil 40.

Caprinus R Oil 40 is a high al- kalinity oil, approved as a Super- ior Class II oil by General Electric

Company and recognized as "Sat- isfactory for General Use" by

EMD (Electro-Motive Division of

General Motors Corporation).

For complete free literature of

Shell Caprinus® R Oil 40,

Write 28 on Reader Service Card

WATER

WEDGE

SHOULDERS

WATER

GROOVE

SOFT

RUBBER 22 Write 271 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News